Handheld skin printer tackles major burns

Working in a similar way to a paint roller, the device can deposit a layer of bio-ink over large areas of the body, and builds on a prototype first unveiled in 2018. The latest iteration includes a single-use microfluidic printhead to ensure sterilisation and a soft wheel that follows the track of the printhead, allowing for better control for wider wounds.

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The bio-ink is composed of mesenchymal stroma cells (MSCs) that differentiate into specialised cell types depending on their environment. In the presence of a wound or burn, MSCs promote skin regeneration and minimise the formation of scar tissue. The work, published in the journal Biofabrication, was carried out by researchers from the University of Toronto Engineering and Sunnybrook Hospital.

"Previously, we proved that we could deposit cells onto a burn, but there wasn't any proof that there were any wound-healing benefits - now we've demonstrated that," said Toronto University’s Professor Axel Guenther.