DoD Provide $80 Million for New Tissue, Organ Research for Injured Soldiers

By Debbie Gregory.

Technology is advancing at a rate that is difficult to keep up with. As further evidence, the Department of Defense is providing $80 million to establish a bio-research and manufacturing institute to develop transplant tissues and organs for injured American soldiers and other patients.

The Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute will be located in Manchester, NH, and will be led by a collation that includes DEKA Research and Development Corp., the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

“This is a monumental investment in the future of New Hampshire and further establishes this region as a hub for scientific research and development,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan in a statement. All three represent the citizens of New Hampshire.

Officials said it will bring good jobs to Manchester and give the state’s college graduates opportunities to work on cutting edge biomedical/biofabrication research.

Biofabrication is an innovative manufacturing industry segment at the intersection of biology-related research, computer science, materials science and engineering that is creating state-of-the-art manufacturing innovations in biomaterial and cell processing, bioprinting, automation and non-destructive testing technologies for critical Department of Defense and novel commercial use.

The institute will develop techniques for repairing and replacing cells in tissues, possibly leading to the ability to make new skin for soldiers scarred from combat and technology to preserve organs for those waiting for transplants.

Dr. James Weinstein, CEO and President of Dartmouth-Hitchcock believes researchers will develop ways to make tissue on structured frameworks that could be implantable within five years.

“It’s extremely important for our veterans who lose limbs and organs that we might be able to make them new ones using stem cells and 3-D printing,” he said. “This is going to be foundational and groundbreaking work for the future of our country and our world.”

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