Grant: Engage Grants for universities

The demand for organ repair and transplantation, and a shortage of available donors necessitates the clinical_x000D_ need to develop innovative treatment strategies for long-term repair and regeneration of injured or diseased_x000D_ tissues and organs. 3D printing is a process used to construct 3D objects by relying on the layer-by-layer_x000D_ deposition of materials onto a computer-controlled build platform. Bioprinting combines 3D printing_x000D_ technology, cell biology, and materials science, by coupling the build platform with a device that enables the_x000D_ deposition of bioinks. Bioprinting technology is adaptive to a wide range of biomaterials (i.e., synthetic and_x000D_ natural polymers, blood-derived proteins, and de-cellularized extracellular matrix (ECM)), accommodating the_x000D_ growth and proliferation of various cell sources, including stem cells and somatic cells. Aspect Biosystems'_x000D_ proprietary Lab-on-PrinterTM technology utilizes the concept of coaxial-flow focusing to deposit cell-laden_x000D_ biological fibers layer-by-layer and form 3D tissue-like constructs. Aspect Biosystems is planning to extend_x000D_ their Bioink library to include photo-crosslinkable materials including gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and_x000D_ polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA). Lab-on- a-PrinterTM technology is compatible with a range of low_x000D_ and medium viscosity Bioinks that are particularly well suited to promoting tissue function due to a_x000D_ combination of favorable mechanical properties and high ratios of bioactive and cellular content to scaffold_x000D_ components. Using these materials can significantly improve the printing resolution which will lead to better_x000D_ control on the micro- and macrostructure of the fabricated scaffolds. The overarching goals of this Engage_x000D_ project are to modify the current printhead cartridges to print photo-crosslinkable gelatin as a widely used_x000D_ biomaterial in the tissue engineering community. We will perform a systematic characterization study to_x000D_ develop a protocol for the fabrication of photo-crosslinkable hydrogel constructs. Cells will be loaded in the_x000D_ fabricated constructs to evaluate the biocompatibility of the process.