Articles tagged with "bioengineering"
New 3D-printed liver could help treat organ failure without transplant
A Carnegie Mellon University-led team is developing a functional 3D bioprinted liver through the Liver Immunocompetent Volumetric Engineering (LIVE) project, aimed at addressing the critical shortage of donor organs for liver transplants. Funded with $28.5 million from the US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), the project focuses on creating a temporary liver that can support patients suffering from acute liver failure for two to four weeks. This temporary organ would provide a crucial window for the patient’s own liver to regenerate, potentially eliminating the need for a full transplant and preserving scarce donor livers for others. The LIVE team employs a proprietary FRESH 3D bioprinting technique to fabricate soft biological materials like collagen and human stem cells into complex liver structures. To overcome immune rejection, they use genetically engineered hypoimmune "universal donor" cells that evade the recipient’s immune system, removing the need for toxic immunosuppressive drugs. Beyond the liver, the researchers
materials3D-printingbioprintingregenerative-medicinebiomedical-engineeringorgan-transplantbioengineeringScientists create first human-cell bone marrow model in lab
Researchers at Switzerland’s University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have engineered the first realistic human bone marrow model entirely from human cells. This bioengineered tissue replicates the complex structure and cellular diversity of the bone marrow’s endosteal niche—a critical microenvironment near the bone surface responsible for blood cell formation and implicated in blood cancer resistance. Using a hydroxyapatite-based artificial bone scaffold seeded with pluripotent stem cells reprogrammed to generate specialized bone marrow cells, the team created a three-dimensional construct (8 mm diameter, 4 mm thickness) that sustained human blood formation in vitro for several weeks. This breakthrough model addresses limitations of current research methods that rely on animal models or oversimplified cultures, providing a more accurate platform to study human blood biology and diseases. It offers potential to reduce animal use in research and improve drug testing, although the current model’s size may require miniaturization for high-throughput screening. Looking ahead, the researchers envision personalized bone marrow models derived from patients’
materialsbioengineeringhuman-cellsbone-marrow-modelhydroxyapatitestem-cellsdrug-testingZinc-infused gel could help soldiers recover from blast injuries
Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) are conducting a 20-month study to explore how zinc can aid recovery from blast injuries, which frequently cause severe muscle and bone damage in soldiers. Led by nursing professor Zui Pan, the study focuses on mitigating secondary muscle damage that occurs after the initial trauma, often due to restricted blood flow (ischemia) and subsequent oxygen surges when circulation is restored. This secondary damage can worsen tissue destruction beyond the original injury. The team aims to develop a zinc-infused gel, using an FDA-approved material called gelatin methacryloyl, to promote muscle regeneration while carefully managing zinc dosing to avoid toxicity. The research is part of the UT System’s Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative (TRC4), targeting improved trauma treatments for both military and civilian patients. Given that blast injuries account for a significant majority of combat wounds—74% between 2001 and 2011 according to the Department of Veterans Affairs—the potential benefits of this
materialszinc-infused-gelmuscle-regenerationtrauma-recoverybiomedical-materialswound-healingbioengineeringCan we design healthcare that survives deep space? Dorit Donoviel explains
Dr. Dorit Donoviel, Executive Director of NASA's Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), is pioneering the development of healthcare systems designed to function autonomously millions of miles from Earth. With a diverse background spanning pharmaceutical drug discovery, biotech, and ethics, she focuses on creating innovative solutions such as AI-driven diagnostics and bioengineered life-support systems to enable astronauts to manage their own health during deep-space missions. Her work addresses the critical challenge of providing effective medical care in environments where immediate Earth-based support is impossible. Donoviel emphasizes the unique interdisciplinary nature of space health, attracting top-tier talent passionate about solving complex biological and healthcare problems under extreme conditions. She highlights the importance of maintaining scientific rigor and humility, acknowledging that current knowledge and technologies are provisional and subject to change with new discoveries. Her leadership approach balances deep technical expertise with openness to innovation, fostering collaboration among experts to build resilient healthcare frameworks that can adapt to the unpredictable challenges of space exploration.
robotAIhealthcare-technologyspace-healthautonomous-medicinebioengineeringNASATUM's Thomas Brück on turning algae into carbon capture solutions
Thomas Brück, PhD, head of the Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), is pioneering the use of algae to capture carbon dioxide and produce sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, including jet fuel. With a background spanning the UK, US, and Germany, Brück combines academic research and industry experience to develop scalable, biology-based solutions for a net-zero economy. His work, supported by significant funding from the Werner Siemens Foundation, focuses on engineering smarter materials and rethinking the construction industry’s role in climate change mitigation. Brück’s interest in algae began during postdoctoral research on marine microorganisms and their biosynthetic pathways. Recognizing algae’s potential to remediate CO2 and generate valuable microbial oils, he founded the AlgaeTec Center at TUM in 2015. This unique facility enables flexible, scalable algae cultivation under realistic climate conditions, developed in collaboration with industry partners like Airbus, which is interested in converting algae-based oils into aviation fuels. Over the
energysustainable-materialscarbon-capturesynthetic-biotechnologyalgae-cultivationbioengineeringclimate-change-solutionsScientists grow mini-brains in lab to boost energy efficiency in AI
Researchers at Lehigh University, led by Professor Yevgeny Berdichevsky, are developing lab-grown mini-brains called brain organoids to study how the human brain processes information with remarkable energy efficiency. Supported by a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation program, the team aims to replicate the brain’s complex computations to design smarter, faster, and more energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI). Unlike traditional hardware-based neural networks, these organoids could reveal new computational mechanisms that improve AI’s processing capacity while drastically reducing power consumption. The project involves engineering three-dimensional brain organoids by arranging neurons in an ordered structure resembling the human cortex, using 3D-printed biomaterial scaffolds developed by bioengineering expert Lesley Chow. The organoids will be stimulated with light pulses representing simple moving images, allowing researchers to observe neural responses related to motion, speed, and direction—key tasks for AI applications like self-driving cars. By decoding neuronal activity patterns
energyartificial-intelligencebrain-organoidsenergy-efficiencybioengineeringneural-networks3D-printed-biomaterialsScientists rewrite life’s code to create virus-resistant bacteria
Researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge have engineered a synthetic strain of Escherichia coli, named Syn57, that operates with only 57 codons instead of the standard 64 used by nearly all known life forms. This represents the most radically compressed genetic code created to date. By removing redundant codons—specifically seven codons including those for serine, alanine, and one stop signal—the team replaced over 101,000 codon instances across the bacterium’s 4-megabase genome. The genome was reconstructed from 38 synthetic DNA fragments assembled using a novel technique called uREXER, which combines CRISPR-Cas9 and viral enzymes for precise DNA swapping. Syn57 retains normal growth and function despite its streamlined genetic code, freeing up codons that can be reassigned to incorporate non-canonical amino acids and produce novel synthetic polymers and materials with programmable properties. Importantly, the recoded genome may confer resistance to many viruses that depend
materialssynthetic-biologygenetic-engineeringpolymersbioengineeringvirus-resistancebiotechnologyWorld's simplest artificial cell capable of chemical navigation unveiled
Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) have developed the simplest artificial cell capable of chemical navigation, mimicking the chemotaxis behavior of living cells such as bacteria and white blood cells. This “minimal cell” is a tiny lipid vesicle encapsulating enzymes and membrane pore proteins, enabling it to actively move toward specific chemical substances like glucose or urea. The movement arises from an asymmetry created by enzyme reactions inside the vesicle and chemical exchange through pores, generating fluid flow that propels the vesicle directionally without the need for complex cellular machinery like flagella or signaling pathways. By analyzing over 10,000 vesicles, the researchers found that increasing the number of pores enhanced the chemotactic response, demonstrating a controllable, enzyme-driven navigation system. This minimalist synthetic biology approach helps uncover fundamental principles underlying cellular communication and transport by stripping down biological complexity to its core components. Beyond advancing understanding of cell function, the work also offers insights into how early simple cells
materialssynthetic-biologyartificial-cellschemotaxislipid-vesiclesenzyme-encapsulationbioengineeringTofu-like brain implant lets scientists track cyborg tadpole growth
Bioengineering researchers at Harvard SEAS have developed a soft, stretchable, tofu-like neural implant that can be integrated into the nervous system of live tadpole embryos to monitor brain development from its earliest stages. The implant, made from fluorinated elastomers that mimic the softness and flexibility of biological tissue, is embedded into the neural plate—the flat precursor to the brain and spinal cord—and can record electrical activity from individual neurons with millisecond precision without disrupting normal development or behavior. This innovation enables continuous, stable tracking of neural activity throughout the complex folding and formation of the brain, offering unprecedented insight into early brain development. The technology addresses a critical gap, as current methods cannot noninvasively monitor neural activity during early embryonic stages when disorders such as autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may originate. By leveraging the natural growth process, the implant can expand with the developing brain, potentially allowing widespread sensor implantation across the 3D brain structure. This advancement builds on previous work with soft bioelectronics in organ
bioelectronicsneural-implantsbrain-developmentbioengineeringfluorinated-elastomerssoft-roboticsneural-monitoring