Improving liver preservation to extend donor organ availability
Official title: Enhanced supercooling for extending non-freezing preservation in preclinical porcine and human donor livers
Funded at Sylvatica Biotech, INC. · NIH-11008882 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new way to keep donor livers healthy for longer so they can be transported farther, which could help more people who need a liver transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sylvatica Biotech, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $965,379 |
| NIH project number | 1R44DK136457-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11008882 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients suffering from acute liver failure who are on the transplant waitlist or those who could benefit from a liver transplant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with chronic liver disease who are not candidates for transplantation may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing the preservation of donor livers to extend the time they can remain viable outside the body. By using a technique called supercooling, the researchers aim to keep livers at temperatures below freezing without forming ice, which can damage the organs. This could allow for longer transportation times and broader geographic sharing of donor organs, ultimately increasing the chances for patients in need of a liver transplant. The approach involves innovative methods to maintain organ viability during extended storage periods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly increase the availability of donor livers for transplantation, potentially saving more lives.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results with supercooling techniques, indicating potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Sylvatica Biotech, INC.
North Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taylor, Michael John — Sylvatica Biotech, INC.
- Study coordinator: Taylor, Michael John
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Extending liver preservation using enhanced supercooling
A new method aims to keep donor livers viable for days longer by supercooling them, potentially helping patients who need a transplant waitlist that’s too short.
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Keeping donated livers usable longer using improved supercooling
This project uses an improved supercooling method to keep donated livers viable for longer so more people who need liver transplants can get better-matched organs.
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Improving the preservation of human livers for transplantation
This study is looking at a new way to freeze human livers so they can stay healthy for longer, making it easier to match them with patients who need a transplant, which could help save more lives.
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.