A mass-producible biomimetic artificial lung to help people with severe respiratory failure
Manufacturable Biomimetic Microfluidic Oxygenator for Safer, Simpler Treatment of Respiratory Failure
A new, easier-to-manufacture microfluidic oxygenator is being developed to support adults with severe respiratory failure such as ARDS as an alternative to standard ECMO devices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Biomembretics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scituate, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11239378 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have severe lung failure that mechanical ventilation cannot manage, this project aims to build a safer, simpler device that oxygenates blood outside the body. The team is scaling up a microfluidic oxygenator design that mimics natural blood flow and has shown promising safety and function in large-animal tests. The current work focuses on methods to manufacture the device at high volumes and lower cost so it could be widely available. If manufacturing and testing go well, this device could move toward human clinical testing and hospital use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) with severe respiratory failure such as ARDS who are candidates for extracorporeal oxygenation when mechanical ventilation is insufficient would be the eventual target population.
Not a fit: People with mild or moderate lung disease who do not need extracorporeal support, children, or those with contraindications to extracorporeal circuits are unlikely to benefit from this work directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a safer, simpler, and more widely available extracorporeal oxygenation option for adults with severe respiratory failure.
How similar studies have performed: Related microfluidic oxygenator designs have shown safety and functionality in large-animal studies, but human clinical data are still limited and the manufacturing approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
Scituate, United States
- Biomembretics, INC. — Scituate, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Borenstein, Jeffrey T. — Biomembretics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Borenstein, Jeffrey T.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.