EAGER: MXene Sorbents for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

2019冠状病毒病大流行是一场影响数百万人的重大公共卫生危机，其中许多人出现一系列症状并累及多个器官系统。早期证据表明，COVID-19会导致直接肾损伤，约30%至40%的住院患者存在这种情况。COVID-19还不成比例地折磨着患有潜在肾脏疾病的人。当肾损伤严重时，需要透析治疗来清除血液中积聚的毒素。不幸的是，典型的透析治疗是资源密集型的，每次治疗需要数百升专门的液体（透析液）。在纽约市大流行最严重的时候，有报告显示，透析液的供应已耗尽到危险的程度，导致对住院病人的透析护理实行配给。为了解决当前最先进的透析治疗方法的局限性，本项目将研究和设计新的除毒素（吸附剂）材料作为潜在的替代透析技术。目标是减少透析所需的液体量，并推进家庭或可穿戴透析治疗的进展。研究结果将直接有利于因covid -19相关疾病或其他原因需要透析的个人的健康和福祉。博士后、研究生和本科生将参与研究，获得技术经验并发展专业技能。在工程理事会化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统部门的界面工程项目和数学和物理科学理事会材料研究部门的陶瓷项目的支持下，研究人员将研究MXenes这种具有独特吸附特性的2D材料是否可以通过清除肾衰竭期间积累的毒素来再生透析液。研究人员将首先测试具有生物相容性的钛基MXenes的吸附特性，然后确定吸附机制以及可以从水溶液中去除的离子和生物分子的数量作为尿毒症毒素浓度的函数。对于最有希望的MXene，将确定在特定流量下清除尿毒症毒素和离子所需的MXene的体积和重量。最后，研究人员将研究外加电位对MXene吸附/解吸尿毒症毒素的影响。后一个目标的目标是增加吸附特性并再生MXene以供重复使用，使其成为解决COVID-19大流行期间及以后透析液严重短缺的理想材料。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major public health crisis affecting millions of individuals, many of whom present with a constellation of symptoms and multiple organ system involvement. Early evidence has suggested that COVID-19 causes direct kidney injury, which is present in approximately 30 to 40% of hospitalized patients. COVID-19 also disproportionately afflicts people with underlying kidney disease. When kidney injury is severe, dialysis treatments are required to remove toxins that build up in the bloodstream. Unfortunately, typical dialysis treatments are resource-intensive and require several hundreds of liters of specialized fluid (dialysate) per treatment. At the height of the pandemic in New York City, reports revealed that supplies of dialysate were dangerously depleted, leading to rationing of dialysis care for hospitalized patients. To address the limitations of the current state-of-the-art dialysis treatment methods, this project will investigate and design novel toxin-removing (sorbent) materials as a potential alternative dialysis technology. The goal is to reduce the amount of fluid necessary for dialysis and advance progress toward in-home or wearable dialysis therapies. The outcome of the research will directly benefit the health and well-being of individuals requiring dialysis as a result of COVID-19-related illness or otherwise. Postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students will participate in conducting the research, gaining technical experience as well as developing professional skills. With support from both the Interfacial Engineering program of the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems in the Engineering Directorate and the Ceramics program of the Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, the investigators will examine whether MXenes, 2D materials with unique adsorption properties, can regenerate dialysate by removing toxins that accumulate during kidney failure. The investigators will first test the adsorption properties of biocompatible, titanium-based MXenes and, subsequently, determine the adsorption mechanism and amounts of ions and biomolecules that can be removed from aqueous solutions as a function of uremic toxin concentration. For the most promising MXene, the volume and weight of MXenes required to clear uremic toxins and ions at a specified flow weight will be determined. Finally, the investigators will examine the effect of an applied electric potential on MXene adsorption/desorption of uremic toxins. The goal of the latter objective is to increase adsorption characteristics and regenerate the MXene for re-use, making it an ideal material to address critical dialysate shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.