NSF Award
9901798
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will further develop and scale the ceramic processes for producing a variety of microcarriers for biotechnology and biomedical applications. A need exists for a microcarrier capable of growing anchorage dependent, mammalian cells muftilayers thick with the ability to maintain phenotype over extended periods of time. Likewise, for chromatography, a need exists for more efficient separations of bio-products using a more robust media. In biomedical applications, a strong, low mass biomimetic substrate is required as a carrier for tissue growth factors and for extending the supply of demineralized bone matrix. Each application will require tailored microcarrier properties with specific size and density ranges as primary objectives. Developed microcarriers will be evaluated in appropriate sizes and types of bioreactors to determine the cost effectiveness and efficiencies of microcarriers for several biotechnology and biomedical applications. The determination of the material and process economics is a primary objective of this grant.<br/> Three principle areas of application for this technology have been identified: (1) culturing of mammalian cells for pharmaceutical / bio-products; (2) substrates for tissue engineered products; and (3) chromatographic separations of bioproducts. The primary customers will be pharmaceutical, biomedical device companies and tissue engineering markets.
