Bioengineering

The ERC for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio) aims to stop biological time and radically extend the ability to bank and transport cells, aquatic embryos, tissue, skin, whole organs, microphysiological systems (organs-on-a-chip), and even whole organisms through a team approach to build advanced biopreservation technologies. In order to build a more robust and diverse STEM workforce, especially in the growing number of fields needing biopreservation technologies, ATP-Bio also aims for equitable STEM education across all components of the Center. The integration of Engineering and Workforce Development (EWD) and Diversity and Culture of Inclusion (DCI) across all components of ATP-Bio is aimed at creating a more diverse STEM workforce that understands team science, especially for the growing number of fields needing biopreservation technologies. 
The NetEthics project will make a major advance in the responsible conduct of large, complex engineering research projects such as NSF-funded Engineering Research Centers (ERCs). Engineering research increasingly involves large, multidisciplinary teams networked across multiple universities and other institutions to develop new technologies. However, tools to help these teams conduct research ethically and develop technologies for societal benefit are lacking. Instead, current research ethics and tools tend to focus either on the responsibilities of individual researchers or the big societal issues that the new technology will raise. These two ends of the spectrum – the micro level of the individual and the macro level of overall impacts -- leave a troubling gap in the middle by offering little guidance to the leaders of complex research networks. Those leaders regularly face difficult issues such as how to reconcile conflicting ethical approaches across the network, how to ensure ethical and respectful laboratory leadership and mentoring, how to create network-wide processes for resolving disputes, and how to build a network culture valuing inclusion and diversity. Network leaders also face challenges in building community and stakeholder relationships, ensuring responsible commercialization, and making sure that the entire research network fulfills ethical responsibilities such as responsible conduct of research (RCR) with human participants, ethical treatment of animals in research, and avoiding conflicts of interest.

Related Publications

Pruett T, Wolf SM, McVan CC, Lyon P, Capron AM, Childress JF, Evans BJ, Finger EB, Hyun I, Isasi R, Marchant GE, Maynard AD, Oye KA, Toner M, Uygun K, Bischof JC. Governing New Technologies That Stop Biological Time: Preparing for Prolonged Biopreservation of Human Organs in Transplantation. American Journal of Transplantation 2024;doi:10.1016/j.ajt. 2024.09.017. Download PDF (295.77 KB)
Lyon P. (Note). Let's be cool about it: Anticipating proper, whole-human cryopreservation and the necessary oversight for adequate consumer protection. Minnesota Journal of Law, Science and Technology 2024 (in press).
Hagedorn M, Parenti LR, Craddock RA, Comizzoli P, Mabee P, Meinke B, Wolf SM, Bischof J, Sandlin RD, Tessier SN, Toner M. Safeguarding Earth's Biodiversity by Creating a Lunar Biorepository. BioScience 2024;74(8);561-566.
Wolf SM, Pruett TL, Uygun K. Introduction: The Ethical, Legal & Policy Challenges of Stopping Biological Time. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):529-533. Download PDF (107.85 KB)
Wolf SM, Pruett TL, McVan CC, Brister E, Callier SL, Capron AM, Childress JF, Goodwin MB, Hyun I, Isasi R, Maynard AD, Oye KA, Thompson PB, Tiersch TR. Anticipating Biopreservation Technologies that Pause Biological Time: Building Governance & Coordination Across Applications. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):534-552. Download PDF (340.23 KB)
Childress JF, Brister E, Thompson PB, Wolf SM, Callier SL, Capron AM, Pruett TL, Zuchowicz N. Ethical Issues in Emerging Technologies to Extend the Viability of Biological Materials Across Time and Space. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):570-584. Download PDF (187.03 KB)
Hyun I, Bischof JC, Callier SL, Capron AM, Goodwin MB, Goswami I, Isasi R, Maynard AD, Pruett TL, Uygun K, Wolf SM. The Need for Early Engagement with Interested Groups on Advanced Biopreservation. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):585-594. Download PDF (173.05 KB)
Capron AM, Childress JF, Pruett TL. The Big Chill: Opportunities for, and Challenges to, Advanced Biopreservation of Organs for Transplantation. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):595-610. Download PDF (706.2 KB)
Goodwin M. An 'Amazon of Living Things'? The History & Horror of Commodifying Life. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):611-623. Download PDF (180.33 KB)
Jaskiewicz J, Wolf SM, Toner M, Sandlin R. Biopreserving Pathogens: Promise & Peril. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):624-636. Download PDF (179.71 KB)
Brister E, Gammon A, Thompson PB, Oye K. Manipulating Time by Cryopreservation: Designing an Environmental Future by Maintaining a Portal to the Past. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):637-647. Download PDF (144.39 KB)
Isasi R, Feys R, Uygun K, von Reiterdank IF, Wolf SM. Biopreservation Beyond the Biosphere: Exploring the Ethical, Legal & Social Implications of Suspended Animation in Space. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):648-665. Download PDF (207.95 KB)
Thompson PB, Bischof JC, Powell-Palm MJ, Smith K, Tiersch TR. Biopreservation in Agriculture and Food Systems: A Summary of Ethical Issues. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2024;52(3):666-678. Download PDF (161.95 KB)
Rao JS, Pruett TL. Immunology of the Transplanted Cryopreserved Kidney. Cryobiology 2023;110:1-7.
Ozgur OS, Namsrai BE, Pruett TL, Bischof JC, Toner M, Finger EB, Uygun K. Current Practice and Novel Approaches in Organ Preservation. Frontiers in Transplantation 2023;2:1-15.