Until now, printing living tissue constructs required specialized and expensive bioprinters. However, researchers from the Centre for Applied Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CANTER) at Munich University of Applied Sciences have found a way to modify a simple, commercially available 3D printer to create biological structures at the touch of a button. This breakthrough opens up the field of bioprinting to smaller laboratories that previously couldn’t afford the specialized equipment.

Benedikt Kaufmann, a research associate at CANTER, led the team that developed this cost-effective solution. By modifying a standard 3D printer, they overcame a significant challenge in bioprinting: maintaining the right conditions for temperature and humidity. Using heating foils and water-soaked cellulose, the team achieved a stable environment of 37°C and over 90% humidity, crucial for printing biomaterials. The process takes place on a translucent glass platform, allowing for detailed microscopic examination of the printed structures.

Despite their success, Kaufmann emphasizes that the goal of large-scale customized tissue production is still a long way off. He calls for global collaboration, sharing knowledge, and continued research to further advance tissue engineering. “Researchers around the world need to cooperate, generate, and share knowledge,” says Kaufmann.

The team’s technique, based on masked stereolithography, uses LEDs and a liquid crystal display to project precise light patterns onto the printed material. This enables targeted cross-linking of proteins and the formation of three-dimensional structures. Early tests showed that the printer can produce structures with varying stiffness, an essential feature for replicating different types of tissue, such as bone or muscle.

“Our tests revealed that the modified 3D printer can create organic scaffolds with different levels of stiffness, which is important since bone tissue needs to be harder than muscle tissue,” Kaufmann explained.

This innovative approach to bioprinting provides smaller labs with access to affordable, high-quality tissue engineering. Kaufmann’s team has made their work open-source, allowing researchers worldwide to build their own low-cost bioprinters and push the boundaries of tissue engineering.

By Impact Lab