Description du projet
La bio‑impression 3D pourrait bientôt être revitalisée par l’«encre» stockable standardisée
Il y a environ 40 ans, un dispositif révolutionnaire permettant de créer des structures 3D élaborées de forme libre faisait son apparition sur le marché. L’impression 3D a donné naissance à la fabrication additive, utilisée pour réaliser rapidement des prototypes en ajoutant des couches séquentielles de matériaux à un substrat en se basant sur des fichiers de CAO. Les transgénéticiens qui cherchaient à fabriquer des tissus et des organes 3D complexes ont perfectionné cette technologie. Cependant, la recréation d’un système vasculaire essentiel à la vie a été un défi. SE3DPASTE met au point un processus pour créer des matériaux d’enrobement (gels) standardisés, spécifiques aux tissus, portables et stockables pour la bio‑impression et brevetés afin de guider la formation du système vasculaire 3D. Si cela s’avère fructueux, le tissu imprimé en 3D «en vente libre» pourrait bientôt devenir la norme.
Objectif
Engineering tissues with a hierarchical vascular network, which is the goal of our ERC project VascArbor, is challenging. Developments in the field of biofabrication, including 3D bioprinting, are promising to cope with this challenge. However, current strategies lack the capacity to create hierarchical, high resolution, cost efficient, upscalable constructs in a standardized manner with a single approach.
Embedded bioprinting, allowing the deposition of complex constructs without the need of a supporting substrate, provides a potential solution. However, embedding baths used so far consist of inert materials and therefore cannot become a functional component of the tissue. Also, the embedding bath should be patternable to allow for multistructural tissues, but printing of the bath itself is currently challenging due to clogging of the nozzle.
SE3DPASTE will develop a dehydrated precursor of a free standing embedding bath that is storable for “off-the-shelf” use and tissue specific. Additionally, SE3DPASTE will develop a bespoke 3D printing nozzle that will allow for the creation of patterned embedding baths. SE3DPASTE will lead to storable, transportable, tissue specific embedding baths that act as a patterning template and can be used for embedded bioprinting of tissue. This combination of features, which does currently not exist in embedding baths for 3D printing, will be a key enabler for the generation of standardized 3D tissue environments that lead to predictable tissue development for research-, clinical-, or drug screening purposes.
SE3DPASTE will not only develop the technology to make this possible, but will also take vital steps to bring this technology to the market. By securing the IP, and analyzing the market and the willingness of investors to support SE3DPASTE technology, a fruitful basis for translation will be formed. Finally, this will lead to a business plan providing a roadmap on the necessary future steps to create a market ready product.
Champ scientifique
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotInstitution d’accueil
7522 NB Enschede
Pays-Bas