Bioprinting 101 – Part 11, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Microscopic view of Tissue

I am glad to be running this series thus far. It seems that people are very interested with the subject matter, and I myself have learned even more as well. The series has discussed various technologies within bioprinting. We have also discussed a variety of bioprinting materials. We have barely even scratched the surface on topics we can talk about. In this article we are going to look into tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications of 3D bioprinting.

Let us first define our terms of interest. Tissue engineering is the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physiochemical factors to improve or replace biological tissues. Tissue engineering involves the use of a tissue scaffolds for the formation of new viable tissue for a medical purpose. We have talked about the use of bioprinting scaffolds in order to create tissue layers for organs and other parts of the body. One must understand that as a bioengineer, most of the techniques used to create tissue is based on biomimicry. Biomimicry refers to the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. We are limited in our scope due to the fact that biology is a complex system and it is difficult to mimic natural and living processes. 3D bioprinting is a tool that expedites biomimicry and allows us to create rapidly with synthetic resources.

What is needed to create a scaffold for tissue engineering purposes

Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering go hand in hand. We are looking to build materials that may have innate regenerative properties within our bodies. This is a process that is essential to living organisms – the ability to repair oneself after damage or trauma. Regenerative medicine is a branch of translational research in tissue engineering and molecular biology which deals with the “process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function”. Extracellular matrix materials are commercially available and are used in reconstructive surgery, treatment of chronic wounds, and some orthopedic surgeries. This is the future of medical care in many ways. Our understanding of the ECM and bioprinting is evolving, and technology is continuously improving. The future of ECM biomaterials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications is promising. Progress in decellularization techniques and optimization of recellularization strategies will improve various aspects of an ECM scaffold and its ability to be regenerative. These traits include biocompatibility, endothelializa­tion, and functional anastomosis into the host vasculature.

Regenerative Medicine and 3D bioprinting

Endothelialization refers to the creation of endothelial tissue. Endothelial tissue refers to the tissue the layer of cells lining the inside of blood and lymph vessels, of the heart, and of some other closed cavities. Anastomosis a cross-connection between adjacent channels, tubes, fibers, or other parts of a network. These are major concerns when it comes to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to how we need to understand the need for biomimicry. We have to realize that it takes an absurd amount of precision to even build systems that replicate the inner structure of a vascular tissue layer. Then we have to think about how this will be self healing as well. This does not deter the development of this technology though as more people are intrigued by this subject matter on a daily basis.

3D bioprinting is an amazing step in the right direction, and there are companies, universities, and startups who are trying to be on the cutting edge of this field. The wealth of knowledge being created in this field is immense and frankly would intimidate people who are not aware of how vast the field is.

Now I believe the way for us to really delve deep within this series from now on is to start interviewing the leaders within this field. Due diligence will be done for the public to get more in depth understanding from industry experts. It is important to interview a variety of people within this field as no one necessarily is a specialist in this field. There seems to be a lot of cross pollination and multi skilled individuals.  It makes for a wide variety of knowledge to be learned within the field of biology, synthetic biology, biomimicry, biophysics, chemistry, biochemistry, biomaterials, material science, biomedical fields, and a bunch of other fields I have not had a chance to mention. I personally believe that the revolution of bioprinting is a bit early. There is just so much development from different places. It is difficult to see the best methods at the moment. I will try to interview others to gain more insight and build a repertoire of knowledge for all readers.

This article is part of a series that wishes to make bioprinting more accessible. It starts with bioprinting 101, Hydrogels, 3D Industrial Bioprinters, Alginate, Bioinks, Pluronics, Applications, Gelatin, and Decellularized Extracellular Matrices.

Rapidia Releases Binding System for 3D Metal Printing

Rapidia Inc., headquartered in Vancouver, will be showing off their new metal binding system at RAPID+TCT in Detroit next month from May 21-23 (booth 533). Offering a new and easier ‘office-friendly’ way to 3D print and performing additive manufacturing processes with metal, Rapidia is releasing a metal binding system that eliminates loose powder from the quotient.

Water is used to bind the metal powder, rather than a boiling solvent—and the operator can place the fabricated part into the sintering furnace after printing. The concept is meant to streamline the metal 3D printing process, removing industrial complexities that could make it difficult to work within a non-factory atmosphere. The Rapidia system plugs into a regular electrical outlet like you would use for your stove at home and produces very little waste.

In skipping over the debinding step, users do not have to worry about inhaling any loose powders—and while this is a concern in an industrial atmosphere too, precautions are more routinely taken and are expected. In an office situation, that may be more of a process to get used to, and because the dangers are real in dealing with loose powder, lab coats, gloves, and eye protection should be used. Loose powder should not be able to absorb into cuts or get into the eyes, and there could also be risk of poisoning or explosion and exposure to fire or chemical burns.

The Rapidia metal printer offers two independent printheads that can be used with metal that is water-based, ceramic materials, or a paste material which is safe and environmentally friendly. The sintering furnace is safe and user-friendly, and offers the following features:

  • Full automation
  • Easy installation
  • Operates on a 220-240 VAC single phase; requires standard NEMA 50A outlet
  • Direct remote monitoring connection
  • Suitable for applications like heat treatment, hydrogen brazing, bright annealing, other metalworking applications

“At Rapidia, a key realization was that because 3D printing takes an order of magnitude more time than metal injection molding, it is possible to bind the metal powder with water instead of polymers, since most of the water simply evaporates away during printing,” states their most recent press release. “While Rapidia was not the first to consider this process, it is the first company to bring to the market a complete solution utilizing this process while adding several further advantages not possible with the polymer binding process seen in other metal 3D printers.”

While everyone may want to get in on the 3D printing action—and especially in its most powerful form with metal—the process may be easier thought about and talked about than used. Outside of an intensive factory setting, dealing with materials can be both an intricate and sensitive matter, mainly because metal powder requires careful handling. There is also the concern of safety and toxicity, with researchers performing multiple studies recently regarding problematic 3D printing emissions.

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: Rapidia]

 

Large scale 3D printing and nanodiamonds contribute to UPM sustainability drive

Finnish alternative energy and material company UPM, and its subsidiary UPM Biocomposites have demonstrated the potential of large-scale 3D printing. In partnership with robotics manufacturer ABB and FFF 3D printer manufacturer Prenta Oy, UPM has created large components and furniture using its recyclable UPM Formi 3D feedstock. Eve Saarikoski, Applications Manager at UPM Biocomposites, comments, “Together with […]

Raspberry Pi Display Case #3DPrinting #3DThursday

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Marigu shared this project on Thingiverse!

Raspberry Pi case for official Raspberry LCD display.
I am using it mainly for meeting room system, so user can see if meeting room is free or
occupied.
So there is some wall mounting holes as well.

But it look cool, so with some powerbank it can be nice tablet as well:)
Fusion360 file included.

It is designed for Raspberry Pi 3A+(it is smaller than 3B+ but with same performance) with official touch 7″ 800×480 DSI LCD display.
You can edit it for your Raspberry version if you want.

Prusa i3 MK3
20 infill
support on build plate only
PLA

See more!


649-1
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!

Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!

Blue Falcon multi color print F-zero #3DThursday #3DPrinting

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The name says it all. Shared by johnboyjr on Thingiverse:

Blue Falcon multi color print F-zero

Download the files and learn more


649-1
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!

Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!

Sink strainer #3DPrinting #3DThursday

48b0bbe3ddf15bc83556613bc8cbf87f preview featured
wisco608 shared this project on Thingiverse!

My wife got sick of the cheap strainer that would always seat itself in and close off the drain. I’m sure something like this is available at all the big box stores but I decided to print one. Enter the sink strainer that will never hold water.

See more!


649-1
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!

Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!

Lego Potion #3DThursday #3DPrinting #LEGO

325002aab1b8d6dac8a533abb543094c preview featured

Shared by Pop4solar on Thingiverse:

I printed some in PLA and a couple in Nylon and used food coloring to tint the outside of the bottle for an experiment in coloring. I have to print really slow and lowest temperatures with full fan to get them to turn out well. Good luck and have fun!

Download the files and learn more


649-1
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!

Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!

Greek Refugees Using Mass Portal 3D Printer, Donated by Materialise, to Design and Print Their Own Models

The users of the 3D printer at Habibi.works design their own models

We often hear heartwarming stories of how 3D printing is being used to make the world a better place in all sorts of ways. In 2016, German NGO Soup & Socks eV founded an intercultural fab lab, or makerspace, called Habibi.Works, which provides platforms for everyday education and empowerment to thousands of refugees, and the local community, in Katsikas, Greece.

“One of our strongest values in Habibi.works is that we work with people to find solutions to their problems,” explained Saad Abouchadi, who has been volunteering with the makerspace for a year. “It is a two-way interaction. So, people will come to us either with a problem they are trying to solve or with a solution they want to implement, and we will provide the tools and platform to allow them to carry it out. Even when we provide expert workshops or trainings it usually comes from the communities’ interests.”

When Soup & Socks eV first arrived in Katsikas with the goal of setting up a community kitchen, the infrastructure there was not great: only 16 chemical toilets for 1,200 refugees, no running water, and no sewage. But, in just seven months, the project transformed into the Habibi.Works makerspace, which provides people in the camps with access to several workshops, including a 3D printing fab lab.

“The infrastructure has improved a lot, people are no longer living in tents but in containers with individual bathrooms and kitchens. Still, they are forced to live in this hostile ghetto, excluded from the Greek society, the labour market and in many cases also from education. There is still a lot of work to do to improve the situation of the thousands of people who are looking for a better life in Europe,” Abouchadi said. “3D printing in the maker space is just a small step towards a better life, and it’s a way for people to occupy themselves with accomplishment and learning.”

The makerspace offers multiple working areas, like a sewing atelier, a metal workshop, a wood workshop, and a Media Lab, which offers access to technology like virtual reality, laser cutting, and 3D printing. Abouchadi is the overseer of the media lab and 3D printing, offering computer classes, facilitating workshops, and teaching makers how to design and print their own models, which he says is an “empowering” experience.

“This space offers new opportunities to the caring individuals, brilliant minds and hardworking hands who live in this camp,” said Abouchadi. “Creating solutions instead of waiting for solutions has an incomparable impact on people’s living situation, motivation and self-confidence.”

A highlight in the media lab is its new Mass Portal 3D printer, which was donated to the makerspace by Materialise. The company has made a pledge to sustainability in order to make the world a better place, and donated the system as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility program, which supports NGOs, non-profits, and other initiatives that work on projects involving “the use of technology to improve people’s lives and make the world a better place.”

Abouchadi is pleased about the new 3D printer, which is helping community members and refugees alike learn how to design their own 3D models.


“This is an upgrade on our previous machine as it allows for double extrusion, and creates much more accurate prints.”

People who use the Habibi.Works makerspace and workshops come up with their own ideas for what to make, then get help from volunteers to build on their skills and turn those ideas into reality. Together, they decide on the best approach, be it woodworking, laser cutting, or 3D printing, and then complete the project. Because of this type of collaboration, the project is ushering in renewed educational and vocational interests as makers are ready and willing to, as Materialise put it, “explore their potential” and improve their situation.

Ever since the Mass Portal 3D printer arrived, makers have been busily designing and printing objects that are fun, like mini airplane toys and chess sets, and practical, like jewelry and phone stands. Abouchadi says he can already see the “positive effects” the donation is having on the motivation and spirit of the community. 3D printing has been used to provide more immediate needs, such as shoes, housing, and medical devices, to refugees, but putting the power of the technology in their own hands is fulfilling a different sort of need.

If you’re interested in making a donation so Habibi.Works can purchase 3D printing filament so more refugees can turn their ideas into real objects, you can do so here.

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

[Source/Images: Materialise]

The State of the 3D Printing Talent Market

Alexander Daniels Global, a recruitment company specialized in Additive Manufacturing, has just released their third edition of their Additive Manufacturing Salary Study. The report covers all aspects of the talent market in the AM industry, including in-depth salary analysis and analysis of the scarcity of talent.

The study found a 3.9% increase in average salaries (across disciplines, seniorities and locations). This reflects a similar increase compared to other traditional manufacturing and engineering jobs/industries; proof that the AM industry is finding its place in the manufacturing sector. The biggest growth in 2018 was experienced within US for Sales and Software professionals, excluding C-level management, 14.5% and 11.9% respectively. The study dives into each discipline of the AM industry and uncovers the salaries by region and seniority.

The study found, that there is a general perception amongst AM professionals, that AM salaries are competitive, compared to salaries in similar industries. 37% of the survey respondents, believe that AM salaries are competitive or very competitive. This shows a positive change in the industry, and it signals how AM employers have started to realize the importance of being competitive in salary. The study goes on with Alexander Daniels Global explaining this industry change with two major arguments: the establishment and maturity of the industry, and the war for talent.

A section of the study covers and discusses the talent gap and the war for talent that still exists in the AM industry. Alexander Daniels Global quantifies and qualifies the talent gap of the industry, with analyses on the number of available professionals versus the number of jobs; the talent market with experience and disciplines; most in-demand roles and analyses of this; and the motivations to change jobs.

According to Alexander Daniels Global, at any one point, there are 4,000+ jobs relating to Additive Manufacturing being advertised globally. They suggest that the active talent pool with experience in the industry is less than 50,000. This means that there are only 12 active candidates, globally, for every job advertised. The study goes on arguing that even though this number may seem high, it really is not, when you take into account those 12 people could be based anywhere in the World and be from any discipline. Considering these factors, the actual relevant active talent pool per job is far smaller, maybe even as low as 1 or 2 relevant active candidates per role, but even still, they are unlikely to be based in the same location as the job being advertised.

This is the third consecutive year that Alexander Daniels Global publishes the AM specific salary study. The report has been created with the help of the entire AM industry and includes sections on the talent shortage, the most in-demand roles, AM salary competitiveness, the motivations and likelihood to change jobs, and in-depth salary analysis for each discipline of AM, across regions and seniorities.

Download your free version here.

For more information or questions, contact Social Media and Marketing Manager, Signe Damgaard, at signe.damgaard@alexanderdanielsglobal.com