MTF Biologics Awards 2023 Grants for Innovation in Allograft Translational Research

MTF Biologics, a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by advancing tissue and organ donation, transplantation, and research, has awarded more than $930,000 in funding to six researchers worldwide through its 2023 Innovation in Allograft Translational Research Grant Program.

"MTF Biologics is proud of our long-standing commitment to supporting the scientific and patient communities through our allograft innovation grants," said Joe Yaccarino, President and CEO of MTF Biologics. "These grants advance the science of allograft tissue transportation and support MTF Biologics' dedication to saving and healing lives. We congratulate all of this year's recipients and look forward to the results of their crucial work which will positively impact lives around the world."

Innovation in Allograft Translational Research Grants fund translational and clinical research in the fields of allograft transplantation and allograft science. Since 1987, MTF Biologics has awarded $60 million to researchers working to advance scientific knowledge and patient care in orthopedics, spine, sports medicine, plastic and reconstructive surgery, aesthetics, surgical soft tissue repair and reconstruction, and wound care.

"Through our continued support of innovative grant proposals, we hope to accelerate scientific advances and improve patient outcomes," said Marc Long, Ph.D., EVP, Research & Development of MTF Biologics. "We are especially pleased to see the breadth of clinical application topics this year, including orthopedic, plastic reconstructive and wound care research areas. It is our goal that these studies will provide novel allograft-based solutions for a variety of clinical conditions."

The 2023 MTF Biologics Innovation in Allograft Translational Research Grants were awarded to the following:

JUNIOR INVESTIGATOR:

• Taimoor Qazi, Ph.D., Purdue University "Granular grafts as injectable, porous, and cell-instructive biomaterials for skeletal muscle regeneration"
• Gianluca Cidonio, Ph.D., Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (Italy) "OSTEOMImetic 3D MICrofluidic bioprinting of decellularised human bone and vascular allograft ink for skeletal regeneration"

ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR:

• Adam Higgins, PhD., Oregon State University "Cryopreservation of Intact IVDs for Accessible Organ Allografting"
• William Blakeny, M.D., St. John of God Hospital (Australia) "Use of Acellular Human Dermal Allopatch Graft for Augmentation of Rotator Cuff Repair ? A Randomised Controlled Trial"
• Hongjun Wang, Ph.D. The Stevens Institute of Technology "Fabrication of multifunctional allogenic skin-derived fibrous matrices for diabetic wound repair"
• Young Min Ju, Ph.D., Wake Forest University Health Sciences "Bio-inspired fiber fragments for functional recovery of extensive muscle loss".

"We received many high quality grant proposals this year from both domestic and international research institutions," said Jeffrey Cartmell, Ph.D., Sr. Director, Intellectual Property & Grants at MTF Biologics. "We are pleased that 2 out of 6 grants this year were awarded to non-U.S. institutions, which is indicative of the global impact of the MTF Biologics grant program. Additionally, we recognize this year's named grant awards: Dr. Adam Higgins as the "Dr. James R. Neff Excellence Awardee" for best overall application, and Dr. Taimoor Qazi as the "Dr. Hans Burchardt Impact Awardee" for the awarded grant with the highest potential clinical impact."

Letters of Intent are now being accepted for the 2024 MTF Biologics Innovation in Allograft Translational Research Grants Program. The Letter of Intent deadline is March 15, 2024. Interested applicants can view the Request for Proposals and find out how to submit a grant proposal on the MTF Biologics website at https://www.mtfbiologics.org/grants.

About MTF Biologics

MTF Biologics is a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts, serving patients and advancing science. They provide unmatched service, resources, and expertise to donors and their loved ones who give the gift of donation, people who depend on tissue and organ transplants, healthcare providers, and clinicians and scientists.

The International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM), a Division of MTF Biologics, honors donors of non-transplantable organs by providing their gifts to the medical research community to combat and cure diseases. Statline, also a Division of MTF Biologics, provides specialized communications and technology expertise to organ, tissue, and eye procurement organizations, as well as the hospitals and patients that they serve. Its sister organization, Deutsches Institute for Zell-und Gewebeersatz ? DIZG (The German Institute for Cell and Tissue Transplantation) expands its reach to patients across the globe. For more information, visit www.mtfbiologics.org.