UMD Bioengineering Contributes to ARPA-H PRINT Program Focusing on Bioprinted Kidney Tissue
The Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BIOE) at the University of Maryland (UMD) is contributing to a multi-institution research project funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) that aims to develop bioprinted kidney tissue. The work is supported through ARPA-H’s Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program and is led by the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM). The five-year award provides up to $24.8 million to support the development of implantable kidney tissue created using a patient’s own cells.
At UMD, the project is led by John P. Fisher, BIOE Chair and Distinguished University Professor. As principal investigator of the Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials Lab, Fisher and his team focus on computational modeling and tissue engineering approaches that guide the design of bioprinted kidney constructs. This work addresses ongoing challenges in kidney disease, which affects millions of people in the United States, while demand for donor organs continues to exceed supply, and many patients remain on transplant waiting lists for extended periods. Fisher’s work on the project builds on broader organ regeneration and transplantation research at UMD, including efforts supported by the Mickey Dale Family Foundation. These initiatives focus on advancing research and training related to transplantation science and developing engineering-based approaches to address organ shortages. Within the project led by WFIRM, UMD’s contributions support the technical development of bioprinted kidney tissue as part of a larger ARPA-H–funded research effort. “Our role is focused on providing engineering-based design guidance that supports the broader project goals,” says Fisher. “By combining computational modeling, tissue engineering, and clinical insight, we are contributing tools that can help move regenerative technologies toward practical evaluation.” Within the project for the PRINT program, Fisher’s lab develops computational simulation tools that help define how bioprinted kidney tissue should be structured and supported before fabrication. This work focuses on modeling key functional features of the kidney, including fluid movement and nutrient transport, to inform design decisions that are critical for evaluating early-stage bioprinted constructs. This publication was supported by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) under Award Number D25AC00320-00. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
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