The U.S. Military Fight Capabilities Improvement Command Chemical Organic Heart (DEVCOM CBC) and the College of Hawaii System just lately formalized a collaborative initiative to reinforce warfighter survivability and effectiveness. This partnership, strategically centered on leveraging biomaterials and superior manufacturing capabilities, goals to strengthen protection efforts, notably in help of the USA Indo-Pacific Command, which is headquartered in Hawaii.
Collaborative Framework and Key Initiatives
This joint effort operates below a cooperative analysis and growth settlement (CRADA) and two preliminary joint work statements (JWS). These agreements allow each organizations to work collectively on numerous tasks, starting from subtle “organ-on-a-chip” scientific instruments to broader developments in manufacturing and restore processes.
Underneath the primary JWS, executed on March 14, Dr. Jason Barnhill, an affiliate analysis professor on the College of Hawaii at Mānoa’s John A. Burns Faculty of Drugs (JABSOM), is collaborating with Priscilla Lee, a DEVCOM CBC bioengineering researcher. Their joint intention is to develop subtle organ fashions for evaluating numerous compounds crucial to the Division of Protection. This analysis, an integral a part of the brand new CRADA, particularly leverages bioprinting to reinforce present in vitro organ fashions. The purpose is to enhance protections and coverings for warfighters towards extreme threats, together with burns, toxic gases, antibiotic-resistant micro organism, and different chemical-biological hazards.
Lee’s analysis at DEVCOM CBC concentrates on bioprinting cell tradition fashions to check immune responses and develop next-generation biomaterials. This new partnership will advance bioprinting capabilities at DEVCOM CBC and facilitate the event of deployable printers at UH Mānoa, enabling the institution of distant, printable prototype stations even in austere situations.
“We’re extremely proud that Dr. Barnhill and Priscilla Lee are representing the College of Hawaii at Mānoa and DEVCOM CBC with these efforts which have the potential to avoid wasting the lives of our frontline Troopers and civilians internationally,” mentioned Sam Shomaker, dean of College of Hawaii at Mānoa JABSOM. “By serving to to introduce revolutionary biofabrication expertise to much more distant areas, JABSOM is helping within the mission throughout the Pacific and globally.”
The second JWS below the CRADA harnesses the College of Hawaii system’s intensive presence and superior manufacturing analysis and growth capabilities inside the USA Indo-Pacific Command area. This part of the settlement focuses on collectively growing superior manufacturing capabilities to create a extra expansive regional community. This community is envisioned to bolster provide chain resilience, foster protection innovation, enhance crucial info sharing, and facilitate broader collaborative efforts.
US Military, Universities Collaborate on Superior Manufacturing for Protection Innovation
This collaboration is a part of a wider pattern illustrating the U.S. Division of Protection’s growing educational partnerships to drive innovation in crucial protection applied sciences.
Texas A&M College, a Public Analysis Establishment, secured $1.6 million in funding from the Protection Superior Analysis Tasks Company (DARPA) to develop a brand new system that accelerates the evaluation of high quality and sturdiness in 3D printed elements. As a part of DARPA’s SURGE program, grantees are challenged to cut back analysis instances from 18 months to only three days, whereas simplifying the method to run on an ordinary laptop computer. This initiative goals to facilitate wider adoption of additive manufacturing inside the Division of Protection and is predicted to avoid wasting tens of millions of {dollars}.
In 2021, the DOD awarded 18 university-led tasks a complete of $25.5 million to speed up hypersonic flight analysis through applied sciences resembling 3D printing, machine studying, and non-destructive testing. The analysis contracts, that are set to be handed out over the course of three years, had been awarded to members of the College Consortium for Utilized Hypersonics (UCAH). Because the identify may counsel, UCAH is geared toward advancing hypersonic expertise growth, and operates below the Joint Hypersonics Transition Workplace (JHTO). Awardees embody members from 28 universities, 15 industrial companions, three nationwide laboratories, and 4 further worldwide accomplice universities.
Take the 3DPI Reader Survey — form the way forward for AM reporting in below 5 minutes.
Who gained the 2024 3D Printing Business Awards?
Subscribe to the 3D Printing Business publication to maintain up with the newest 3D printing information.
You can even comply with us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Business Youtube channel to entry extra unique content material.
Featured picture exhibits DEVCOM CBC Bioengineering Researcher Priscilla Lee and DEVCOM CBC Senior Biologist Ted Moran use a bioprinter. Picture through US Military.
