New 3D-printed liver could help treat organ failure without transplant

A Carnegie Mellon University-led team is developing a functional 3D bioprinted liver through the Liver Immunocompetent Volumetric Engineering (LIVE) project, aimed at addressing the critical shortage of donor organs for liver transplants. Funded with $28.5 million from the US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), the project focuses on creating a temporary liver that can support patients suffering from acute liver failure for two to four weeks. This temporary organ would provide a crucial window for the patient’s own liver to regenerate, potentially eliminating the need for a full transplant and preserving scarce donor livers for others. The LIVE team employs a proprietary FRESH 3D bioprinting technique to fabricate soft biological materials like collagen and human stem cells into complex liver structures. To overcome immune rejection, they use genetically engineered hypoimmune "universal donor" cells that evade the recipient’s immune system, removing the need for toxic immunosuppressive drugs. Beyond the liver, the researchers