Enabling platform technologies for organ printing and 3D tissue biofabrication

• Grant number: 11/17878-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: February 09, 2012
• End date: February 08, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva
• Grantee: Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva
• Visiting researcher: Vladimir Aleksandrovich Mironov
• Visiting researcher institution: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), United States
• Host Institution: Centro de Pesquisas Renato Archer (CENPRA). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The tissue engineering is one of most promising research direction in XXI century biomedical science on interface of biology and engineering. The traditional tissue engineering is based on top down solid scaffold-based approach. However, precised placement of cells inside biodegradable scaffold, achieving initial high cell density and vascularisation of thick 3D tissue constructs, is still unsolved challenges. Recently developed alternative bottom up modular approach with using self-assembling tissue spheroids as building blocks represents the potentially superior approach in tissue engineering. The main advantage of bottom up modular approach in tissue engineering is its unique capacity to be integrated with computer-aided robotic additive 3D tissue biofabrication or 3D bioprinting. Thus, the proposal is about development of novel enabling platform technologies for 3D biofabrication and bioprinting of human organ. It includes 5 integrated multidisciplinary projects: i) development CAD (computer-aided design) or "blueprint" of for bioprinting of kidney intraorgan branched vascular tree; ii) computer aided design and development on novel methods of scalable biofabrication of solid tissue spheroids as building blocks; iii) computer-aided design and development of novel microfluidics device for scalable biofabrication of uni-lumenal tissue spheroids; iv) computer-aided design and development of inter-lockable micro-scaffold or so-called "lockyballs" for rapid tissue biofabrication; and, finally, v) development of the world first web-based open source "virtual organ biofabrication line" as a research tool for systematic testing and integration of robotic biofabrication technology. Successful realization of this project in synergistic collaboration with Brazilian experts in computer science, information and rapid prototyping technologies from CTI will allow to make significant advances in cutting edge research field, enhance and extend ongoing highly successful mutually beneficial collaboration, made significant step toward clinical translation of this emerging technology, train new generations of young Brazilian researchers and develop professional workforce in this emerging research area of biomedical science and technology and transform CTI 3D fabrication group in Brazil into a leading research center in Latin America in this research field and provides strong impulse for evolving of Brazil into one of the globally recognized player and leader in novel rapidly emerging multidisciplinary high tech field of 3D tissue biofabrication and bioprinting. (AU)