First-Ever Artificial Kidney Might End The Hunt For Suitable Donors
Video screenshot via University of California San Francisco
While the media doesn’t often depict illnesses such as kidney disease, the chronic condition actually affects nearly 10% of the world’s population.
As per kidney.org, it’s estimated that over two million people globally receive treatment through dialysis or a transplant, though a suitable donor for the latter is much harder to come by.
A brand-new invention born out of a partnership between the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could change the trajectory of kidney disease treatment forever.
Named the ‘Kidney Project’, the device is a bio-artificial kidney that can be implanted into patients. According to Interesting Engineering, the team behind the idea was awarded with a US$650,000 prize from KidneyX—an innovation accelerator—for the functional prototype.
Video screenshot via University of California San Francisco
This innovation, dubbed as a “world-first,” could allow patients to stop painful treatments such as dialysis, or relentless medication needed when they undergo a transplant. Instead, the device can support a sustainable culture of kidney cells, all without triggering an immune response.
“The vision for the artificial kidney is to provide patients with complete mobility and better physiological outcomes than dialysis. It promises a much higher quality of life for millions worldwide with kidney failure,” explained Roy, a faculty member of the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at the University of California San Francisco.
To see exactly how the prototype works, check out the video below.
[via Interesting Engineering, cover image via University of California San Francisco]
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