A research team from University of Victoria, Canada, has been able to overcome some of the challenges of bioprinting as a field and developed a device that could be used to 3D-print organs outside of hospitals and research labs.
If successful, the device could pave the way for a wide variety of applications in regenerative medicine, drug development and testing, and custom orthotics and prosthetics.
The device allows for the 3D-printing of biocompatible structures and tissues directly within the body. In contrast to previous devices of its type, the new bioprinter has the ability to print multiple materials and control the physicochemical properties of printed tissues, which would make it more compatible with the human body.
These printed tissues could substantially improve the lives of patients worldwide through the replacement, repair, or regeneration of damaged tissues and organs. It would also pose a promising solution to challenges such as the...