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An Anticoagulation-Free Artificial Placenta Oxygenator

Award Number: K08HD120659
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/15/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2030

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An Anticoagulation-Free Artificial Placenta Oxygenator - PROJECT SUMMARY Dr. David Blauvelt is committed to his development as a clinician-scientist dedicated to helping critically ill children through bioengineering, with a specific focus on innovation in extracorporeal life support (ECLS). In this proposal, he aims to develop an anticoagulation-free artificial placenta oxygenator to support preterm infants. Extreme prematurity has a high burden of morbidity and mortality; infants born at 23 weeks have only a 2% chance of survival without a major morbidity. An artificial placenta is an adaptation of ECLS that may reduce mortality and chronic lung disease in extremely preterm infants. However, current oxygenator technology is unsafe for use in preterm infants due to hemocompatibility limitations. Dr. Blauvelt’s immediate goal is to determine if a microfluidic silicon membrane (SM) can improve oxygenator hemocompatibility. His long-term goal is to develop the skills needed to design, build, and test new ECLS technologies and translate them to the bedside. SMs are rigid, flat-plate semipermeable membranes that can reduce oxygenator surface area, optimize blood flow dynamics, and improve the blood-contacting surface chemical properties. Dr. Blauvelt will use these advantages to build and test SM oxygenators with an ultimate goal of developing an anticoagulation-free artificial placenta. In Aim 1, he will evaluate the gas-exchange performance, pressure drop, and priming volume of an SM oxygenator optimized with computational methods. In Aim 2, he will investigate the effects of hemocompatible surface coatings on clot formation and protein adsorption. Finally, in Aim 3, he will directly compare the hemocompatibility of an SM oxygenator to a commercial oxygenator using a non-anticoagulated swine model. This career development award will allow Dr. Blauvelt to achieve his short and long-term goals through a combination of mentorship, research experiences, coursework, and professional development. His team consists of mentors and advisors who are experts in bioengineering, animal models, biomaterials, translational research, artificial womb technology, and medical ethics. Completion of the proposed aims will provide foundational data to justify continued testing of an SM oxygenator in a long-term preterm animal model, which will be the focus of a future R-award.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $152,388 )
2026	2026	THE NEMOURS FOUNDATION	1600 ROCKLAND RD	WILMINGTON	DE	19803	NEW CASTLE	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	9/17/2026	NEW	$152,388
														Subtotal = $152,388

Grand Total All Awards = $152,388

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An Anticoagulation-Free Artificial Placenta Oxygenator

Award Number: K08HD120659

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/15/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2030

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