3D Bioprinting: What the Future Holds for Personalized Medicine?

https://www.lezdotechmed.com/blog/3d-bioprinting-a-promising-hope/

Medical field is getting revolutionized with astonishing innovations that ordinary people could not even think of. Scientific researchers are trying relentlessly to make the impossible possible. 3D bioprinting is such an innovation that could make the lives of many brighter.

The pivotal moment in 3D bioprinting starts with Hull's development of the stereolithography technique. This marked the inception of a new era where research intensified, encouraging developments in materials and methodologies for 3D printing. The scientific community ventured into exploring the potential of hydrogel materials, opening doors for applications in various scientific domains.

In 90s, Dr. Gabor Forgacs, the founder of Organovo, tried to combine living cells into three-dimensional structures. Dr. Forgacs’ observations led the scientific community towards envisioning the creation of spatial structures using living cells, a concept previously unimagined.

In 2000, Wake Forest University designed a scaffold, which was combined with recipient’s host cells to eliminate potential rejection by the patient’s immune system. A decade post-implantation, the patient demonstrated no hazardous complications, attesting to the procedure’s success. Dr. Atala implanted 3D printed bladders in a few younger patients. He even unveiled, a 3D kidney prototype during a TED conference.

In 2003, Thomas Boland modified an office inkjet printer to facilitate research in bioprinting with biological materials. This innovation sowed the seeds of revolution in the bioprinting researches.

Dr. Forgacs came with his bioprinter in 2004, initiating 3D direct biodegradation without necessitating scaffolding. This led to the launch of NovoGen MMX, a commercial bioprinter from Organovo, in 2009. Within months, it facilitated the creation of the first biodegraded blood vessel, bypassing the need for cell scaffolds.

The industry witnessed the invention of baptismal tissue (2012), liver (2012), tissues featuring blood-borne networks (2014), and heart valves (2016).

From crafting simple resin models to pioneering synthetic organs, the 3D bioprinting field has expanded horizons exponentially. The relentless endeavors of Dr. Forgacs and Professor Atala have steered bioprinting from conceptual stages to tangible realities, offering a beacon of hope for countless individuals globally.

As we stand on the cusp of further advancements, the road ahead promises unprecedented breakthroughs. The collaborative spirit of the scientific community, paired with relentless innovation, nforecasts a future where 3D bioprinting becomes a cornerstone in personalized medicine, offering solutions previously deemed the world of science fiction.

Join us as we journey into this exciting frontier, a confluence of science, technology, and vision, shaping a tomorrow where medicine meets the future, here and now, in the dynamic frontier of 3D bioprinting — a testament to human ingenuity and the dawn of a new era in personalized medicine.