Final Report Summary - LEBMEC (Laser-engineered Biomimetic Matrices with Embedded Cells)
The aim of the LeBMEC (Laser-engineered Biomimetic Matrices with Embedded Cells) project was to achieve a synergy between a rapidly developing nano- and microfabrication technology of two-photon polymerization (2PP) and a highly relevant biomimetic material platform of hydrogels. During the project a worldwide unique experimental setup enabling fast 2PP-processing of hydrogels in the cell incubator conditions was constructed. Furthermore, this 2PP setup is equipped with a tuneable laser source and optics, allowing to set the working wavelength in a 700 - 950 nm range, which enables systematic studies of different photoinitiators and photosensitive material formulations. The portfolio of 2PP-processable materials, and especially hydrogels, was substantially extended during the project as documented by the numerous applications on this topic. In particular, the development of specialized water-soluble photoinitiators achieved a breakthrough in enabling 2PP-processing of cell-containing materials placing this technology in the domain of bioprinting.