Project Grant R43GM153014

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded a $306,000 Project Grant to Cell Preservation Services Inc. (CPSI Biotech) to develop a novel, DMSO-free cryopreservation solution and recovery reagent for improving the cryopreservation of natural killer (NK) cells. The project, titled "A Novel Multicomponent DMSO Free Cryococktail and Recovery Reagent for the Improved Cryopreservation of NK Cells," aims to address issues with delayed onset cell death and poor post-thaw viability and function of cryopreserved NK cells, which are critical for cancer immunotherapy applications. The project will focus on developing a non-toxic cryoprotective agent cryococktail, as well as a post-thaw recovery conditioning dilution/infusion reagent, to prevent apoptosis and necrosis and enhance NK cell survival and function. This work aligns with the NIGMS Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), which supports fundamental and applied research to expand scientific knowledge and develop new biomedical technologies.