Expert Q&A: exploring the potential of 3D bioprinting

Left: Chuck Hull - EVP, Chief Technology Officer for Regenerative Medicine, 3D Systems
Right: Felicity Rose - Professor of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, University of Nottingham

In general terms what is 3D bioprinting and how does it work?

FR: Bioprinting is defined as the application of 3D printing to biomedical applications. It involves the use of materials or ‘bioinks’ that include the cells found in our body. Using these bioinks, we can print 3D structures that recreate the tissues and organs found in our body. This process involves creating a design file that can be used by the printer to create the desired shape, developing a bioink that is suitable for the cells but also compatible with the bioprinting process, and isolated and expanding the cells of interest in the laboratory. Once printed, the bioink and the shape provide the necessary biochemical cues to the cells, during incubation, to support their growth and maturation into a functional tissue or organ.