Olde Hornet
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Alabama State University is continuously making history. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded ASU’s Biomedical Engineering Department a $1.2 million grant to student kidney tissue regeneration.
Specifically, the department will study how to incorporate artificial intelligence in the design of 3-dimensional scaffolds for renal tissue regeneration.
“This research addresses a very critical issue in the United States. Many of us know someone who suffers from this disease, and we need creative approaches to address it,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Derrick Dean, professor and director of Biomedical Engineering. “We also appreciate support from Dr. (Quinton) Ross, which was instrumental in helping to secure the funding.”
Joining Dean on the research are co-principal investigators Dr. Vineeth Viijayan, assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering; Dr. Rajendran Swamidurai, professor of Computer Science; Elijah Nyairo, instructor of Chemistry; and Dr. Robert Green, associate professor of Chemistry and chair of the Physical Science Department.
According to Dean, approximately 37 million people in the United States suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD). The condition can progress to end stage renal disease (ESRD), which is irreversible, and can only be treated by dialysis or kidney replacement, he noted.
“Dialysis helps a person extend their life; however, their quality of life can be affected by various complications such as accelerated cardiac disease and infection rates. Replacement therapy is another option; however, there is a serious shortage of donors. The importance of this project is that it will enable the design of more functional kidney tissue constructs for renal diseases,” Dean pointed out.
