“TECNALIA is exploring three lines of research on biomaterials for healthcare applications: personalised implants, injectable and printable vehicles”
Application of 3D bioprinting in the field of regenerative medicine and advanced therapies
TECNALIA is exploring three lines of research on biomaterials for healthcare applications: personalised implants, injectable and printable vehicles including therapies, and 3D in vitro models for advanced cultures. These developments include formulating innovative biomaterials, adapted to various additive technologies, covering their physicochemical, mechanical and biological processing and validation. TECNALIA uses the leading health-related additive technologies, such as fused deposition modelling (FDM), pellet 3D printing, electrospinning, stereolithography (SLA) and 3D bioprinting. It is also committed to integrating these technologies in order to create solutions that comprehensively mimic all aspects of native tissues, both in terms of their structure and biochemical composition. In the field of 3D bioprinting, it creates bio-inks designed to meet biological requirements and ensure optimal printability. This allows it to incorporate a variety of biomaterials into a single formulation. In addition, these bio-inks make it possible to transport different cell types (human, animal, stem cells) and therapies (nanoparticles, microRNAs, secretomes, exosomes).
4D bioprinting and in vivo bioprinting
Two new concepts have emerged in the field of 3D bioprinting: 4D bioprinting, which introduces an additional time dimension, allowing the printed structure to change or transform in response to stimuli such as temperature, UV light or electrical currents; and in vivo bioprinting, which makes it possible to print directly on the patient. TECNALIA is currently leading a project where it is investigating the application of 4D in vivo bioprinting to treat joint injuries, taking advantage of its extensive experience in biomaterials, 3D bioprinting and medical robotics,.
