Prize Competitions
Artificial Kidney Prize Phase 2
Total prize amount:$9.2 Million
Think better, think bold, think big
This two-track competition aimed to accelerate the development of an artificial kidney from the regenerative medicine, cellular engineering, tissue engineering, systems biology, and synthetic biology communities.
Overview
People with kidney diseases need kidney replacement therapies that increase survival and improve quality of life. Innovation is urgently needed – but also incredibly difficult: a functioning kidney is built from over 26 different cell types that seamlessly integrate to maintain homeostasis. KidneyX aims to increase the options for treating people with kidney diseases—including the creation of a bioartificial kidney.
Phase 1
Phase 1 of the Artificial Kidney Prize (awarded in Fall 2021) sought solutions to enable and advance the functionality, effectiveness, and/or reliability of artificial kidneys.
Phase 2
Phase 2 of the Artificial Kidney Prize aimed to accelerate the development of an artificial kidney from the regenerative medicine, cellular engineering, tissue engineering, systems biology, and synthetic biology communities.
Innovative Solutions, Two Tracks
Track One: Accelerating the Prototype Bioartificial Kidney
Track One solicited applications that applied innovations in regenerative medicine, cellular engineering, systems biology, and synthetic biology to advance the development of a bioartificial kidney prototype.
- Open to scientists, professionals in the medical field, people with kidney diseases, and innovators to expand on their institutional knowledge and work toward innovative changes.
- Entrants must have a clear path to a prototype bioartificial kidney and a milestone-based timeline to first-in-human studies.
- Prizes: $4.5 million, up to 3 winners
Track Two: Components and Tools that Enable the Development of an Artificial Kidney
Track Two solicited applications that applied innovations in regenerative medicine and similar cell-based methods to develop tools or components that enable advances in artificial kidneys. Such enabling tools could optimize efficiency and scalability or address other critical technical challenges faced by artificial kidney developers.
KidneyX particularly welcomed submissions from scientists and innovators who work outside the kidney space and/or are still laying the foundational framework for their projects.
- Entrants must clearly describe how their tool adapts innovations and methods from fields such as regenerative medicine, cellular engineering, systems biology, and/or synthetic biology to solve a particular challenge for developing artificial kidneys.
- Previous experience with bioartificial kidneys is not necessary for Track Two.
- Prizes: $6 million, up to 6 winners
Submission & Eligibility
Review the Announcement of Requirements and Registration for:
- Full award details
- Eligibility requirements
- Registration and submission requirements
- Evaluation criteria
- Judging information
- Other competition rules, terms, and conditions
Resources for Entrants
Winners
- Anthony Atala, MD, Track 2
3D vascularized biomimetic renal construct platform for accelerated vascular integration - William Chang, MD, PhD, Track 2
Engineering bioartificial kidneys: Combining kidney organoids and peritoneal dialysis - David K.C. Cooper, MD, PhD, FRCS, Track 1
Alemtuzumab induction therapy in monkeys with life-supporting pig kidney transplants - Nils Olof Lindström, PhD, Track 2
Draining artificial kidneys by connecting synchronized nephrons to synthetic organizers - Harald C. Ott, MD, Track 2
Manufacturing and system dynamics tools enabling autonomous blood purification implants - Shuvo Roy, PhD, Track 2
Immunoprotective bioreactor for kidney cell encapsulation - Ben Shepherd, PhD, Track 2
Bioengineered therapies for patients with kidney failure - Matt Tector, PhD, Track 1
Renal Xenograft Phase 2: Solving the donor kidney shortage
