Articles tagged with "bioprinting"
Scientists 3D print structures inside living human cells with precision
Researchers in Slovenia have developed a novel technique to 3D print precise polymer microstructures directly inside living human cells, overcoming significant challenges posed by the cell’s tiny, crowded interior. Using two-photon polymerization, a laser-based method, the team injected a biocompatible photoresist material (IP-S) into HeLa cells via ultra-fine glass needles. The laser then selectively polymerized the material at its focal point, enabling the creation of intricate 3D shapes—such as miniature elephants and lattice structures—within the cytoplasm without damaging the surrounding cellular environment. The study demonstrated that cells can accommodate these printed structures, with nuclei deforming to make space and cells maintaining normal behavior, including division and passing the structures to daughter cells. However, about 55% of cells with printed objects died within 24 hours, a mortality rate comparable to other invasive methods, and larger structures (over 5 micrometers) caused delays in cell division. While currently limited to small-scale
materials3D-printingbioprintingmicrostructurespolymerizationcell-engineeringadvanced-materialsNew 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 3D print human muscle tissue in zero gravity environment
Researchers at ETH Zurich, led by Dr. Parth Chansoria, have successfully 3D printed human muscle tissue in microgravity conditions simulated via parabolic flights. This breakthrough addresses a major challenge in bioprinting on Earth, where gravity causes bio-inks—mixtures of living cells and carrier substances—to collapse or deform before solidifying, resulting in less accurate tissue structures. In weightlessness, the printed muscle fibers maintain their natural alignment and cell distribution, closely replicating human muscle tissue. This precision is critical for creating reliable tissue models for drug testing and disease study. To achieve this, the team developed a novel bioprinting system called G-FLight (Gravity-independent Filamented Light), capable of producing viable muscle constructs within seconds during short microgravity phases. The muscle samples printed in these conditions showed comparable cell viability and fiber density to those printed under normal gravity, with the added advantage of enabling long-term storage of cell-loaded bio-resins—an important factor for future space
materials3D-printingbioprintingmicrogravitytissue-engineeringbio-inkspace-technologyWorld’s smallest 3D bioprinting robot helps repair vocal cords
Researchers at McGill University have developed the world’s smallest 3D bioprinting robot, a flexible soft device measuring just 2.7 millimeters in diameter, designed to deliver hydrogels directly to damaged vocal cords. Inspired by the structure of an elephant’s trunk, this miniature bioprinter can fit inside the human throat without obstructing the surgeon’s view, allowing precise reconstruction of delicate vocal fold tissues. The device extrudes a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel in fine lines controlled manually by surgeons in real time, enabling accurate repair of vocal fold defects caused by lesions or surgery. Vocal cord surgeries often result in scarring that impairs speech, and current hydrogel injections are difficult to control in the narrow throat environment. This new bioprinter addresses these challenges by integrating with standard surgical workflows and providing predictable, repeatable movements within a 20 mm workspace. The research team demonstrated the robot’s precision by drawing complex shapes and successfully applying hydrogels to synthetic vocal folds used
roboticsbioprintingmedical-roboticssoft-roboticsvocal-cord-repairhydrogel-deliverysurgical-technologyLaser-activated pill can 3D print bio-ink to repair internal injuries
Researchers at EPFL’s School of Engineering have developed a novel swallowable device called the Magnetic Endoluminal Deposition System (MEDS) that can bioprint living bio-ink directly onto damaged internal tissues, such as those in the gastrointestinal tract. MEDS combines bioprinting technology with magnetically guided capsules, enabling minimally invasive internal wound repair without surgery. The pill-sized device contains a chamber of bio-ink—a living gel scaffold for new cell growth—and uses a spring-plunger mechanism activated externally by a near-infrared laser. An external magnet mounted on a robotic arm then precisely steers the capsule to the injury site, allowing targeted deposition of bio-ink without incisions. Initial tests on artificial stomach tissue demonstrated MEDS’s ability to repair simulated ulcers and seal mock hemorrhages. Subsequent in-vivo experiments in rabbits confirmed safe navigation and retrieval of the capsule via magnetic guidance, as well as successful bio-ink deposition in the gastric tract. The bio-ink
robotbioprintingmedical-devicesmagnetic-guidancebio-inkminimally-invasive-surgerylaser-activation3D printed placenta models pave way for safer pregnancy drug testing
Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have achieved a world-first by 3D bioprinting miniature placentas, offering a novel and safer method to study early pregnancy complications. Traditional challenges in pregnancy research stem from the difficulty and risks of obtaining first-trimester placental tissue and the inadequacy of animal and cell models to replicate human placental function accurately. The UTS team combined trophoblast cells—unique to the placenta—with a synthetic gel, printing them in precise droplets to create organoids that closely mimic early human placental tissue. These bioprinted organoids developed differently from those grown in animal-derived gels, highlighting how the growth environment influences placental cell maturation. This advancement enables safer investigation into pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia, a condition affecting 5–8% of pregnancies and linked to placental dysfunction. The researchers demonstrated the model’s utility by exposing the organoids to inflammatory molecules associated with preeclampsia and testing potential treatments,
materials3D-printingbioprintingorganoidsmedical-researchtissue-engineeringpregnancy-complicationsResearchers Create 3D-Printed Artificial Skin That Allows Blood Circulation
Swedish researchers have developed innovative 3D bioprinting techniques to create thick, vascularized artificial skin that could significantly improve treatment for severe burns and trauma. Traditional skin grafts transplant only the epidermis and fail to regenerate the dermis—the deeper skin layer containing blood vessels and nerves—resulting in scarring and loss of full skin function. The new methods aim to overcome this by producing skin that includes living cells and a network of blood vessels, essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients to sustain tissue viability. The team led by Johan Junker at Linköping University created a bio-ink called “μInk,” which embeds fibroblasts (cells that generate dermal components like collagen) within a gel matrix, allowing 3D printing of dense, cell-rich skin structures. In mouse transplantation experiments, these constructs supported cell growth, collagen secretion, and new blood vessel formation, indicating potential for long-term tissue integration. Complementing this, the researchers developed the REFRESH technology, which uses
materials3D-printingbioprintingartificial-skintissue-engineeringbiomedical-materialsregenerative-medicineUS Army creates 3D-printed skin to heal combat wounds, fight bugs
materialsbioprintingbiomaterialsbiomedical-technologies3D-printingmilitary-technologytissue-engineering