Scientists Are Developing Artificial Blood That Could Save Lives In Emergencies (npr.org) 42
Scientists at the University of Maryland are developing ErythroMer, a freeze-dried artificial blood substitute made from hemoglobin encased in fat bubbles, designed to be shelf-stable for years and reconstituted with water in emergencies. With promising animal trial results and significant funding from the Department of Defense, the team aims to begin human testing within two years. NPR reports: "The No. 1 cause of preventable death on the battlefield is hemorrhage still today," says Col. Jeremy Pamplin, the project manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. "That's a real problem for the military and for the civilian world." [Dr. Allan Doctor, a scientist at the University of Maryland working to develop the artificial blood substitute] is optimistic his team may be on the brink of solving that problem with ... ErythroMer. Doctor co-founded KaloCyte to develop the blood and serves on the board and as the firm's chief scientific officer.
"We've been able to successfully recapitulate all the functions of blood that are important for a resuscitation in a system that can be stored for years at ambient temperature and be used at the scene of an accident," he says. [...] Doctor's team has tested their artificial blood on hundreds of rabbits and so far it looks safe and effective. "It would change the way that we could take care of people who are bleeding outside of hospitals," Doctor says. "It'd be transformative." [...]
While the results so far seem like cause for optimism, Doctor says he still needs to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that his artificial blood would be safe and effective for people. But he hopes to start testing it in humans within two years. A Japanese team is already testing a similar synthetic blood in people. "I'm very hopeful," Doctor says. While promising, some experts remain cautious, noting that past attempts at artificial blood ultimately proved unsafe. "I think it's a reasonable approach," says Tim Estep, a scientist at Chart Biotech Consulting who consults with companies developing artificial blood. "But because this field has been so challenging, the proof will be in the clinical trials," he adds. "While I'm overall optimistic, placing a bet on any one technology right now is overall difficult."
"We've been able to successfully recapitulate all the functions of blood that are important for a resuscitation in a system that can be stored for years at ambient temperature and be used at the scene of an accident," he says. [...] Doctor's team has tested their artificial blood on hundreds of rabbits and so far it looks safe and effective. "It would change the way that we could take care of people who are bleeding outside of hospitals," Doctor says. "It'd be transformative." [...]
While the results so far seem like cause for optimism, Doctor says he still needs to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that his artificial blood would be safe and effective for people. But he hopes to start testing it in humans within two years. A Japanese team is already testing a similar synthetic blood in people. "I'm very hopeful," Doctor says. While promising, some experts remain cautious, noting that past attempts at artificial blood ultimately proved unsafe. "I think it's a reasonable approach," says Tim Estep, a scientist at Chart Biotech Consulting who consults with companies developing artificial blood. "But because this field has been so challenging, the proof will be in the clinical trials," he adds. "While I'm overall optimistic, placing a bet on any one technology right now is overall difficult."
protoblood v. HDS (Score:2)
And don't forget the insect-based drones!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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After much searching on Youtube, here is the Lexx intro that mentions the protoblood https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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If someone knows better, I'd like to ask them about how the body's liver will respond to the artificial blood. Does it see the artificial blood as benign or is it immediately filtered out as a foreign substance? I'm curious to see how it reacts in our nearest animal analog - the pig. I hope for continued success if it makes it past pig testing and on to limited human testing.
This would be great addition for trauma kits. A kit of HemCon bandages made from shrimp shells, packets of this artificial blood,
Re: now for the usual.... (Score:2)
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Agreed. I was more worried about the liver filtering out the artificial blood too thoroughly as it passes through and the victim loosing the oxygen carrying benefit of the artificial blood too quickly. It appears it works for the bunnies so I have hope it works as well in humans. I look forward to following the progress as it moves through testing.
Tru Blood (Score:2)
Sookie is kinda cute.
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Sookie is kinda cute.
Her proper name is "Fuckin' Sookie."
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check google image
There's your mistake. Use Yandex image search. Much better.
In related news... (Score:2)
Now you will be able to bath in blood without being imprisoned in your own castle by a bunch of uppity folks who, for whatever reason, value the lives of servant girls over having a nice warm bath!
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Now you will be able to bath in blood without being imprisoned in your own castle by a bunch of uppity folks who, for whatever reason, value the lives of servant girls over having a nice warm bath!
Does artificial blood count as virgin blood? That's the question that must be answered before we can really believe your theory to be worth consideration. Until such time as it is proven, I'm afraid we're stuck bathing in actual servant girl blood. Sorry. I don't make the rules. I just follow them.
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Does artificial blood count as virgin blood?
Yes, bags of artificial blood are virgin for at least a solid 12 years after which, it will start hanging out with another teenage bag of artificial blood named Tyler.
Unanswered question (Score:2)
This may work great for trauma victims, but - can it possibly contain the life essence necessary to maintain the existence of the immortal undead?
I'm asking for a friend...
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But (Score:2)
Does it work for Vampires?
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Was there really a guy named Dr. Doctor involved here, or is somebody just trolling us?
I can't speak for if this specific story has falsified aspects but I can attest that I in real life knew a person whose family name was Doctor and they in fact became a doctor for their career. With eight billion people on the planet, it's going to happen.
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he also goes by "mr. MD"
Deja vu (Score:2)
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Indeed.
In 1998, a trial of HemAssist was halted because about half of the patients died after receiving the infusions.
In the 2000s, a trial of PolyHeme was halted because 10 of 80 patients died.
In this new version, researchers think they've solved the problems that the earlier trials encountered.
If they're successful, this will be as groundbreaking as defibrillators.
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Indeed. In 1998, a trial of HemAssist was halted because about half of the patients died after receiving the infusions. In the 2000s, a trial of PolyHeme was halted because 10 of 80 patients died.
And before that there were the perfluorocarbon emulsions in the early 1970s that promised to be substitute blood.
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I've been hearing about artificial blood for decades now. Over and over....
And?
This is a hugely important goal and it's newsworthy every time someone gets near the finish line. Not "OMG it works!" newsworthy, but it's at least worth a simple story indicating (two) teams have solutions going into testing shortly. Or are you only okay with news about sure things?
Awesome (Score:2)
I'll keep a reserve supply in my fusion powered flying car.
Arg, now we can have flesh & blood terminators (Score:4, Insightful)
I welcome our new overlord - Skynet, (please don't kill me!).
sepsis (Score:3)
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You can have bagged sterile water, which can also be shelf stable. That won't be terribly feasible for a battlefield medic. But a trauma hospital in a combat zone could have that available. It still presents logistical challenges, but it's far easier than blood, which must be refrigerated and has a short expiration time. It's also feasible for hospitals and ambulances in the developing world.
Even better would be to have both
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The scenarios where this is potentially going to save lives, compared to the current system, mostly involve remote areas with sparse population where it's impractical to maintain blood reserves. Everywhere else, what it's going to do (assuming eventual full success), is reduce the quantity of blood donation society re
Foldgerâ(TM)s Crystals (Score:2)
Spokesman: Weâ(TM)re here at New Yorkâ(TM)s famous Metropolitan University Hospital, which treats patients from all over the world.
[ Cut to Spokesman inside the hospital, walking among nurses and doctors ]
Spokesman: Here in the hospitalâ(TM)s intensive care unit, the supply of blood can make the difference between life ⦠and death.
[ Cut to Spokesman in a hospital room, next to a patient in bed ]
Spokesman: Today, weâ(TM)re secretly replacing the fine blood these patients normal
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I wish I would have noticed the screwed up unicode quotes before I hit submit. It's a little harder to juggle on the mobile version of Slashdot as there's no preview button.
Unfortunately, grants cut by DOGE/Trump (Score:2)
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good news... (Score:2)
...for those with platinum citizenship. Coming to a hospital that admits preferred patients near you.
Coming soon (Score:1)
Someday (Score:2)