A universal bio-ink with superior printing characteristics facilitates the printing of many different types of tissue to replicate injured tissue. In the video, Mark Tibbitt and Elia Guzzi introduce the patent-pending technology, which paves the way for personalised implants.
3D printing facilitates the fabrication of personalized implants to replicate injured hard and soft tissues (e.g. bone or skin) or control the release of therapeutics in the body. Previously, research in the field of precision biomaterials was hampered by the fact that a new ink had to be developed for each application. The universal bio-ink by ETH Zurich enables researchers to print implants of different shape, structure and stiffness. Additional biomaterials such as collagen or cells can easily be integrated into the ink. Even the addition of pharmaceuticals for local, controlled release in the body is possible. Elia Guzzi, PhD student and inventor, plans to found a spin-off company.
Contact/Links:
Prof. Mark Tibbitt, Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
