CREST HBCU-RISE: Engineered Renal Tissue using an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Approach

With support from the Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology HBCU Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (CREST HBCU-RISE) this project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of how to incorporate artificial intelligence in the design of 3-dimensional scaffolds for renal tissue. Approximately 37 million people in the US suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD).

This condition can progress to end stage renal disease (ESRD), which is irreversible, and can only be treated by dialysis or kidney replacement. 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.

The goals of the project are: to use an artificial intelligence-driven approach to design and fabricate 3-D hydrogel scaffolds that mimic the architecture, composition, and functionality of the kidney; and to understand the effect of scaffold characteristics such as porosity, stiffness, and surface properties, on adhesion, morphology, and differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into renal tissue. The project also seeks to provide interdisciplinary education and training opportunities to graduate students in the new PhD program in Integrative Engineering and Biosciences.

This will help improve the research quality of the institution and can contribute to increased diversity in the STEM workforce. Professional development workshops and community outreach activities planned in the project could have significant impact on improving the quality of the graduate education offered at Alabama State University and it can also contribute to increased scientific awareness and curiosity in the local community.

Findings will be disseminated through publications, conference presentations and a website for the project. The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology HBCU Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (CREST HBCU-RISE) program supports the expansion of institutional research capacity as well as the successful training of doctoral students, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM at HBCUs.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.