The combination of a 2-Photon 3D-printer with an innovative hydrogel-based bioink allows the direct printing of 3D structures containing living cells at both the meso- and microscale. Two-dimensional cell cultures have been the standard in pharmaceutical preclinical R&D and in biomedical research in general, for many decades. The renowned expert for tissue engineering and biofabrication joins the company’s Advisory Board as of April 2021 and will guide the continuous further development of novel applications for biomedical R&D. Production of labs-on-chip will now be possible not only with an unprecedented precision, but also directly with embedded living cells – thereby saving time and improving the significance of the results. Surface structures resembling natural tissues can now be created, allowing for near natural interaction between the living cells and their growth environment. “Cells growing in 2D on a culture plate on standard growth media encounter a far from natural physical environment and a lack of interaction with surrounding cells in all directions, as observed in living tissues”, explains Denise Mandt, Head of Marketing and Business Development and co-founder of UpNano. It has been acknowledged in biomedical R&D that such lack of 3D cell-to-cell-contact negatively impacts the interpretation of results gained in cell models for human applications. Pharmaceutical companies and research institutions will be in the position to design cell models that mimic natural growth conditions in the human body.
Read the full article at 3D Printing Progress
