Designing the next generation of cryoprotectants – From proteins to small molecules

During the past decade, there have been many exciting advances in the fields of cellular therapies, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. However, current cryopreservation strategies and protocols result in inferior product after thawing. Thus, novel cryoprotectants and protocols capable of meeting the high‐quality product(s) necessary for these therapies are urgently required. The search for new and improved cryoprotectants has been ongoing but novel small molecule ice recrystallization inhibitors, originally developed from naturally occurring antifreeze proteins, have demonstrated tremendous promise and will play a significant role in fully translating cellular and regenerative therapies into the clinical environment.