CAREER: Expanding the Photo-Manufacturing Toolbox to Enable Production of Bio-sourced Multi-scaled Biomimicking Materials

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Abstract

Modern discoveries and advancement in biology and medicine are enhanced by the use of engineered materials that mimic the structural, mechanical, and biochemical complexities of human tissue. The research supported by this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award will generate new knowledge as the investigators leverage light-based three-dimensional printing to address three key barriers that currently limit the fabrication of biomimetic materials: toxicity of printing resins, tunability of properties, and ability to create features that span biologically relevant length scales. This research project will expand the breadth of tools available for manufacturing advanced biomaterials and facilitate the development of products and devices that enable better diagnosis, study, and treatment of numerous diseases and conditions. The project also includes the creation of a community of historically underrepresented and underserved rising researchers, from high school to graduate school. Participants will be connected across the educational continuum by a cooperative mentoring network and will engage in learning and research opportunities related to 3D-printed biomaterials. As such, the project will help to enhance the diversity and technical strength of the biomaterials manufacturing workforce. Although photo-manufacturing is a promising technique for the creation of advanced biomaterials, its use is limited by several major barriers: i) many traditional photoinitiators are biologically disruptive, ii) controlling mechanophysical properties across the micro- and meso-scale continuum is challenging, and iii) innovation is hindered by historical underrepresentation of some groups in STEM and insufficient practical training opportunities. The research team will address these limitations by quantifying both the efficiency and cytocompatibility of biosourced photoinitiator candidates in two-photon polymerization (micro-scale) and digital light processing (meso-scale). Additionally, the team will develop mathematical relationships between crosslinking rate and final feature properties, then employ these relationships to determine appropriate methods for coupling micro and meso printing to create multiscale features with continuous and predictable mechanophysical properties. Furthermore, the research team will help to enhance the diversity and technical skill level of the medical device and manufacturing workforce by creating the “3D Printing in Bioengineering Rising Researcher Community.” This community will include education and research engagement opportunities at all levels, with a strong emphasis on cooperative mentoring and professional development. The research and educational activities are tightly integrated: scientific discoveries will be applied to student-driven projects, and student creativity in these applications will spur innovation for future advancements in photo-manufacturing and applied fields. Overall, the outcomes of the project are expected to have a significant positive impact by catalyzing the advancement of photo-manufacturing for biological applications and enhancing workforce diversity and technical strength in manufacturing and biomaterials. This project is jointly funded by the Advanced Manufacturing program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). 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.