WP14 – Bio.ScafAM

The replacement, regeneration, or repair of damaged tissues or organs due to aging, disease, accidents, and birth defects remains a significant global challenge. Transplantation is the most common approach, yet it is associated with high costs and requires healthcare professionals with a high level of specialization.

Transplantation techniques are complex and face several limitations, such as the difficulty in finding compatible donors, resulting in long waiting lists, high rejection rates, and health risks for living donors.

Tissue Engineering offers a promising alternative for organ and tissue regeneration by cultivating a patient’s own cells on biological scaffolds and implanting them to foster the regeneration of new tissues. This technique is evolving rapidly, focusing on the development of biological substitutes that mimic the properties of the targeted tissue or organ. However, there remain challenges in designing and applying these substitutes due to the complexity of combining cells, materials, and growth factors for successful tissue regeneration.

Researchers have explored various strategies to produce scaffolds that provide biomechanical support essential for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Ideal scaffolds must be biocompatible, biodegradable, exhibit a controlled degradation rate, and feature high porosity to support proper vascularization.

To address these needs, this project aims to develop an advanced biomanufacturing system tailored for medical laboratories. Such a system would enable healthcare professionals to produce biocompatible scaffolds and temporary implants within a hospital environment, consolidating the role of 3D printing in medical applications.

The biomanufacturing equipment, designed within the project’s scope, will facilitate the production of temporary implants by reinventing biomanufacturing technologies. Developed by experts in engineering, design, and biomaterials, the system will provide compact, user-friendly equipment that supports innovation in regenerative medicine.