SIF102 CAd-Bio: Center for Advanced Biomanufacturing

Project Manager: George Christ and Shayne Peirce-Cottler, School of Engineering and Applied Science

The purpose of this project is to build the infrastructure to develop and implement novel and more effective tissue engineering/regenerative medicine technologies.

BoV Approved: December 2016

Project Dates: 1/25/2017 – 1/24/2022

Funding Awarded: $3,000,000

Executive Summary

Despite enormous potential and significant federal investments, tissue engineering/regenerative medicine (TE/RM) technologies  have  not  delivered  expected  benefits  for  patients,  especially  in  battlefield  injuries  to  soldiers  and  civilian  trauma.  In response,  the  federal government has created massive new translational and collaborative funding initiatives to address critical technological roadblocks, namely, development of innovative regenerative materials and advanced  biomanufacturing.  This interdisciplinary,  Cross  Grounds  initiative  in  this  area,  CAd-Bio: Center for Advanced Biomanufacturing,  leveraged this SIF award to position  UVA  to  take advantage of  this extraordinary  funding  environment,  and  will  continue to leverage  existing  technical  expertise  at  UVA  in areas including advanced  manufacturing,  biomaterials  synthesis,  biomechanics, mechanobiology,  multiscale  modeling,  imaging,  orthopedic  clinical  translation,  and  rehabilitation.  The timely  funding  of  this proposal was  essential  to elevate  UVA  to  a  world  leadership  role  in  the  development  and  implementation  of  novel  and  more effective TE/RM approaches.

Current Status: Active

Progress

Four full PAC reviews and one administrative review have been conducted for this award and each report came to the positive conclusion that this award is making great strides in completing the original goals. At the most recent review in October 2020, the PAC granted a second no-cost extension so that the project team may have the opportunity to complete goals that were delayed due to COVID-19 disruptions. The project team has established a strong administrative core and has awarded numerous seed funded projects to advance the fields of biomanufactured materials and tissue engineering. These seed awards have produced pilot data for subsequent grant submissions, publications, and IP disclosures. Specific figures are being tracked and will be provided in the final report, which will be reviewed by the PAC in May 2022. The Center is part of a prestigious consortium network of regenerative tissue research facilities and has received an award as part of that network that intends, in essence, to create the prototype of a tissue/organ manufacturing assembly line, comparable to a vehicle assembly line. The infrastructure of the Center (purchase of all equipment, the hire of seven new faculty in SEAS that was facilitated by the Center as an attractive resource, supplies to host symposiums, etc.) developed in large part through the SIF funds, plays a significant role in the team’s ability to cultivate a variety of funding sources that generate funds toward sustainability of the program, including industry partnerships, private donations, and grants.