HELLO AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER
VIRTUAL EPISODE OF NASA SCIENCE
I'M YOUR HOST LAUREN WARD.
AND TODAY WE HAVE SOME VERY
EXCITING NEWS FOR YOU.
SCIENTIST HAVE CREATE THICK
VASCULARIZED HUMAN ORGAN TISSUE
IN A LAB.
THESE ARE THE FIRST
REVOLUTIONARY STEPS
3D PRINTING FUNCTIONAL
HUMAN ORGANS.
SO YOU MAY BE THINKING
WHAT DOES NASA HAVE TO DO
WITH THIS AND WHY
IS THIS SUCH A BIG DEAL.
STAY TUNED.
YOU WILL FIND OUT ABOUT THIS AND
MORE.
>> ENORMOUS IMPACT ON HUMAN
KIND.
>> IT WILL CHANGE THE FACE
OF MEDICINE.
THIS IS A CHALLENGE.
>> THE CHALLENGE IS GIVEN TO
THE FIRST THREE TEAMS THAT
CREATE VASCULARIZED TISSUE,
TISSUE WITH A BONE BLOOD VESSEL
SO WE COULD ACTUALLY GROW
COMPLEX ISSUES REQUIRED FOR FULL
ORGAN DEVELOPMENT.
PEOPLE CAN MAKE VEINS AND OTHERS
BUT CAN'T PUT IT TOGETHER.
>> WE NEED TO GET WASTE
PRODUCT OUT.
>> THE CHALLENGE IS REALLY A
UNIQUE WAY OF HASSLING CERTAIN
PROBLEMS.
THIS IS TO REVOLUTIONIZE
TRANSPLANTING AND TISSUE
REGENERATION.
WE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE BOTH
ON EARTH AND IN SPACE.
TEAMS HAVE BEEN COMPETING FOR
YEARS TO BE THE FIRST TO
ENGINEER FUNCTIONAL HUMAN
TISSUE.
TONIGHT IS THE VASCULAR TISSUE
CHALLENGE.
HERE IS MATTHEW.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
TODAY.
I'M SO EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT THE
WINNER AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
OKAY, BASICS, WHAT IS THE TISSUE
CHALLENGE ALL ABOUT.
>> VASCULAR TISSUE CHALLENGE
TO HELP DEVELOP THICK FUNCTIONAL
ISSUE FROM MAJOR HORGANS THAT
COULD ONE DAY PERHAPS HELP US
ACHIEVE LONG DURATION MISSIONS
AND KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY AND HAVE
AMAZING APPLICATIONS.
>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT TO ME.
WHY IS NASA INTERESTED IN THIS
REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY.
YOU TOUCHED ON IT A BIT, BUT
LET'S GO DEEPER.
>> NASA IS SUPER INTERESTED
IN THIS.
THE FIRST ONE, SHORT-TERM WOULD
BE THE POSSIBILITY OF HEALTH,
INCENTIVIZE THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION TO ALLOW COMPANIES
TO CREATE TISSUES FOR HUMANS ON
EARTH THAT NEED HELP WITH THEIR
ORGANS THAT PAY NOT BE
FUNCTIONING 100 PERCENT.
WE LOOK AT THESE TECHNOLOGY ON
HUMAN BODIES.
LONG-TERM AFTER THAT, POSSIBLY
TO HELP US MAINTAIN THE HEALTH
OF THE CREW WHEN WE GO TO MARS
AND BEYOND.
>> THAT'S AMAZING.
THIS IS ONE COMPETITION AT NASA.
>> WHY CHALLENGES?
>> IT IS A WAY TO INCLUDE THE
PUBLIC IN THE MISSIONS AND
PEOPLE THAT NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT
COMPETING AND TO BE A PART OF
THE GROUP TO BE A PART OF THE
GROUP.
WE HAD INCREDIBLE SUCCESS FOR
THOSE THAT NEVER DREAM ABOUT
CONTRIBUTING TO THE MISSION.
CHALLENGES ARE A WAY TO DO THAT.
IT IS A WAY FOR US TO TELL YOU
OUR PROBLEMS AND ISSUES AND TECH
FOLLOWING GAPS AND FOR THE
PUBLIC TO COME BACK AND TELL US
AMAZING THINGS THEIR
TECHNOLOGIES CAN HELP US.
>> THAT'S INCREDIBLE STUFF.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> THIS WILL HAVE HUGE
IMPACT ON NASA'S LONG-TERM GOALS
AND IMPACT ON THOSE OF US HERE
ON EARTH.
>> THE TISSUE CHALLENGE
WANTS TO MAKE TISSUE.
>> VASCULARIZED TISSUE HAS A
CERTAIN KIND OF TISSUE, IT HAS
MORE THAN ONE CELL IN IT.
>> THE ORGAN TISSUE.
TISSUE ENGINEERING PRODUCTS.
>> WE'RE MAKING SOME
PROGRESS.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND
THE SIGNALS THAT ARE NECESSARY
TO SWITCH ON CELLS FOR BROOD
VESSELS.
IN ORDER TO GROW WHOLE ORGANS,
IT IS ESSENTIAL WE CREATE
TECHNOLOGY.
>> VASCULAR TISSUE CHALLENGE
IS HELP TO ADDRESS.
THIS IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE.
FOR THE IMPACT, WE'RE JOINED BY
DOCTOR AND RESEARCH SCIENTIST.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
ONE THING WE SHOULD CLEAR UP
HERE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN EXACTLY
WHAT VASCULARIZED TISSUE IS?
>> IT IS TISSUES WITH BLOOD
VESSELS.
ALL TISSUES IN OUR BODY ARE
COMPRISED OF MANY BLOOD VESSELS.
IF WE WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
HOW THE BODY IS FUNCTIONING, WE
WANT TISSUES OW SIDE THE BODY
THAT ALSO CONTAIN ENGINEERED
BLOOD VESSELS.
>> OKAY.
IT IS A BUILDING BLOCK TO DO
PORE RESEARCH ON IT TOPIC.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT WE
ENGINEER THE TISSUE.
WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A DIFFICULT
CHALLENGE TO SOLVE?
>> IT ENABLES TISSUE IF GENERAL
TO GET BIGGER AND BETTER AND
THEY SUPPLY WHAT ALL TISSUES
NEED TO GROW AND FUNCTION
APPROPRIATELY.
IF WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
HUMAN BODY IS FUNCTIONING, WE
WANT TO ENGINEER TRUE
VASCULARIZED TISSUES OUTSIDE OF
THE BODY.
THESE TISSUES SHOULD HAVE BLOOD
VESSELS FOUND IN THE HUMAN BODY.
IT IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO,
BECAUSE AS A LOT OF US KNOW, THE
HUMAN BODY HAS HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT
CAPILLARIES, BLOOD VESSELS,
ARTERIES, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VESSELS SUPPLYING NUTRIENTS TO
THE BODY.
A LOT OF TIMES NATURE IS THE
BEST ENERGY.
WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHAT THEY
COULD DO.
>> HOW WILL THIS CHANGE
PERIOD SIN AS WE KNOW IT?
>> IT WILL CHANGE IN TWO WAYS.
TO USE VASCULARIZED TISSUES WILL
ALLOW US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
HOW THE VARIETY OF THE DIFFERENT
TISSUES IN THE HUMAN BODY
FUNCTION.
ALL TISSUES HAVE BROOD VESSELS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN STUDYING,
CARDIOVASCULAR OR BRAIN DISEASE,
THEY'RE ALL INTERSECTED WITH THE
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM.
IF WE CAN ENGINEER BETTER
VASCULARIZED TISSUES WE CAN DO
BETTER.
THE SECOND REASON IS DOWN THE
ROAD WE WANT TO POTENTIALLY USE
THIS TISSUE FOR THERAPEUTIC
PURPOSES.
AFTER FOLKS HAVE A HEART ATTACK,
A LOT OF CELLS ARE LOST.
IDEALLY YOU WANT TO REPLACE
THOSE LOST CELLS WITH AN
ADEQUATE CELL TYPE THAT WE WILL
PLACE THE FUNCTION OF THE DEAD
CELLS.
VASCULARIZED TISSUE CAN PROVIDE
AWAY TO RESTORE THE FUNCTION OF
THE HEART.
THAT'S TWO FUNCTIONS FOR THIS
TECHNOLOGY.
>> IT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
BUT WHY SHOULD THE AVERAGE
PERSON CARE ABOUT THIS?
>> VASCULARIZED TISSUE IS
SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE.
UNFORTUNATELY WE KNOW FOLKS IN
OUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD TO
DEAL WITH DISEASES.
IF WE CAN HAVE MODELS OF THESE,
WE COULD IMPROVE THERAPIES FOR
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND EVEN
LIVER FUNCTION.
THIS IS GREAT FOR VASCULARIZED
TISSUE.
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR THE
TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY.
>> THAT'S A FUTURE I WANT TO
BE PART OF.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU GOT IN IN
CHALLENGE.
WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT
NASA WAS EVEN DOING THIS
CHALLENGE?
I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS FOR
A LONG TIME.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEND AN
EXPERIMENT STUDYING THE IMPACT
OF MICRO GRAVITY ON THE HEART.
YOU CAN SEE THEM IN A DISH THAT
DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
THE ASTRONAUT WE WERE WORKING
WITH ON THAT PROJECT IS KATE
RUBENS.
SHE'S A CELL BIOLOGIST AND I
BELIEVE WE'LL TALK TO HER IN A
FEW MOMENTS.
WE COLLABORATED IN SUMMER OF
2016 TO SEND THESE TO THE SPACE
STATION AND WE STUDIED HOW THE
HEART AND THE CELLS CAN CHANGE
DURING LONG-TERM DISCOVERY LOW
GRAVITY.
THIS WAS EXCITING EXPERIMENT BUT
WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE THE
RESULTS.
ONE THING THAT WAS REALLY
SNIFFING THIS EXPERIMENT THAT I
DID, BACK IN THE DAY, WAS A
VASCULARIZED NETWORK OF TISSUES.
VASCULAR TISSUE.
ISOLATED CELLS IN A DISH BUT AS
I MENTIONED THE REAL HUMAN BODY
IS COMPRISED OF MANY MANY BLOOD
VESSELS AND IF WE WANT TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW THE HUMAN BODY IS
GOING TO FUNCTION IN THE BODY,
WE HAVE TO USE NEXT GENERATION
MODELS THAT CONTAIN THE BLOOD
VESSELS.
>> YOU HAVE GIVEN US A LOT
TO THINK ABOUT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THE VASTNESS OF IT
TECHNOLOGY ARE SO EXCITING
ONERATE BUT WHAT ABOUT IN SPACE?
WE'RE HERE WITH ROBIN FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
I'M GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US.
>> WHAT TECHNOLOGIES THOSE
BEING SOLVED BY THE VASCULAR
TISSUE CHALLENGE MEAN TO SPACE
EXPLORATION.
COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE MISSION IS TO USE IT AS A
TEST PAD.
THE VASCULARIZED TISSUE MODELS
RESULTING FROM THIS CHALLENGE
WILL FUNCTION AS ANALOGS OR
MODELS THAT WILL STUDY DEEP
SPACE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AND RADIATION AND MICRO GRAVITY
CONDITIONING AND STRATEGIES TO
MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE TO HEALTHY
CELLS AND MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE
EFFECTS ON HUMAN FOR THE LONG
DURATION MISSION AS WAY FROM LOW
EARTH ORBIT.
ANOTHER KEY MISSION IS TO CREATE
A NEW MARKET IN SPACE.
WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE AN
ECONOMY IN LOW EARTH ORBIT WHERE
NASA IS A CUSTOMER AND TRUST
ENTERPRISES GOING ON.
WE THINK REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
AND TISSUE REGENERATION IS ONE
OF THE MOST PROMISING TISSUE
APPLICATION THAT CAN CAUSE
DEMAND FOR RESEARCH IN MICRO
GRAVITY.
IF MICRO GRAVITY, IT COULD BE
POSSIBLE TO PRINT A TISSUE OR
ANY ORGANS HERE ON EARTH.
>> THAT'S WILD.
WHO WOULD HAVE PREDICTED THAT?
I GUESS SCIENTISTS.
WE LOVE OUR ASTRONAUTS BUT HERE
ON EARTH, HOW CAN DEVELOPING
TECHNOLOGIES FOR SPACE EFFECT US
HERE BACK ON PLANET EARTH.
>> WE HAVE SO MANY
TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE SPINED
OFF TO APPLICATIONS ON EARTH.
THAT'S THE KEY GOAL WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS
TO DO RESEARCH LIKE ONERATE.
ON EARTH, THE TISSUE COULD BE
USED IN PHARMACEUTICAL
PROCESSING.
OTHER AREAS WE DEVELOPED
TECHNOLOGY, ANOTHER SAMPLE IS IN
THE WATER RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE USE ON THE SPACE
STATION.
THAT HAS SPUN OFF INTO GROUND
BASED FILTRATION SYSTEMS THAT
HAVE BEEN USED IN DISASTER
RELIEF AND IN REMOTE AREAS WHERE
THERE'S FOR CLEAN WATER.
THIS MAKES ME EXCITED FOR THE
FUTURE.
THANK YOU, WE LOVED HAVING YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE,
TAPES A LOT.
>> LET'S HEAR FROM SOMEONE
KNOWING WHAT FIRSTHAND WORKING
IF SPACE IS ABOUT.
COMING FROM SPACE, ASTRONAUT
KATE RUBEN.
TAKE IT AWAY KATE.
>> GREETINGS.
I'M FLIGHT ENGINEER AND
ASTRONAUT AND BIOLOGIST.
I WANT TO CREATE THE NASA'S TEAM
AND ALL OF THE PARTICIPATING
CONVERTS ON THE SUCCESS OF THE
VASCULAR TISSUE COMPOSITION.
RESEARCH CONDUCTED HERE HELPS
LONG DURATION MISSIONS.
DURING MY FIRST SPACEFLIGHT IN
2016 WE SEQUENCED DNA IN SPACE
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WITH THIS BREAK THROUGH AND
THREE PRINTING STICK AND HUMAN
ORGAN TISSUE, WE COULD TEST
IMPACTS OF MICRO GRAVITY RIGHT
HERE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
THIS COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR
TISSUE PREPARATION AND
REGENERATION BACK ON EARTH.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE RESEARCH
BEING TONE BY ALL OF THE
VASCULAR TISSUE CHALLENGE
PARTICIPANTS AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO POTENTIALLY WORKING WITH OUR
TISSUE SAMPLES HERE ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IF
THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
>> WE'RE MOMENTS AWAY FROM
ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE
TISSUE CHALLENGE.
LET'S START WITH AN ORGANIZATION
THAT PARTNERED WITH NASA TO HELP
MAKE THIS CHALLENGE A REALITY.
WE'RE JOINED BY DAVE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING YOU.
>> IT IS WONDERFUL TO HAVE
YOU.
GROUNDWORK HERE.
WHY DID YOU SUPPORT THE VASCULAR
TISSUE CHALLENGE?
>> WE'RE A PRIZED FUNDING
ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS NASA.
ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO WE HAD HAD A
PRIZE FOR LOCATION OF A WHOLE
LIVER THAT WOULD BE VIABLE IN AN
ORGANISM AND KEEP IT ALIVE AND
HEALTHY.
WE WERE WAY TOO EARLY AND THE
TECHNOLOGY DID NOT SUPPORT THAT
-- THAT GOAL.
WE STEPPED BACK AND WHAT WAS THE
PROBLEM.
YOU COULD NOT SCALE THEM UP.
THE TISSUES WOULD DIE BECAUSE OF
LACK OF BLOOD FLOW.
THAT WAS PROVIDED BY MICRO
CIRCULATION.
CAPILLARIES AND VESSELS.
NOBODY KNEW HOW TO MAKE THOSE.
WE THOUGHT WE WOULD PROPOSE TO
NASA THE CREATION OF A PRIZE FOR
MICRO VASCULAR AND NASA AFTER A
COUPLE OF YEARS SAID YES.
HERE WE ARE.
>> AMAZING.
REST IS HISTORY.
WHERE DO YOU SELECT TISSUE AND
ORGANS IN 10, 20, 50 YEARS.
IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'LL
MAKE TISSUE PATCHES TO PRINT OUT
FOR INSTANCE LIVER TISSUE THAT
WOULD BE ADDED TO A SICK LIVER
AND THAT LIVER COULD POTENTIALLY
RECOVER ITSELF BECAUSE OF THE
CRUTCH-LIKE CAPABILITY OF THE
LIVER PATCH OR IT WOULD ALLOW
FOR MORE TIME FOR A TRANSPLANT
TO BECOME AVAILABLE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A REASONABLY
NEAR TERM FUTURE FROM A TECH
FOLLOWING STANDPOINT.
IN 20, 15 YEARS, I WOULD SAY WE
WE'RE ABLE TO GET WHOLE LIVERS
AND WHOLE KIDNEYS.
WE WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE
THERE'S 110,000 PEOPLE ON THE
WAITING LIST.
AND MANY PASS AWAY WHILE THEY'RE
WAITING.
THERE'S ANOTHER TEN TIMES THAT
THAT -- THAT DON'T QUALIFY TO
EVEN BE ON THE LIST FOR ORGAN WE
PLACEMENT.
WE WANT TO MAKE THAT GO AWAY AND
GIVE THE SURGEONS ALL OF THE
INVENTORY NEEDED TO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE.
THEREAFTER, THEY WOULD BE
COMPOSED OF YOUR OWN CELL.
YOU WON'T BE AT AUTO IMMUNICIPAL
DRUG, IT WILL JUST BE A NEW YOU
AS FAR AS THAT ORGAN IS
CONCERNED.
>> WOW.
THIS WOULD AFFECT POLLS.
THANK YOU.
WE LOVED HAVING YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF
VASCULAR TISSUE COULD HAVE FAR
REACHING BENEFITS FOR NASA THE
WORLD.
LET'S EXPLORE MORE.
>> THE VASCULAR TISSUE
CHALLENGE IS FUELING THE IDEA OF
CREATING A TISSUE WITH A TURNED
BLOOD SUPPLY.
>> IT IS LIKE A LIGHT
SWITCH.
WE MAKE TISSUES.
>> THE BENEFITS OF CREATING
VASCULAR LIVE TISSUE IS ENORMOUS
AND FAR REACHING.
THIS WILL INVOLVE ALL THE ORGAN
SYSTEMS.
>> AND THE SCREENING OF
DRUGS.
>> THERE'S POTENTIAL TO
CREATE WHOLE ORGANS.
WHY IS THIS TECHNOLOGY IMPORTANT
TO NASA.
>> IT WOULD OPEN THE
POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDED SPACE
TRAVEL AND GRAVITY COULD HELP US
WITH THE PROGRAM.
>> WITHOUT HAVING TO GO INTO
SPACE.
>> WE WOULD LIKE BREVITY AND
THAT'S WHY WE LIKE THE
CHALLENGE.
>> IT COULD CHANGE THE FACE
OF MEDICINE AS WE KNOW IT.
FOR THE EXCITING MOMENT WE'VE
ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.
HERE'S NASA ASSOCIATE MEMBER,
JIM REUTER TO REVIEW THE WINNER
OF THE NASA TISSUE CHALLENGE.
>> THE PRIZES AND CHALLENGES
AND OUTSOURCING PROGRAM AND THE
ENTIRE AGENCY, I LIKE TO
CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE
PARTICIPANTS WITH THE VASCULAR
TISSUE CHALLENGE.
THE REASON TO OPEN THIS IN 2016
WE COULDN'T IMAGINE THE SUCCESS
WE WOULD SEE FROM THE TEAMS.
I RECALL US TALKING ABOUT IT,
THIS CHALLENGE, WITH THE FIXED
METABOLIC TISSUE WAS MAYBE A
STEP TOO FAR AND COULD NOT BE
DONE.
THESE TEAMS WORK ASSOCIATED A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC WITH LIMITED OR
FOR ACCESS TO THEIR LABS, THEIR
DEDICATION TO THE MEDICAL AND
SPACE COMMUNITIES IS AN EXAMPLE
OF HOW EVEN THROUGH ADVERSITY,
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL
PERSEVERE.
WITH THE ABILITY TO REGENERATE
THICK VASCULAR TISSUE, WE COULD
MAKE ENORMOUS IMPACT ON SPACE
AND ONERATE.
-- ON EARTH.
WINNER IS TEAM WINSTON.
THE NATIONAL LABS, TEAM WINSTON
WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST IT
UNDER THE EFFECTS OF MICRO
GRAVITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
SELECTIONS LIKE THESE COULDN'T
HAPPEN WITHOUT OUR JUDGES THAT
ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD OR
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CREATING
TISSUES THAT WE CAN USE TO STUDY
DEEP SPACE AND ENVIRONMENTAL
EFFECTS.
THANK YOU ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED
IF THE COMPETITION AND
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ADVANCING
SPACE EXPLORATIONS.
>> WE'RE HERE LIVE WITH
KELSEY WILSON FROM TEAM WILSON,
THE FIRST WINNERS OF THE TISSUE
CHALLENGE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING --
FOR HAVING ME ON HERE.
>> IT IS EXCITING TO HAVE
YOU AFTER THE CHALLENGE.
JOINING US IS VASCULAR TISSUE
CHALLENGE, DR. ARUIN SHARMA.
THANK YOU BACK.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WE HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS
FOR THE GUESTS.
THE FIRST ONE -- YOU'RE THE
FIRST PERSON TO ACCOMPLISH THIS
TASK, YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
AND YOUR TEAM?
>> FOR ME IT FEELS SURREAL.
WE WORK ON THESE PROJECTS FOR
YEARS AND YOU SPEND HOURS AND
HOURS IN LABS AND IT IS AMAZING
TO GET SOMETHING TO THE POINT
WHERE WE COULD BRING IT TO THE
PUBLIC.
THAT'S BEEN VERY EXCITING.
WHEN I STARTED GRAD SCHOOL, I
NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD BE
INTERVIEWED BY NASA.
SURREAL.
>> DR. SHARMA, I UNDERSTAND
THIS IS REMARKABLE.
HOW MUCH WOULD THIS SOLVE THE
FUNCTIONAL HUMAN TISSUE?
>> IT IS A TREMENDOUS
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
IT IS NOT EASY TO CREATE TISSUES
THAT IS ABLE TO SURVIVE FOR A
MONTH AND BE FUNCTIONAL.
JUST MEETING ONE OF THOSE
CRITERIA WOULD BE AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT, THE FACT THAT WE
MET ALL THREE CRITERIA IS
ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS.
>> KELSEY TELL US ABOUT THE
SAMPLE AND THE APPROACH YOU TOOK
TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.
WE STARTED OUT WITH IT BEING A
SENT PETER IN EACH DIRECTION AND
BE LARGE TO STUDY ORGANS AND TEN
WE TOOK A STEP WISE APPROACH.
WE LOOKED AT WHAT SPACE WOULD BE
THE BEST TO GET FUTURE TRENTS IF
AND OUT AND SETTLED WAVE LIKE
TUBES AND TEN ALLOWING OURSELVES
TO GROW AND RESPOND TO EACH
OTHER, WHICH WAS A LIKE A
GELATIN.
SIMILAR TO LIKE JELL-O IN YOUR
KITCHEN.
AND THEN ALLOW THE SAMPLES TO BE
IF A SIMILAR WAY THAT YOU SEE IN
THE HUMAN BODY.
>> THAT'S A USE OF JELL-O
THAT I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE
APPLIED.
YOU'VE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THIS
FOR FIVE YEARS.
IN ADDITION TO THE WORK YOU DO,
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT
PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?
>> IT IS GRATIFYING TO SEE
TALENTED MIND AROUND THE COUNTRY
TO ADDRESS THIS VERY UNIQUE
PROBLEM.
IT IS TREMENDOUS TO SEE THE
SOLUTIONS THAT THE TEAMS CAME UP
WITH.
THEY ADDRESS THE CONCERNS WHEN
IT COMES TO TISSUE FUNCTIONALITY
AND TISSUE VASCULARIZATION.
IF WE TALK ABOUT LONG-TERM
MEDICAL APPLICATION, IT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
DOWN THE ROAD THEY MAY SERVE AS
REPLACEMENT TISSUES, TISSUES
ROST DUE TO INJURY OR STESS.
THIS IS IMPORTANT CHALLENGE.
I WANT TO THANK THE TEAMS FOR
THEIR WORK.
>> WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING
WITH NASA?
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT TO
OTHERS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK NASA WAS INCREDIBLE, NOT
ONLY DIFFICULT SCIENTIFIC
CHALLENGE BUT WITH COVID IN
PARTICULAR, WITH TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTIES, THEY WERE
WONDERFUL HELPING US WITH
SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGE BUT ALSO
CERTAIN TECHNICAL HURDLED WE HAD
TO OVERCOME.
>> COVID ALONE WOULD HAVE
BEEN A SERIOUS HURDLE BUT
EVERYTHING ELSE MAKES IT
INCREDIBLE FEAT.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOUR TEAM?
DO YOU GET A BREAK.
THE ONLY THING YOU WERE WORKING
ON.
WHAT IS UP WITH YOUR LAB?
>> FOR THOSE NOT IN RESEARCH,
IT IS COMMON TO HAVE SEVERAL
THINGS GOING.
A DOCTOR IS LOOKING AT APPLYING
THIS TO NEURAL TISSUE.
I MYSELF WILL SPEND MORE TIME
FOCUSING ON MY WORK DEVELOPING
3D SKIN AND ADDING HAIR
FOLLICLES TO IT.
>> IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR BOTH
OF YOU.
NOT A TEAM APPROACH.
THERE WAS MANY WAYS TO SOLVE THE
CHALLENGE.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT
YOU DID, KELSEY, BECAUSE YOU
WERE ON THE WINNING TEAM AND THE
SECOND PLACE TEAM AND THEIR
JUDGES PROBABLY SAW PANE
APPROACHES AS WELL.
KELSEY, IF YOU COULD TAKE THAT
FIRST?
>> OF COURSE.
AS YOU SAID, WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO
DIFFERENT TEAMS WORKING ON IT.
WE TOOK DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO
IT.
EVEN THOUGH WE USED BIOPRINTING,
WE USED TWO DIFFERENT TYPES AND
CAME UP WITH STRUCTURES THAT
LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT, DESPITE
THE FACT THAT THEY MET THE
CHALLENGE REQUIREMENTS.
EVEN WITHIN THE INSTITUTE WE HAD
HAD MULTIPLE WAYS OF ATTEMPTING
THIS AND I CAN'T SEE WHAT THE
OTHER GROUPS CAME UP WITH.
I ASSUME THEY'RE OUTSIDE MY
IMAGINATION AND PROBABLY
WONDERFUL.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT.
I HAD A LOOK AT WHAT TEAMS
AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO.
IT IS ASTOUNDING.
THESE EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED
BIOENGINEERS USED DIFFERENT
APPROACHES TO CREATE CUSTOM
TISSUES THAT HAVE VARIETY OF
CELL TYPES.
WE HAD TEAMS UTILIZING LIVER AND
HEART TISSUE AND SO ON.
THE POSSIBILITIES HAD HAD REALLY
ENDLESS HOW THE CELL TYPES COULD
BE PROPERLY INTEGRATED AND
INTERCEPTED WITH THE ENGINEERING
APPROACHES.
>> I LIKE TO PIGGYBACK OFF
OF THAT.
WHAT IT TAKE FOR THE TEAM TO WIN
IT CHALLENGE?
WHAT BASICALLY -- WHAT BASICALLY
WAS UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT ABOUT
KELSEY'S TEAM? HER TEAM WAS THE
FIRST TEAM FOR THE SUCCESS OF
THE CHALLENGE.
YOU HAD TO MEET MULTIPLE
CRITERIA PAID IT CHALLENGING.
ONE WAS FUNCTIONALITY, THE
TISSUES HAVE TO BE FUNCTIONAL
FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
ONE MONTH IF PARTICULAR.
THESE TISSUES HAD TO BE
VASCULARIZED AND CONTAIN THE
CELLS THAT ALIGN THE BLOOD
VESSELS IN THE BODY.
THEY HAVE TO SURVIVE LONG-TERM.
AGAIN, OUR TIMELINE WAS AT LEAST
ONE MONTH.
KELSEY'S TEAM WAS THE FIRST TO
ACCOMPLISH THESE -- THESE TASKS
AND TO MEET THESE CRITERIA.
CHALLENGING BUT CONGRATULATIONS
AGAIN TO SUCCESS.
>> THIS IS CHALLENGING, WHAT
DO YOU DO TO TO THIS WORK?
>> THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS,
LETTING THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY
STUDY DISEASES AND HUMAN HEALTH
SYSTEMS, SOMETHING WE COULD USE
TO TEST DIFFERENT MEDICINES ON,
RATHER THAN GOING TO ANIMAL OR
STRAIGHT TO HUMAN TESTING.
IT GIVES UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE INTO
A BUILDING BLOCK AS HAS BEEN
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE
SEGMENT.
I'M HOPEFUL AND EVENTUALLY COME
ONE WHOLE ORGANS THAT COULD BE
USED FOR ORGAN REPLACEMENT IF
THE FUTURE.
>> I AGREE.
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE NEXT
STEP.
THE HOPE IS TO DESIGN TISSUES
THAT COULD ONE DAY REPLACE
TISSUES THAT ARE DAMAGED AND
INJURED.
IT IS A DREAM AND SOMETHING THAT
CAN POSITIVELY BENEFIT THE LIVES
OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD.
>> INCREDIBLY EXCITING.
I KNOW YOUR SAMPLE WILL SLIDE TO
I.S.S. FOR FURTHER TESTING.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GAME FROM
TESTING AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION?
FIRST IS HOW IT IS CONNECTED?
WE KNOW IT IS DIFFERENT HERE
THAN ON EARTH.
THERE'S TESTS LOCKING AT CELLS
BEING GROWN IN MICRO GRAVITY AND
UNDER OTHER CONDITIONS,
INCLUDING RADIOACTIVITY.
THOSE ARE CONFOUNDING FACTORS.
THEY'RE IN A STATIC CULTURE AND
THAT MICRO GRAVITY SYSTEM HAS
BEEN SHOWN HOW MUCH OXYGEN THEY
GET IN THE CULTURE.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK
AT HOW THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT
EFFECTS A SYSTEM.
>> I LOVE TO GET YOUR TAKE
ON THAT AS WELL.
>> CERTAINLY.
AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, THE WORK
I'VE DONE IS IN TWO DIMENSIONAL
CELL CULTURES.
REALLY THE HUMAN BODY FUNCTIONS
FOR TWO DIMENSIONS.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS SO EXCITING.
WE WANT TO CREATE BETTER MODELS
AS FAR AS HOW IT IS FUNCTIONING
IF LOW GRAVITY DURING EXTEND
SPACEFLIGHT.
THREE DIMENSIONAL TISSUE WILL
TELL US ABOUT EXACTLY THAT, THE
IMPACT OF LOW GRAVITY ON THE
HUMAN BODY.
AND THEN THE RESEARCH LABORATORY
IS LARGELY FOR THE BENEFIT FOR
THOSE OF US HERE ON EARTH.
WE WANT TO MODEL THESE PHENOMENA
FOR ACCELERATING AGING.
THE PHENOMENA YOU SEE IN LOW
GRAVITY DURING SPACEFLIGHT IS A
FORM OF ACCELERATED AGING.
THE BONES ARE DETERIORATING AT
SLIGHTLY FASTER RATE.
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THESE AND 3D
PRINTED MODELS WILL HELP US
UNDERSTAND AGING.
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED
IN.
>> 100 PERCENT.
I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE ASKING
QUESTIONS HERE.
ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING
QUESTIONS ONLINE.
SO LET'S GET TO THOSE.
OUR FIRST QUESTION IS FROM SPACE
GIRL.
SHE ASKS WHY IS NASA INTERESTED
IN ENGINEERING HUMAN TISSUE?
>> CERTAINLY.
ABSOLUTELY.
NASA IS INTERESTED IN THIS
BECAUSE WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND
WAYS THAT THIS TISSUE CAN
PERHAPS IMPROVE THE
FUNCTIONALITY OF TISSUES ON THE
PLANET.
WE -- WE PERHAPS -- PERHAPS THIS
TISSUE WILL BE MORE FUNCTIONAL
IF A GRAVITY ENVIRONMENT AND USE
THIS FOR THE DOWNSTREAM
THERAPIES.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T
UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE MICRO
GRAVITY ENVIRONMENT AND ITS
IMPACT ON THE HUMAN BODY.
WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT THE
BENEFICIAL EFFECTS THEY MAY HAVE
ON HUMAN TISSUE FUNCTION.
>> IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO
MAKE THESE TISSUES WILL IT BE
ABLE TO CREATE ORGANS?
I THINK KELSEY TALKED ABOUT THIS
A LITTLE.
THE IDEA IS CAN WE CREATE AN
ENTIRE ORGAN? YOU WANT TO TAKE
THAT ONE?
>> EVENTUALLY, WE CAN'T MAKE A
LIVER IN LAB NEXT MONTH.
THINGS HAVE TO BE OPTIMIZED.
HOW DO WE GET ENOUGH CELLS TO
PRINT SOMETHING THAT LARGE,
GROWING CELLS IS THE HURDLE
THAT ♪
TO BE OVERCOME.
NEXT POTENTIAL NASA CHALLENGE.
IT CERTAINLY IS A FIRST STEP AND
ONE OF THE NEXT GOALS IS TAKING
IT AND -- AND POSSIBLY MOVING ON
TO SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A
CENTIMETER.
>> ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?
>> I'LL ECHO WHAT KELSEY SAID.
A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS
INCREMENTAL AND EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO MAKE THE
TISSUES BIGGER AND BETTER.
THE ORGAN WITHES IN THE BODY ARE
LARGER THAN THAT FOR THE MOST
PART.
IT WOULD BE A DREAM TO REPLICATE
A TRULY ADULT HUMAN ORGAN
OUTSIDE THE BODY.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET BUT DOWN THE
ROAD WE MAY BE.
>> SAMMY ON FACEBOOK, ASKS,
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE LIVER CELLS?
>> I'LL THROW THAT TO KELSEY.
I'M INTERESTED IN THE ANSWER TO
THAT.
WHY LIVER CELLS?
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK
BETWEEN DIFFERENT SAMPLES.
NASA HAD OUTLINED FIVE MAJOR
DIFFERENT ORGAN TIMES THEY WOULD
LIKE GROUPS TO LOOK AT, LIVER,
KIDNEY, SKELETAL MUSCLE, HEART
MUSCLE AND LUNG.
I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WE
WANTED TO LOOK AT LIVER IT IS A
LARGE SOLID ORGAN WHICH MEANS
YOU CAN DEVELOP IT WITH
RELATIVELY FEW REALLY TINY
COMPONENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO GET
IN.
WITH LUNG, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU
BUILD IN AN AIR LIQUID INTERFACE
AND MUSCLE YOU WANT TO
ELECTRICALLY STIMULATE IT.
LIVER ACTS AS A FIRST STEP
TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO MOVE TO
THESE THAT MAY HAVE MORE
CELLULARLY COMPLEX SYSTEMS AND
SOMETHING CRITICAL IMPORTANT IS
DEVASTATING TO MANY PEOPLE.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP AND SETS
US UP FOR BEING ABLE TO SUCCEED
WITH MORE COMPLICATED
STRUCTURES.
OUR BODIES ARE INCREDIBLE.
ARE THERE ANY EXPERIMENTS
RUNNING ON THE I.S.S. OR IN
SPACE REGARDING VASCULARIZED
TISSUE RIGHT NOW?
>> RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS I KNOW,
THERE'S NOT VASCULARIZED TISSUE
RUNNING ON STATION CURRENTLY.
THAT MAY CHANGE SOON THANKS TO
THE WORK OF KELSEY AND HER
COLLEAGUES.
IT HAS BEEN ON ANIMAL MODELS OR
CELL SYSTEMS AND SOME ORGAN
SYSTEMS AS WELL.
VASCULARIZED TISSUE IS DIFFICULT
TO CREATE.
THIS PARTICULAR CHALLENGE WAS
ADDRESSING THAT.
CAN WE MAKE SOMETHING LIKE IT IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
THE NEXT STEP WILL BE
TRANSPORTING TO THE STATION AND
REALLY UTILIZING IT AS AN
APPROPRIATE MODEL TO STUDY THE
FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN BODY.
>> WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT IT BEFORE, KELSEY, HOW IT
COVID IMPACT YOUR TEAM'S
PARTICIPATION IN THE CHALLENGE.
THE JUDGES SAID YOU CAN'T COME
OUT AND LOOK AT THE SAMPLE.
HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE?
>> COVID WAS A HURDLE.
THEY SHUT DOWN FOR SEVERAL
MONTHS AND WOULDN'T LET US IN.
SOME OF US MAY HAVE SNUCK IN.
IT GAVE US TIME FOR THE FINAL
EXPERIMENT.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS AN
EXPERIMENT THAT WORKED WELL.
THIS IS YEARS OF PROGRESSIVE
FAILURE LEADING UP TO IT.
YOU KNOW, LEARNING FROM WHAT
DIDN'T WORK WELL TO MOVE
FORWARD.
IT GAVE US TIME TO SORT OF
SYNTHESIZE ALL OF THAT TOGETHER
AND COME UP WITH REALLY HOW WE
WANTED TO TRY TO PUT THIS
TOGETHER IN A REAL WORKING
PROJECT.
>> YOU RAISE AN EXCELLENT
POINT.
WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS WITH
DR. SHARMA, WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE
FIVE YEARS, THIS IS -- AT LEAST
HIS PARTICIPATION AND THIS HAS
BEEN AN ONGOING SORT OF FAILURE
AFTER FAILURE BEFORE SOMETHING
WORKS.
ACHIEVING TAKES A LONG TIME.
BUT IT IS WORTH IT IN THE END.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT YOUR
RESULTS?
WAS -- IT EVERYTHING GO AS
EXPECTED OR WERE YOU KIND OF
SURPRISED BY ANYTHING ABOUT THE
PROCESS?
>> WORKING WITH LIVING TISSUE,
NOTHING GOES LIKE YOU EXPECT IT
TO.
IT GOES DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU
THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO DO.
ONE THING THAT WE WERE REALLY
EXCITED TO SEE WITH THESE
SAMPLES WAS THE FACT THAT THEY
AGGREGATED SO WELL.
IT MEANS THE CELLS CAME AND
INSTEAD OF BEING INDIVIDUAL
CELLS, THEY REALLY MERGED
TOGETHER INTO SOMETHING MOVING
TO AN ORGAN.
IT WAS CELLS COMING TOGETHER AND
MAKING A PRECURSOR TO TISSUE.
WHILE WE WERE EXPECTING SOME
AGGREGATION, I THINK WE SAW A
BIT MORE THAN WE WERE HOPING
FOR.
SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT THING TO
SEE.
>> GREAT.
THAT'S A GREAT PROBLEM.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE WONDERING,
FOR BOTH OF YOU, HOW YOU GOT
INTO IT LINE OF WORK.
SOMETIMES YOU FALL INTO IT.
SOMETIMES IT IS INTENTIONAL AND
SOMETIMES IT IS BOTH.
STARTING WITH YOU DR. SHARM PA,
HOW IT THIS LINE OF WORK BEGIN
FOR YOU?
>> RIGHT.
>> I ALWAYS HAD PASSION FOR
INTERSECTION WITH SCIENCE AND
SPACEFLIGHT.
PART OF IT IS A PURSUIT OF THE
UNKNOWN.
THERE'S A LOT WE DON'T FOE HOW
THE HUMAN BODY IS IMPACTED BY
MICRO GRAVITY.
WE'VE BEEN IF SPACE FOR A FEW
DECADES.
WE UNDERSTAND THE PHYSIOLOGICAL
CHANGES AT THE BODY LEVEL BUT AS
CELL BIOLOGIST, I'M INTERESTED
IN THE CELLS.
HOW ARE THE CELLS AND GENETICS,
IMPACTED BY SPACEFLIGHT.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A GOLDEN AGE
IN ORDER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT OF MICRO GRAVITY ON
THE HUMAN BODY.
>> WHAT ABOUT YOU, KELSEY?
>> FOR ME, I'VE ALWAYS LOVED
PATH AND SCIENCE AND HOW IF
SOMETHING DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
THERE, YOU DIG DEEPER AND FIND A
FOUNDATIONAL THEOREM THAT TIES
IT ALL TOGETHER.
BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT AND MOVE
IT TO BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING WAS
A WAY TO BRING THAT IDEA INTO
SOMETHING THAT HELPED PEOPLE IF
A PRIMARY WAY.
SO MANY DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES
THESE DAYS HELP PEOPLE, IT WOULD
BE CRASS TO SAY THAT OTHER
GROUPS ARE NOT.
BUT WITH BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING,
I COULD SEE THE PEOPLE I'M
HELPING DIRECTLY.
WITH REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR
PROJECT, ONE REASON I CAME BACK
TO GRADUATE SCHOOL WAS THAT I
REALLY THOUGHT BIOPRINTING WAS
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE COULD
SCALE UP THE SYSTEM AND ACTUALLY
GET IT TO PATIENTS.
I SPENT TIME DOING IMPLANTS BY
HAND AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT
WOULD GET TO PEOPLE, FOR THE IN
A LARGE SCALE WAY.
FOR THIS PROJECT, I CAN'T SPEAK
TO HOW THE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS
CAME ON BOARD, BUT FOR ME IT WAS
-- WHEN I SHOWED UP AT SCHOOL
AND SAID I WANTED TO WORK ON
BIOPRINTING, THE DOCTOR ASKED
WHAT SYSTEM.
I SAID YOU HAVE UNSOLVABLE
PROBLEM, I LIKE THOSE AND HE
GAVE ME THIS.
>> MY GOODNESS.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC.
WE'RE ALL TRAINED TO DO OUR PART
AND WE TO IT IN THE BEST WAY WE
KNOW HOW.
HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING,
MARK HOCKMEISTER ON FACEBOOK
SAID, COULD IT EXTEND OUR
LIFE-SPAN?
EITHER PERSON COULD SUMMER TO --
COULD SPEAK TO THIS.
>> IF WE COULD HAVE
REPLACEMENT ORGANS OUTSIDE THE
BODY.
IF YOU YOU HAVE A FAILING LIVER
OR HEART YOU MAY BE ABLE TO
REPLACE IT ENTIRELY BY GROWING
PERSONALIZED ORGAN OUTSIDE THE
BODY.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO
MAKING THAT DREAM A REALITY.
>> I AGREE WITH DR. SHARMA.
I DON'T THINK THIS CONSTRUCT
WILL SAVE THE LIVES THE WAY IT
IS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT IT IS --
IT IS A STEP TOWARD MOVING TO
FULL ORGANS AND TREATMENT PLANS
THAT WOULD HELP WITH SAVING
PEOPLE.
>> I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING
TO MARK IS, LET'S GET THIS ON
THE I.S.S. AND WE'LL START
THERE.
>> WHAT ARE LIMITATIONS ON
CREATING TISSUE.
YOU COULD SPEAK TO THIS.
LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, THIS IS A
PROCESS THAT TOOK YEARS IN THE
MAKING.
WHAT KIND OF -- I CAN'T IMAGINE
WHERE ONE BEGINS TO DO THE SORT
OF TASKS.
BUT WHAT LIMITATIONS EXIST WITH
YOUR TRYING TO START?
>> I CAN TAKE A STAB ATTA
QUESTION.
THERE'S QUITE A FEW.
THE FIRST ONE YOU START WITH IS
CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THE
CELLS WILL BE HAPPY IN.
SO MANY FACTORS, DIFFERENT
STIFFNESSES, DIFFERENT CELLS
WITH DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF
CHEMICALS AND HELP STIMULATE
THEM AND MAKE THEM MATURE IN
CERTAIN WAYS.
FOR EXAMPLE IN THIS TISSUE, WE
USED TWO DIFFERENT CELL TYPES
AND THE CELLS, AND THE CELLS
NEED DIFFERENT FACTORS THAN
OTHER CELLS.
WE BLENDED MEDIUMS TOGETHER THAT
WOULD FEED BOTH AND KEEP THEM
FUNCTIONAL.
DEVELOPING A SYSTEM THAT CREATES
FLOW.
AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, YOUR
LIVER OR ANY ONE OF YOUR ORGANS
CONSISTS OF BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF CELLS.
BEING ABLE TO GROW BILLIONS OF
CELLS IN THE RAN IS REALLY
DIFFICULT.
BEING ABLE TO SCALE UP AND A
CREATE THAT NUMBER OF CELLS
WITHOUT YOU FOE, MONTHS OF
GROWTH PROTOCOLS OR -- OR
SCIENTIST LIKE ME GOING IN AND
FEEDING THEM EVERY COUPLE OF
DAYS WITH MEDIA IS AN IMPORTANT
THING WE NEED TO OVERCOME.
>> I THINK KELSEY IS TOTALLY
RIGHT HERE.
IN ADDITION TO THE ISSUES OF
FUNCTIONALITY AND SURVIVAL, ONE
THING THAT WE'RE STILL GRAPPLING
WITH NOW AND SOMETHING THAT
WASN'T REALLY ADDRESSED AT ALL
IN THIS PARTICULAR CHALLENGE WAS
APPROPRIATELY INTEGRATING THE
TISSUES INTO THE BODY.
IF WE WERE TO MAKE A LIVER
OUTSIDE OF THE BODY, HOW TO WE
INSURE THAT ONCE WE PUT IT BACK
IN THE BODY IT IS GOING TO
FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY AND
INTEGRATE WITH THE HOST.
THESE ARE CHALLENGING ISSUES
THAT KELSEY AND YOUR TEAM,
YOU'RE GOING TO BE BUSY FOR A
WHILE.
>> SOUNDS LIKE IT.
ROTS OF WORK AHEAD OF YOU.
BUT ALL GOOD STUFF.
WE'RE COMING TO A CLOSE, BUT I
WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS.
WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING TO YOU ABOUT THIS
CHALLENGE?
WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT.
YOU TED INDICATED NEARLY FIVE
YEARS TO -- TO THIS.
WHY?
PART OF THE REASON YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN SCIENCE IS PERHAPS
YOU WANT TO MAKE BENEFIT TO
HUMAN HEALTH AND IMPROVE LIVES
DOWN THE ROAD.
I WAS A JUDGE AND NOT
PARTICIPATING BUT FOR ME AS A
JUDGE IT WAS REWARDING TO SEE
THE WORK THAT KELSEY AND HER
TEAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE
DOING TO PERHAPS ADDRESS THIS
UNPET MEDICAL NEED OF
REPLACEMENT HUMAN ORGANS.
IT IS A VISION AND GOAL WE WANT
TO STRIVE FOR IN THE FIELD.
THAT'S WHY SOMETHING LIKE THIS
IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
CHALLENGES LIKE THESE AND
EXPERIMENTS AND PROJECTS ARE
GOING TO MAKE THAT VISION A
REALITY DOWN THE ROAD.
IT WAS VERY REWARDING TO BE A
PART OF THIS.
>> I FELT THAT ONE.
THAT WAS A GREAT ANSWER.
WE'VE GOT A VERY PRACTICAL
PERSON ASKING THIS QUESTION.
WE'LL DO QUICK ANSWERS.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO
FUTURE SOLVERS INTERESTED IN A
NASA CHALLENGE?
SO FROM BOTH THE PARTICIPANT
SIDE AND ALSO THE JUDGE'S SIDE,
QUICK ANSWERS, LET'S START WITH
THE ROOM.
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY A
PASSION FOR THE FIELD, A PASSION
FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SPACE
SCIENCE.
I THINK BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT
ENGINEERING AND BIOLOGY IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS
IN THIS CHALLENGE AND FUTURE
CHALLENGES LIKE IT.
>> I AGREE WITH DR. SHARMA,
PASSION IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS.
LEARNING HOW TO GIVE UP SLEEP
FOR A WHILE IS PROBABLY ALSO
PRETTY CRITICAL.
MAKE SURE YOU GET ALL OF THE
ASSAYS DONE AND GET EVERYTHING
TURNED IN ON TIME.
>> THAT'S -- I APPRECIATE
YOUR REALISM THERE.
WELL ON THAT NOTE, THAT'S ALL
THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU
DR. SHARMA FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME.
>> AND CONGRATULATIONS,
AGAIN, KELSEY AND TO YOUR ENTIRE
TEAM.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AS
REPRESENTATIVE AND BEEN A MAJOR
TEAM EFFORT, VERY EXCITING TO BE
HONORED IN SUCH A WAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO TODAY WE LEARNED ALL ABOUT
VASCULARIZED HUMAN TISSUE.
WE MET SCIENTISTS TO MAKE
VASCULARIZED TISSUE IN A LAB.
WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS ONERATE
AND SPACE AND NOW IMAGINE THE
POSSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS NEXT.
WE ANNOUNCED THE JUDGES HAVE
CONFIRMED SECOND PLACE WINNER,
TEAM W FIRM FOR THE WAKE FOREST
INSTITUTE OF REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE HAS TAKEN THE SECOND
PLACE PRIZE, WINNING 100,000
DOLLARS.
NOT TOO SHABBY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM.
YOU COULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM
AND OTHER COMPETITORS IN THE
CHALLENGE DURING A VIRTUAL LIVE
SUMMIT COMING IN AUGUST.
FOLLOW ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM
FOR DETAILS COMING SOON.
THIS CHALLENGE IS ONE OF PANING
FOR ON NOW.
CROWD SOURCING IDEA THROUGH
COMPETITIONS IS ONE OF THE MANY
WAYS THAT NASA ADVANCES
TECHNOLOGIES AND SOLVES
PROBLEMS.
SOME CHALLENGE, SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES GOING ON RIGHT NOW
WITH THE DEEP FAITH FOOD
CHALLENGE, BREAK THE ICE
CHALLENGE AND SO MUCH MORE.
SEE ALL OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR HOW YOU COULD GET INVOLVED
AT NASA.GOV/SOLVE
FOR NASA SCIENCE LIVE,
I'M YOUR HOST, LAUREN WARD.