Handheld device prints biocompatible structures inside the body

The emergence of regenerative medicine has led to advances in the replacement, repair, or regeneration of damaged tissues and organs.

One of the major breakthroughs in regenerative medicine is in situ bioprinting, an extension of 3D printing technology, which is used to directly synthesise tissues and organs within the human body.

Whilst progress has been made in the field of in situ bioprinting technologies, certain devices are only compatible with specific types of bioink, while others can only create small patches of tissue at a time. Their designs are usually complex too, making them unaffordable and restricting their applications.

Now, in a study published in Biofabrication, a research team including Mr. Erik Pagan and Associate Professor Mohsen Akbari from the University of Victoria, Canada, have developed a handheld in situ bioprinter with a modular design that allows the printing of complex biocompatible structures.

“Two decades ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, which eventually led to the removal of her breast. This affected her well-being considerably. It made me realize that a technology like handheld bioprinting could not only help develop personalised implants for breast reconstruction that match the shape and size of the patient’s tissue, but also be used to create tumour models for the study of breast cancer biology. Such applications could significantly improve treatment outcomes for affected patients,” Prof. Akbari said in a statement.