# Whole-organ bioreactor with integrated nondestructive 3D molecular imaging

> **NIH NIH R44** · SONOVOL, INC. · 2020 · $906,910

## Abstract

Abstract
Significance: Donor tissue shortage remains a critical problem in lung transplantation. Recent
advances in tissue engineering have allowed for the possibility of generating bioengineered
lungs from decellularized organ scaffolds. These scaffolds, created from the donor’s tissue,
become functionalized after recellularization with a patient’s own cells. However, translation of
whole-lung decell/recell technology to the clinic has been hampered by the lack of sophisticated
tissue growth technologies (e.g. bioreactors) that are capable of providing precise feedback and
control of the microenvironment within the scaffold. Innovation: One specific feature that all
bioreactors currently lack is a way to noninvasively image the developing organs within them, or
quantitatively assess the seeding and growth of cells over time. Currently, these parameters can
only be evaluated destructively by histology or by rudimentary input/output assays that have no
spatial sensitivity. Therefore, we propose a novel bioreactor that will provide a new layer of
information and feedback to the user based on 3D contrast-enhanced ultrasound/photoacoustic
(USPA) image data. USPA is a new functional imaging modality that utilizes a light source to
generate ultrasonic waves throughout a tissue volume. This approach can provide noninvasive
high-resolution images of cellular distribution and cellular metabolism in 3D. Team: SonoVol,
Inc., a company specializing in 3D robotic ultrasound imaging, will partner with a team of tissue
engineer (UMN), photoacoustics (Johns Hopkins), and medical image analysis (Kitware) experts
to build a specialized bioreactor with integrated noninvasive molecular imaging feedback.
Hypothesis: The USPA enabled bioreactor will improve whole-organ engineering research by
providing real time quantitative feedback on cellular distribution and metabolism. This will
accelerate the experimental feedback loop as compared to conventional histology, as well as
reduce costs. Approach: During Phase I we will demonstrate feasibility within a mouse lung.
During Phase II we will scale the system up for use in translational-sized porcine organs, and
perform the commercial R&D necessary to deliver our first calibrated and validated systems to
customers. Impact: This technology will be the first commercially available bioreactor of its kind,
specifically designed for noninvasive molecular imaging and nondestructive assessment of the
3D organ constructs. Initially its commercial impact will be primarily focused at academic
research institutions, however as lung bioengineering technologies mature, the technology
could eventually serve a critical role in biotech after bioengineered lungs are approved for
clinical use.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9977285
- **Project number:** 5R44HL138185-03
- **Recipient organization:** SONOVOL, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Tomasz Joseph Czernuszewicz
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $906,910
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-11 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9977285

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9977285, Whole-organ bioreactor with integrated nondestructive 3D molecular imaging (5R44HL138185-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9977285. Licensed CC0.

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