Design and study of materials and bioreactor culture process to fabricate a vascularized bioartificial pancreas device

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In 2000, the World Health Organization estimated that over 177 millions people have diabetes, including more than 2 millions Canadians. The financial burden of diabetes and its complications on the Canadian healthcare system is enormous estimated at $13.2 billion every year. A major challenge in the treatment of Type I diabetes is the prevention of late complications, usually achieved by intensified insulin treatment.   Tissue engineering of a vascularised bioartificial pancreas could become an important element in the treatment of diabetes. However, survival of cells deeply embedded in engineered tissue constructs is compromised by lack of capillary development causing necrosis. Because of this limitation, culture and growth of large tissue mass are poorly understood.   Tissue engineering integrates the sciences of chemical and biotechnological engineering, biomaterials, cell biology, and transplantation to create tissue and organ substitutes. Several challenges face the development of an engineered tissue product: cell sourcing, immuno-compatibility, maintenance of sterility and uniformity during the growth process, "scalability" of the manufacturing process, etc. There is a need for a culture process to control cell and tissue growth.   The general objective is to develop and use a co-culture process to guide the growth of a vascularized bioartificial pancreas within a defined 3-D environment. The main concept proposed here consiststo use bioactive scaffolds and a bioreactor system in which operating conditions can be modulated to guide pancreatic tissue and micro-vessel formation.   The methods described in this proposal are well established in Vermette's laboratory and are supported by preliminary results. High-impact publications and intellectual property (IP) will be created. This project will make a major contribution to the training of highly qualified personnel in biotechnological engineering.