NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology.  License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.  NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses.

THE TECHNOLOGY:

This technology, developed at NASA's Langley Research Center in collaboration with scientists at Duke University, is a novel three-dimensional scaffold structure that utilizes electroactive fibers for tissue and/or stem cell engineering. This invention enables electroactive fibers to be assembled into three-dimensional scaffolds to more closely mimic the native biological environment by providing biochemical, mechanical, and electrical cues.

Current scaffold designs and materials do not provide all of the appropriate cues necessary to mimic in-vivo conditions for tissue engineering and stem cell engineering applications.  It has been hypothesized that many biomaterials, such as bone, muscle, brain and heart tissue exhibit piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties.  Typical cell seeding environments incorporate biochemical cues and more recently mechanical stimuli, however, electrical cues have just recently been incorporated in standard in-vitro examinations.  In order to develop their potential further, novel scaffolds are required to provide adequate cues in the in-vitro environment to direct stem cells to differentiate down controlled pathways or develop novel tissue constructs.  This invention is for a scaffold that provides for such cues by mimicking the native biological environment, including biochemical, topographical, mechanical and electrical cues.

To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LAR-TOPS-200

If you have any questions, please contact Langley Research Center at [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information.  For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/

These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities.  No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.