Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

The use of 3D bioprinting has become an increasing popular strategy for engineering tissues as it can automate this process while enhancing reproducibility of the printed tissues, saving time and money. This process takes on specifications contained in a digital computer aided design (CAD) file and generates a living structure by printing cells encapsulated in specially formulated bioinks. 3D bioprinting serves as a powerful tool for engineering tissues from stem cells in a rapid and reproducible manner compared to traditional techniques. The Willerth lab uses 3D bioprinting to generate neural tissues from human induced pluripotent stem cells combined with their novel neurobioink as a tool for drug screening. In particular, her lab is an international leader in this field as they are one of the few institutions to possess an Aspect Biosystems RX1 bioprinting system that features Lab-on-a-Printer (LOP) technology. This system offers a novel way to automate the process of engineering physiologically relevant neural tissues that have complicated structures and several types of cells. The complex nature of brain tissue requires precise deposition of multiple cell types in defined structures only achievable with Aspect's RX1 bioprinting platform and its unique, patented LOP technology. The Willerth lab was the first group to publish how to engineer living tissues using this unique technology and they continue to pursue ground breaking research in this area. This proposal will enable the acquisition of real time cell imaging system to be used for monitoring the behavior of cells inside of 3D bioprinted tissues. Our previous instrument broke and thus there is a clear and urgent need to replace our live cell imaging system. Acquiring this equipment will enable the Willerth lab to better characterize their tissue cultures by monitoring their properties in real time and to train highly qualified personnel in this cutting edge bioprinting technology. In particular, this system and its associated software enable the characterization of the physical, chemical, and electrical properties of the 3D bioprinted tissues derived from stem cells. Her laboratory provides a high quality training experience as Dr. Willerth has a strong track record of training diverse HQP as she was awarded the 2018 REACH Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research-inspired Teaching. Additionally, she currently holds two international exchange grants for promoting HQP training in the area of 3D bioprinting based on her unique facility at the University of Victoria. This equipment will enable training of diverse students in cutting edge technology. Her trainees will also have access to additional resources, including the Stem Cell Network, the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, and the B.C. Regenerative Medicine Network.