The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $455,718 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Project Grant to Marquette University to develop a living, tissue-engineered heart valve substitute capable of growing with child recipients of congenital heart valve defects. The 5-year project, funded under the NSF Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), aims to create a durable, hydrodynamically functional heart valve using an origami-inspired design and patient-derived cells that can self-repair and grow. The research objectives include developing a porous, elastic scaffold that mimics native heart valve tissue properties, fabricating a prosthetic valve with origami-based folding, and generating appropriate valve cell types from umbilical cord blood to populate the engineered valve. Subawards are planned as part of this project. The research seeks to address the urgent need for improved treatment options for children born with congenital heart defects, providing a superior alternative to current artificial heart valve substitutes.
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