I-Corps: Technology for processing lipoaspirate for plastic surgery and regenerative medicine

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a medical device for the processing of liposuction fat as a source of adult stem cells in the body for point-of-care aesthetic and regenerative medicine applications. Fat grafting is one of the most common and versatile surgical procedures performed by plastic and reconstructive surgeons.

The proposed device targets point-of-care therapeutics in all aspects of regenerative medicine where autologous stem cells (derived and used within the same person) are required. The proposed device may enable the processing of large and small volumes of fat without the use of harmful chemicals in about 15 minutes. In addition, it is a closed system that is designed to provide reproducible processing to yield the highest quality fat for grafting and therapeutic applications, while reducing operating room time and the need for special equipment or technicians, allowing the surgeon to focus on the patient rather than fat processing.

It may be used in applications such as the treatment of osteoarthritis, and diabetic foot ulcers in amputation candidates with severe vascular disease and poor access to care.

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a medical device to process and deploy adipose tissue and stem cells for therapeutic applications. The core technologies developed for this platform include a preparation device, which dynamically washes fat tissue to remove tumescent fluid, blood, and other aqueous waste; an emulsification and micronization device, which generates shear forces to break down fat tissue into smaller units; and a filtration device, which removes large adipose fragments and maximizes cell recovery.

The goal is to combine all three components into a single-use disposable cartridge that will integrate with a reusable platform to create a tool that decreases procedure time and manpower required in the operating room or clinical setting while improving reliability and clinical outcomes for the surgeon and the patient. Preliminary research has shown that the proposed platform generates a stem cell therapeutic with comparable viability and cell counts to the standards currently used.

In addition, data show that the device also enriches stem cell populations critical to tissue recovery at 3 and 4 times the levels of other devices on the market.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.