Project description
A sustainable shift in cell preservation
The environmental toll of conventional biobanking methods is undeniable. Freezing in Liquid Nitrogen (LN) comes at a high cost, both economically and ecologically, demanding specialised facilities and contributing to a substantial CO2 footprint. With the support of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the WhyNotDry project seeks to revolutionise biobanking by exploring reversible drying in cells and germplasm, aiming to replace LN freezing with an innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative. This multidisciplinary venture involves an international network of scientists committed to unlocking the potential of dry biobanking for a sustainable future in life sciences. The project not only reshapes preservation methods but also fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, promising a ‘green’ paradigm shift in the scientific community.
Objective
WhyNotDry will deepen our knowledge on reversible drying in cells and germplasm toward the development of a dry biobanking as an alternative to the current freezing in Liquid Nitrogen (LN). LN is expensive, requires dedicated facilities and power supply, and has a high CO2 footprint. WhyNotDry will achieve its aims through a multidisciplinary, intersectoral, international network of scientists that will: i) Develop a drying/rehydration platform using naturally desiccation-tolerant midge (Polypedilum vanderplanki) Pv11 cell lines; ii) Identify the best combination of naturally occurring xeroprotectants (xero=dry) from desiccation-tolerant insect cell line and the best performing water subtraction platform. iii) To use the best xeroprotectants mix and the drying/rehydration protocol for mammalian cells/germplasm. vi) Develop a prototype for controlled dehydration of microvolumes of cell. The R&I activities leading to these aims will be carried out by knowhow sharing through Staff Exchanges between: 3 EU academies, 2 EU SMEs, 2 international partners (Japan, Thailand). Outcomes of WhyNotDry will be incorporated into a cheap, environmentally friendly, and easy biobanking for biodiversity conservation, assisted reproduction, stem cell/personalized medicine. Successful development of this technology will set the basis for a radically new, ‘green’ biobanking paradigm, simplifying the maintenance and shipping practices in life sciences, with enormous reduction in costs and carbon footprint. Moreover, knowledge generated in WhyNotDry would be applicable to other fields such as agriculture, environmental science, food processing, and the pharmaceutical industry, where elective or enforced (by climate change) drying is dealt with. Finally, WhyNotDry will empower young scientists with transferable skills, ensuring career prospects in academia/industry, and strengthen the international/sectorial network between disciplines, boosting European excellence.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciences
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiodiversity conservation
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespersonalized medicine
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff ExchangesCoordinator
64100 Teramo
Italy