University of Rochester Researchers Develop Low-Cost 3D Bioprinter for Living Materials
Researchers at the University of Rochester, led by Professor Anne S. Meyer, have developed a low-cost 3D bioprinter capable of creating living materials with over 100 layers. This innovation modifies a standard plastic 3D printer, costing only $450, by replacing its plastic filament extruder with a syringe pump that dispenses bio-ink. The bio-ink, a mixture of living cells and a polymer solution, hardens into a gel. The team also created a support gel, or slurry, which helps the bio-ink solidify quickly and at various heights. Two types of slurry were developed: one for easy removal of the print and another for incubation, allowing microbes to remain viable for over four weeks, significantly longer than the nine days possible with previous methods. This advancement enables the creation of taller, more complex living structures, including those with hollow cavities, which was previously limited to less than 20 layers with DIY bioprinters.
