Development of a 3D implantable liver organoid
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of a therapeutic 3D implantable liver organoid - scaffolding materials for liver tissue engineering.
IRAS ID
205634
Contact name
Rhiannon Grant
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Liver disease incidence has skyrocketed in the under-65s by 500% and mortality has risen by 400% since 1970. In Scotland, liver disease is responsible for 1 in 50 of all deaths. Whilst liver failure is curative, by liver transplantation, there is an insufficient number of donor livers and 7 people a month in the UK alone died waiting for an organ in 2015. One of the clinical features of liver disease is that is often presents at a late stage, necessitating complete liver transplants. We propose to create a liver ‘organoid’; a lab grown transplantable organ which can be used to replace diseased livers in patients. We will use cellular and non-cellular (extracellular matrix, collagen, scaffold, excreted factors) components from donated adult human livers deemed unsuitable for transplant to create scaffolds for liver cells; environments in which the cells can survive, function and even potentially regenerate diseased liver tissue. These scaffolds will be placed in devices which provide a flow of nutrients and removal of waste similar to that in the human body to evaluate their suitability for transplant and establish the cell’s functionality in response to their environment.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
16/NS/0083
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion