(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) — One of the most consistent issues that disaster response teams face is blood shortages. These headaches, caused by short supply and perishability, make blood donations a constant push across the nation.

CBS News reports that in Pennsylvania, scientists from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC are making progress, and could see results within the decade.

$46.4 million in funding from the government research agency DARPA will help the doctors and researchers cross the finish line to design an easily-produced and widespread blood substitute. “This specific effort is going to happen over four years. And then, by the time it’s actually in use, that could be six or eight years, said Dr. Susan Shea, an assistant professor of surgery and bioengineering at Pitt.

CBS affiliate station KDKA-TV spent a day in the lab, speaking with some of the researchers involved in the groundbreaking research. Dr. Shea told KDKA that “We get to essentially test the early formulations. So, we do get to reconstitute the product, test the product, and see how well it works.”

Current models of synthetic blood are shelf-stable as a dried powder, containing all the same components of human blood. Dr. Philip Spinella suggested using baby formula as an example of a similar system working successfully.

“Liquid, whole blood isn’t always going to be available, and it’s a limited resources because you need it from donors. So, what we’re trying to do is make a dried whole blood product that could be shelf-stable, put it on a helicopter or an ambulance for two to three years.”

“And when you dry a product, you basically just dehydrate it and all we need to do once in the dry form is literally just add water,” Dr. Shea added.

©2023 Cox Media Group