The problem addressed.
Drystore address the possibility to induce a reversible drying in gametes and somatic cells by conferring them protection from the water stress through protecting agents (xeroprotectants) found in naturally desiccation tolerant organisms (anhydrobiontes). Biobanking under liquid nitrogen (LN) has satisfactory efficiency but it comes with many drawbacks (e.g. expensive, high carbon footprint, need dedicated facilities, trained personnel, continuous monitoring and guaranteed LN and power supply). Searching Nature for alternatives, long-term preservation there is done by drying rather than freezing. To date, however, mammalian cells do not survive the drying process. Even so, if somatic cells' genetic and epigenetic load can be maintained, drying can find an important role in biobanking, a fast growing global industry. Bearing in mind the many limitations of cryostorage, countless uses and applications of biobanking face serious sustainability challenges.
Its importance for society.
Dry biobanking would benefit fields such as biodiversity conservation, blood banks, massive cell and tissue storage for research and precision medicine initiatives and would have worldwide forcefulness during conflicts and environmental catastrophes. Dry storage will make biobanking more accessible to a wider range of small and medium size enterprises and third world nations where liquid nitrogen and power supply are limited and often unreliable. Being considerably cheaper, dry biobanking will save huge societal expenditures, freeing funds for other important purposes.
The overall objectives.
In this project we aimed to elucidate the effects of drying on DNA structure and function and search for proper protection to the cells through the process, using somatic cells as a model, and combining advanced freezing and drying techniques with state-of-the-art Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT). The expected outcomes were definitive data on effects of drying on genomic stability and function, and possible discovery of a protocol to protect the genetic and epigenetic loads during cell drying.
