On February 26, one of the prestigious UMCU Van Leerzem Fund research scholarships was awarded to Artificial Kidney Innovations researcher Dr. Tugrul Irmak, among others. The grant will allow his team to expand groundbreaking projects within the field of Artificial Kidneys and Internal Medicine.

Dr. Irmak is thrilled to receive the financial support for his research, which focuses on developing an implantable hemofilter prototype designed to enable needle-free dialysis. “This innovation will make home hemodialysis more accessible and, more importantly, pave the way toward a fully implantable bio-artificial kidney,” he explains. “Dialysis is degenerative and very taxing, severely diminishing both quality of life and life expectancy. We are engaged in a ‘Climb Against Time’ to develop better solutions.”

The project, scheduled to run until March 2026, aims to produce a 3D-printed hemofilter device featuring blood-compatible channels that mimic the natural branching of blood vessels. The design may take the form of a monolithic structure created from a single hydrogel material with the necessary filtration properties, or a multi-material construct that incorporates cleanroom-produced membranes into the printing process. Dr. Irmak hopes that by the project’s conclusion, he will have achieved full laboratory validation and submitted an application for preclinical testing in animal models.

The Van Leerzem Fund is dedicated to providing financial contributions for both patient-related scientific research and fundamental studies in Internal Medicine. Each year, the fund awards scholarships to support the work of talented young researchers who are developing innovative solutions to critical medical challenges.

For the original source, please visit: UMCU Van Leerzem Fund Announcement. For more information about the Van Leerzem Fund, see Van Leerzem Fund Details.

References: (The cover) image is from the UMCU Connect page (UMCU Van Leerzem Fund Announcement).