# Oscillating Magnetic Field Assisted Supercooling Preservation of Fresh and Unfrozen Ovaries at Subzero Temperatures

> **NIH NIH R43** · JUN INNOVATIONS, INC. · 2023 · $275,001

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
When the internal temperature of a material during freezing is below its equilibrium freezing
point before ice nucleation has occurred, the material is said to be in the supercooled state. The
long-term objective of this project is to develop a novel commercially viable supercooling device
to preserve biological materials far below their freezing points while retaining their
functionalities live. Engineered magnetic fields in the oscillation mode has been proved to
control the discharge and realignment of water molecules using diamagnetic properties of water
molecules. Therefore, water in biological materials can remain unfrozen at subzero temperatures
when magnetic fields are applied. Among many other materials for cryopreservation and organ
banking, we have selected the whole mice ovary for our focused proof of concept. The
developed supercooling technology will enable an extended storage duration as well as higher
recovery rates of ovarian functionalities with zero toxicity, compared to classic cryopreservation
methods. In the Phase I study, the
supercooling technology will be tested for an extended
supercooling status of mice ovaries at -5 to -10
°C for up to 4 weeks, and their preserved
fertilities will be examined. We anticipate a robust and stabilized solution for hypothermic yet
non-freezing preservation of diverse biological samples, i.e. cells, tissues, and organs, by
extension. In the past several years, a number of studies have appeared questioning the functional
qualities of biological materials stored using conventional cryopreservation methods. They
indicated that (i) biological systems have highly organized structures that are extremely sensitive
to freezing/thawing processes and (ii) high concentrations of cryoprotective agents (CPAs) such
as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are potentially toxic. When the biological sample is cooled below
its melting point, or equilibrium freezing temperature, water within the cellular structure will
undergo a phase change from liquid to solid. The formation of extracellular ice is known to be a
hazard to structured tissues and organs. In addition, DMSO shows high cytotoxicity and affects
the differentiation of neuron-like cells, cardiac myocytes, and granulocytes, and needs to be
eliminated rapidly after thawing. The developed technique will offer the technical feasibility and
solid foundations for any full-organ or complex tissue preservation efforts, providing insight into
potential structural and functional effects of the preservation process on high-content, complex
and human-derived organs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10821622
- **Project number:** 1R43HD114508-01
- **Recipient organization:** JUN INNOVATIONS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Soojin Jun
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $275,001
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-25 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10821622

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10821622, Oscillating Magnetic Field Assisted Supercooling Preservation of Fresh and Unfrozen Ovaries at Subzero Temperatures (1R43HD114508-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10821622. Licensed CC0.

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