Body Part Maker

In a remarkable breakthrough, bioengineers have developed an innovative bioprinting method that brings us one step closer to 3D printing replacement organs. This pioneering technique allows for the creation of intricately woven vascular networks that resemble the body’s natural channels for vital fluids like blood and air.

Highlighted in the recent issue of Science, the research showcases a captivating demonstration: a hydrogel model of an air sac that functions like a lung, where airways supply oxygen to surrounding blood vessels. Furthermore, the study shares successful experiments of implanting bioprinted constructs filled with liver cells into mice.

Spearheading this project were Jordan Miller from Rice University and Kelly Stevens from the University of Washington School of Medicine and UW College of Engineering. Their research team consisted of experts from various esteemed institutions. Miller emphasized the importance of their achievement, saying, “Our bioprinting technology uniquely addresses the challenge of multivascularization directly.”

Stevens added that this breakthrough could potentially revolutionize tissue engineering. She believes that by successfully recreating tissues that resemble and function like natural tissues, it could change the landscape of therapeutic applications.

With over 100,000 people on organ transplant waiting lists in the U.S., bioprinting offers a promising solution. The ability to print organs from a patient’s cells would reduce the need for immunosuppressive drugs and tackle the organ shortage problem. Miller envisions bioprinting becoming an integral part of medical treatments within the next two decades.

Their innovative bioprinting technique, named the “stereolithography apparatus for tissue engineering” (SLATE), employs additive manufacturing to produce soft hydrogels layer-by-layer. The method ensures robustness and precision, allowing the creation of structures like the lung-mimicking model which effectively facilitated gas exchange similar to human lungs.

Miller, together with the co-founders of design firm Nervous System, designed the study’s intricate lung model. They also successfully implanted 3D printed tissues into mice with liver disease, further emphasizing the potential of their bioprinting technique.

Currently, aspects of this research are being commercialized through a startup called Volumetric, co-founded by Miller and Bagrat Grigoryan, a Rice graduate student. In line with Miller’s commitment to open-source 3D printing, all data and design files from the research are publicly accessible, encouraging further exploration and innovation in the field.

Miller expressed optimism, stating, “We’ve just begun our journey in understanding the complexities of the human body’s architecture, and there’s much more to discover.”

Support for this groundbreaking work was provided by several foundations, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Gulf Coast Consortia.

https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2021/03/007.html

In an astonishing breakthrough, University at Buffalo researchers unveil a technology that is 10-50 times faster than existing 3D printing solutions, especially when handling extensive samples that were previously challenging to work with.

Imagining a device drawing a life-size hand from a translucent yellow fluid might seem like a scene out of a sci-fi movie. But this video clip, trimmed down to seven seconds from the original 19 minutes, is a testament to reality. Previously, a hand of such detail would have taken a tedious six hours using conventional 3D printing techniques.

This promising stride might be a beacon of hope in the future of organ transplants, potentially mitigating the fatalities due to the scarcity of donor organs.

“Our innovative technology significantly outpaces the conventional standards. Its efficiency with larger sample sizes stands out remarkably,” states Ruogang Zhao, PhD, co-lead author and an associate professor of biomedical engineering at the University at Buffalo.

The research, showcased in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials on February 15, revolves around the 3D printing technique known as stereolithography. The team utilized hydrogels—jelly-like substances known for their application in products like diapers, contact lenses, and more crucially, tissue engineering scaffolds.

Chi Zhou, PhD, co-lead author and an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, elaborates, “Our approach rapidly prints centimeter-scale hydrogel structures. The swift method drastically minimizes deformations and cellular damages often seen in traditional 3D printing.”

The researchers underline its suitability for 3D printing cells embedded with blood vessel systems, a vital component anticipated for bioprinting human organs.

The groundbreaking technology has led to a provisional patent filing, paving the way for a startup, Float3D, to bring this innovation to the market.

The primary authors of this study were former UB scholars, Dr. Nanditha Anandakrishnan and Dr. Hang Ye. Zipeng Guo, currently pursuing a PhD under Zhou, is also a contributing author.

Collaborators span various departments within the University at Buffalo, with participation from the VA Western New York Healthcare System, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Syracuse University.

This endeavor was majorly backed by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health, with additional financial support from the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

In the early days at Cornell, Professor Larry Bonassar and his team created a method for 3D printing materials that could carry living cells. This material, when printed correctly, was alive. This innovation has led to groundbreaking developments in biomedical research focused mainly on 3D printing for over two decades.

Initially, the Bonassar group printed avascular tissues like cartilage. A significant achievement was the 3D printing of human ears in 2017, made purely of cartilage. Such advances in 3D printing have been recognized as some of the greatest engineering innovations of the 21st century. These technologies span diverse fields from biomedicine to architecture.

Following their success with ears, the group has aimed to print more complex cartilage, such as intervertebral discs in the spine. The ultimate goal is to replace human cartilage damaged by disease or injury with 3D printed implants. Bonassar anticipates clinical trials for these living 3D printed parts soon.

To advance the technology, the Bonassar group is working on a self-monitoring tissue printer. This innovative printer can assess the material as it’s deposited, ensuring quality and precision in printing living cells.

Quality control remains paramount in 3D printing. Atieh Moridi, an assistant professor, uses the Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) to monitor 3D printing of metals. With this, she can observe the fabrication process intricately and pinpoint defects as they occur. Moridi’s research aims to simplify this monitoring process, making it accessible for manufacturers. She envisions a system where synchrotron imaging and acoustic emission sensors work in tandem to detect manufacturing errors.

Cold-spray printing is another area Moridi explores. This technique, which involves kinetic rather than thermal energy, can produce porous structures. Such porous structures, particularly those made of titanium alloy, have potential applications in biomedicine as implants that can integrate with natural bone growth.

In the construction domain, scaling up 3D printing poses challenges. Sriramya Duddukuri Nair, focusing on cementitious materials, sees potential in 3D printing for revolutionizing construction techniques. Traditional construction processes use wooden frameworks, which are restrictive and often wasteful. 3D printing, however, offers flexibility in design and can improve construction efficiency. One significant challenge is developing an extruder head that can print with steel-fiber-reinforced concrete. If successful, the future might see autonomous robotic 3D printers in construction, making jobs safer and potentially higher paying.

Looking Ahead

The next big thing for 3D tissue printing, according to Bonassar, is vasculated tissues like kidneys, livers, or brains. These developments could synergize with cell-based therapies, allowing precise placements of cells in the human body using 3D printing.

As for larger structures, Moridi suggests a reimagining. Structures like bridges might not need to be solid; with 3D printing, more efficient and sustainable designs could be realized.

In essence, the possibilities with 3D printing seem endless, and we’re only just beginning to uncover its potential.

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