NSF Engineering Research Center for Advanced Technologies for Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio)

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

The ERC for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio) aims to “stop biological time” and radically extend the ability to bank and transport cells, aquatic embryos, tissue, skin, whole organs, microphysiological systems (“organs-on-a-chip”), and even whole organisms through a team approach to build advanced biopreservation technologies. In order to build a more robust STEM workforce, especially in the growing number of fields needing biopreservation technologies, ATP-Bio aims for STEM education across all components of the Center. As such, ATP-Bio’s workforce development plan is purposefully designed to promote interest and engagement in STEM for all students. ATP-Bio will engage middle schoolers and high schoolers with biopreservation science and technology, fund numerous research internships in ATP-Bio labs for undergraduates, sponsor dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in ATP-Bio labs and facilitate dozens of internships in the biopreservation industry. ATP-Bio will also include a focused effort on Ethics and Public Policy so that the Center’s technology will be legally and ethically translated to public benefit. Together with a large and active group of industrial partners, ATP-Bio aims to produce massive social benefit through “off-the-shelf” biopreservation technologies for cell therapies, tissue and organ transplantation, pharmacological research, aquaculture, agriculture and many other fields. ATP-Bio will accomplish its goals by engineering technologies for biological systems before cooling, during cooling and stasis at subzero temperatures, and during rewarming to normal biological temperatures. At each stage, ATP-Bio convergent science teams will aim to eliminate or control ice formation, mitigate the toxicity of cryopreservation agents, and eliminate thermal and mechanical stress. Engineering and Workforce Development activities across all components of ATP-Bio is aimed at creating a STEM workforce that understands team science, especially for the growing number of fields needing biopreservation technologies. ATP-Bio will leverage the long-term nature of an ERC to conduct research on developing positive STEM identity for all students and improving STEM pathways for K-12 and undergraduate STEM education. ATP-Bio will also include focused research on Ethics and Public Policy so that the Center’s technology will be legally and ethically translated to public benefit. 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.