I-Corps: Three Dimensional Bio-Printing of Human Tissues

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to increase the availability of cost-effective automated 3D bioprinting platforms capable of reconstructing biological tissue in situ. Existing bioprinting technology is limited and only available to institutions with vast amounts of resources, therefore limiting the potential it can bring to both academic and non-academic sectors. In industry, industry, many late stage trials can fail due to inaccurate drug testing and errors in the translational gap when using animal models. As an alternative, testing on 3D printed human tissue models could reduce costs as a valuable intermediate step before proceeding to animal model testing. Second, 3D bioprinting applications in pharmaceutical companies will increase throughput in drug screening. Third, researchers in academia can further advances in 3D biomaterial engineering. Fourth, with the education sector moving towards a Next Generation Science Standards curriculum, bioprinters have immense potential as an innovative tool for hands-on learning in the classroom. Educators can utilize 3D bioprinting as a powerful teaching tool to train and empower the next generation of scientists in pursuing their research. Ultimately, this project aims to create a positive impact and improve technological access worldwide for researchers and students alike. This I-Corps project is based on a core technology that allows researchers to print various tissue constructs. This bioprinter is able to reconstruct a viable skin construct using human fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The project?s minimum viable product (MVP) is a bioprinter with a multi-modular system using three different technologies. The technologies used in this product enable on-demand biomaterial customization during the construction of a 3D high-fidelity scaffold and precision placement of cells down to the micron level. Together, the combination of these modules creates a versatile product that has broad applications. This development will improve accessibility of the bioprinting technology and will further advancements in tissue engineering. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.