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Image: A researcher in a pink lab coat works with a pipette while another scientist in a white lab coat supervises the process in a laboratory setting; Copyright: Gustavo Raskosky

Gustavo Raskosky

Superhydrophobic device to model tumor progression

20.09.2024

Rice University bioengineers have harnessed the lotus leaf's unique properties to create a cutting-edge platform for culturing cancer cell clusters. This system offers a new approach to studying tumor progression and metastasis, providing essential insights into cancer biology and treatment.
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Image: Close-up of a small hexagonal container filled with red liquid, placed inside a clear experimental setup; Copyright: University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster

University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster

Ultrasound promotes blood vessel growth in damaged tissue

19.09.2024

A team of researchers at the University of Rochester has developed a new approach using ultrasound technology to promote the growth of blood vessels in damaged tissue. The method could have significant applications in reconstructive and plastic surgeries, as well as wound healing.
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Image: Examination of cell cultures in a laboratory

From lab to market: How vessel-chips are changing drug testing

20.08.2024

As the medical field seeks more ethical and accurate alternatives to traditional drug testing, vessel-chip technology is a prospective solution. This technology promises greater accuracy and a reduced need for animal trials.
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Image: wearable bioelectronic system displayed on a finger in green gloves; Copyright: Wei Gao, California Institute of Technology

Wei Gao, California Institute of Technology

Smart bandages: Advancing chronic wound treatment

02.07.2024

A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is developing advanced electronic bandages and other tools to improve the monitoring and healing of chronic wounds. These wearable bioelectronic systems, tested in animal models, have the potential to enhance wound care through controlled drug release and electrical stimulation.
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Image: Yellow smart sensor is being put on an arm; Copyright: Jia Zhu/Penn State

Jia Zhu/Penn State

Rewritable, recyclable ‘smart skin’ monitors biological signals on demand

06.06.2024

Penn State researchers have developed an adhesive sensing device that seamlessly attaches to human skin to detect and monitor health. The writable sensors can be removed with tape, allowing new sensors to be patterned onto the device.
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Image: An operating room with a surgery in process; Copyright: Joe Carrotta for NYU Langone Health

Joe Carrotta for NYU Langone Health

Breakthrough transplant surgery: Heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney combined

21.05.2024

NYU Langone Health has achieved a medical milestone with the first-ever combined mechanical heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney transplant surgery.
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Image: Two people looking at a tablet while wearing lab coats and protective glasses in a laboratory setting; Copyright: Hannes Woidich/DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien

Hannes Woidich/DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien

Sonopharmacology research: Andreas Herrmann awarded ERC Advanced Grant

14.05.2024

Professor Andreas Herrmann, a leading researcher at the DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, has been granted an ERC Advanced Grant totaling €2.5 million by the European Research Council (ERC). This funding will support his research into the use of biocompatible ultrasound for medical applications over the next five years.
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Image: Two people in a laboratory setting running tests and scanning qr-codes; Copyright: IGTP

IGTP

Cardiac bioimplants for heart attack treatment

13.05.2024

A recent study highlights the safety and effectiveness of PeriCord bioimplants, derived from umbilical cord stem cells, for regenerating heart tissue post-myocardial infarction.
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Image: Dorsal root ganglia expressing CGRP after muscle injury; Copyright: Mikaël M. Martino

Mikaël M. Martino

Unveiling the role of sensory neurons in tissue repair

10.05.2024

Research from Monash and Osaka Universities highlights the key role sensory neurons play in tissue repair and regeneration, marking a significant advancement for regenerative medicine.
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Image: Depiction of the bioelectronic mesh in purple and green with red graphene sensors; Copyright: Gao et al., 10.1038/s41467-024-46636-7

Gao et al., 10.1038/s41467-024-46636-7

Bioelectronic mesh for cardiac tissue monitoring

30.04.2024

A team of engineers, led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has developed a cutting-edge bioelectronic mesh system integrated with graphene sensors to monitor both mechanical movement and electrical signals in lab-grown human cardiac tissue.
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Image: A Fraunhofer IWS laboratory device is held by a person in blue gloves; Copyright: minkus-images.de/Fraunhofer IWS

minkus-images.de/Fraunhofer IWS

Insights into the development of metastases with miniature laboratories

22.04.2024

New developments at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS and partners enable improved research possibilities for cancer therapy using microphysiological systems.
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Image: A researcher in a lab is carefully operating a 3D bioprinting machine that is used for creating bioengineered tissues; Copyright: Michelle Bixby/Penn State

Michelle Bixby/Penn State

3D-printed skin technique potentially enhances reconstructive surgery

15.04.2024

A breakthrough in reconstructive surgery may be on the horizon, as researchers develop a 3D-printed skin that integrates hair follicle precursors, leveraging adipose tissue for more natural results.
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Image: Microscopic view of human skin tissue with the top layer of epidermal cells and underlying dermal layers stained in different colors for examination; Copyright: TERM/UKW

TERM/UKW

The potential of nasal cartilage in knee joint treatment

05.04.2024

At the University Hospital Wuerzburg, a promising new treatment for knee joint defects involves the use of nasal cartilage, and it's edging closer to approval with significant EU funding. The new method is using autologous cartilage from the nasal septum, an approach that may seem as enchanting as the term "ENCANTO" implies.
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Image: The image shows a hand with slight burn injuries

UGRSKIN: artificial skin as a game-changer in burn treatment

11.03.2024

The University of Granada (UGR) has pioneered a solution for burn treatment with its artificial skin “UGRSKIN”. Developed by the Tissue Engineering Research Group, this advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) has improved the approach to treating severe burns, offering patients new hope and enhanced outcomes.
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Image: In the middle of this excerpt of a graphic there is a human body, visualizing the function of the underwater bio-adhesive for healing inner wounds; Copyright: POSTECH

POSTECH

Tailored medical adhesives for personalized healing

26.02.2024

POSTECH researchers led by Prof. Hyung Joon Cha, alongside colleagues, introduced groundbreaking personalized underwater bio-adhesive patches (CUBAP) derived from mussel adhesive proteins. This discovery, featured in Advanced Materials, improves biomedical adhesives, offering tailored internal healing solutions.
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Image: The graphic visualizes the 3D bio-printing method. It shows two needles injecting hydrogels and fibers; Copyright: Universität Bayreuth

Universität Bayreuth

Advanced 3D printing technology improves tissue engineering

19.02.2024

Advancements in 3D printing technology are improving tissue engineering, offering promising prospects for the artificial production of biological tissues. Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have developed a changing technique that combines hydrogels and fibers, opening new avenues for tissue fabrication.
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Image: A stained micrograph of 3D primary human liver cell tissue modeling MASH. Areas of fibrosis are indicated in blue; Copyright: Viscient Biosciences

Viscient Biosciences

Revolutionizing liver disease research with 3D bioprinted model

07.02.2024

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), previously known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a liver disease characterized by inflammation and scarring, reaching epidemic proportions with an estimated 1.5 percent to 6.5 percent of U.S. adults affected.
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Image: Two people in a laboratory working with a nanoparticle paste and light. Copyright: Empa

Empa

Smart wound sealing with nanoparticles and light soldering

24.01.2024

Empa researchers have pioneered a novel soldering process that employs nanoparticles and lasers to gently fuse tissue, ushering in a new era in wound closure.
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Image: A sample is placed in a centrifuge by a person wearing personal protective clothing; Copyright: microgen

microgen

TissueGrinder: Improved cell analyses via enhanced-quality sample preparation

07.12.2023

A new method for examining tissue samples could change the way we diagnose and treat cancer. Researchers at the Max Planck and Fraunhofer IPA have developed an automated system based on the principle of enzyme-free tissue processing and the mechanical deformability of individual cells.
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Image: Man with dark hair, glasses and a checked shirt smiles into the camera against a gray and white background; Copyright: Peer Erfle/IMT

Peer Erfle/IMT

Microchips: better understand diseases like schizophrenia

15.09.2023

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the recipients of its prestigious Starting Grants. Among them is a researcher from the Technical University of Braunschweig: Dr. Thomas Winkler will receive €1.5 million for his research on modular organ-on-chip technology to better understand neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.
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Image: Microscopic image: cultivation of muscle stem cells and fibers from reprogrammed connective tissue cells; Copyright: ETH Zürich / Bar-Nur Lab

ETH Zürich / Bar-Nur Lab

Building muscle in the lab

23.08.2023

A new method allows large quantities of muscle stem cells to be safely obtained in cell culture.
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Image: Diagram of a fully synthetic cell-instructive matrix with programmable mechanical properties; Copyright: Elisha Krieg und Yu-Hsuan Peng

Elisha Krieg und Yu-Hsuan Peng

Programmable DNA hydrogels for advanced cell culture and personalized medicine

22.08.2023

The team of Dr. Elisha Krieg at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden has developed a dynamic DNA-crosslinked matrix (DyNAtrix) by combining classical synthetic polymers with programmable DNA crosslinkers.
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Image: Innovative 3D cell culture modell; Copyright: University of Nottingham

University of Nottingham

PeptiMatrix: Platform could replace use of animals in research

09.08.2023

PeptiMatrix is the latest spin-out company from the University of Nottingham, providing access to an innovative 3D cell culture platform that aims to replace the use of animals in research.
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Image: A man with dark hair and a white shirt inspects a 3D printer; Copyright: Patrick Mansell/Penn State

Patrick Mansell/Penn State

High-speed bioprinting of bones, tracheas, organs

28.07.2023

Developing technology to quickly and efficiently bioprint human tissues at scale is the goal of a new project led by Penn State researchers. When fully developed, the technology will be the first to enable the fabrication of scalable, native tissues such as bones, tracheas and organs.
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Image: dr Jasmina Gačanin poses for the camera in a hallway; Copyright: Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung

Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung

Jasmina Gačanin investigates living biomaterials

20.07.2023

Dr. Jasmina Gačanin, postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in the department of Prof. Dr. Tanja Weil, has been appointed as a “Peretti-Schmucker Fellow”.
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Image: knee joint highlighted in red on which the person has placed their hands; copyright: mihacreative

mihacreative

Personalized cartilage replacement helps with knee pain

27.06.2023

Knee osteoarthritis is a widespread form of arthrosis that limits those affected in their everyday lives. The wear and tear in the cartilage tissue often causes pain and movement restrictions. In order to improve treatment, researchers have developed a process that allows artificial cartilage tissue to be individually tailored to sufferers.
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Image: Two women with loose hair and colorful blazers pose in front of an institute; Copyright: Gregor Hübl / Universität Bonn

Gregor Hübl / Universität Bonn

Researching organoids: two new Argelander Professors at the University of Bonn

21.06.2023

Two new assistant professors at the University of Bonn are setting out to develop “mini-organs” in order to study metabolic and disease mechanisms.
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Image: Woman with glasses and gray-brown hair, Carole Planchette, stands by a pillar; Copyright: Fotogenia - Renate Trummer

Fotogenia - Renate Trummer

Tissue Engineering: TU Graz revolutionises production of biocompatible microfibres

02.06.2023

Using a newly developed method for the efficient and cost-effective production of biocompatible microfibres, the production of autologous skin and organs can be significantly accelerated. Responsible for the development are Carole Planchette and her team from TU Graz.
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Image: The cover art illustrates ultrasound-mediated drug delivery into a biofilm-infected wound; Copyright: Ella Marushchenko

Ella Marushchenko

Breaking through bacterial barriers in chronic treatment-resistant wounds

24.05.2023

Researchers in the UNC School of Medicine's Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the UNC-NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering have developed a new strategy to improve drug-delivery into chronic wounds infections.
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Image: The research team: three men and one woman pose next to a screen and a microscope; Copyright: NTU Singapore

NTU Singapore

Why wavy wounds heal faster than straight wounds

19.05.2023

Wavy wounds heal faster than straight wounds because shapes influence cell movements, a team of researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found.
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Image: Close-up of a WFIRM gyroid-shaped construct on a blue-gloved hand; Copyright: WFIRM

WFIRM

Bioprinting research makes history when it soars to the ISS

17.05.2023

The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) will make history this month when the first bioprinted solid tissue constructs soar to the International Space Station (ISS) on board the next all private astronaut mission by commercial space leader Axiom Space.
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Image: A human brain organoid (red) grows on the hammock-like structure of a mesh MEA; Copyright: Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine

Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine

Microelectrode array: hammock for brain organoids

20.04.2023

Novel microelectrode array system enables long-term cultivation and electrophysiological analyses of brain organoids.
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Image: Schematic illustration of organoid bioprinting with artificial intelligence ; Copyright: Cyborg and Bionic Systems

Cyborg and Bionic Systems

Bioprinting technology and AI enable high quality in vitro models

19.04.2023

In the process of organoid manufacturing, bioprinting technology not only facilitates the creation and maintenance of complex biological 3D shapes and structures, but also allows for standardization and quality control during production.
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Image: Tissue engineering, tweezers with a solution in a laboratory vessel; Copyright: Fraunhofer-Translationszentrum/Fraunhofer ISC

Fraunhofer-Translationszentrum/Fraunhofer ISC

SAPs4Tissue: human tissue models with customized biomaterials

12.04.2023

In a joint project of the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, and the Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Würzburg, scientific principles and biomaterials for the standardized production of valid tissue models are to be developed.
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Image: A woman with dark hair, dark glasses and a white coat stands in front of a door frame in a laboratory and smiles at the camera; Copyright: Daniel Delang / TUM

Daniel Delang / TUM

Mini-heart in a Petri dish: organoid emulates development of the human heart

11.04.2023

The team working with Alessandra Moretti, Professor of Regenerative Medicine in Cardiovascular Disease, has developed a method for making a sort of "mini-heart" using pluripotent stem cells.
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Image: A small dark box, a mobile impedance spectrometer; Copyright: Fraunhofer ISC

Fraunhofer ISC

Innovative in vitro eye irritation test to replace standard animal testing

10.03.2023

Researchers at the Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT of the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC want to work with partners to replace animal testing.
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Image: Photograph of the semitransparent hydrogel used in this study; Copyright: Satoshi Tanikawa, et al. 2023

Satoshi Tanikawa, et al. 2023

Healing the brain: hydrogels enable neuronal tissue growth

03.03.2023

Synthetic hydrogels were shown to provide an effective scaffold for neuronal tissue growth in areas of brain damage, providing a possible approach for brain tissue reconstruction.
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Image: Pipette adding sample to stem cell cultures growing in pots for stem cell implantation; Copyright: imagesourcecurated

imagesourcecurated

Electrodes grown in the brain – paving the way for future therapies for neurological disorders

02.03.2023

The boundaries between biology and technology are becoming blurred. Researchers at Linköping, Lund, and Gothenburg universities in Sweden have successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body’s molecules as triggers. The result, published in the journal Science, paves the way for the formation of fully integrated electronic circuits in living organisms.
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Image: A man in a white coat and with safety goggles, Hongji Yan, holds a test tube in his hand and is looking at the camera; Copyright: Vaibhav Srivastava

Vaibhav Srivastava

Mucus-based gel improves bone graft results, promotes healing

14.02.2023

Molecules from mucus can be used to produce synthetic bone graft material and help with the healing of larger bone loss, a new study found.
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Image: An elderly man sits at an eye diagnostic device and is examined by a doctor; Copyright: Beachbumledford

Beachbumledford

Controlled manufacture, storage and freezing of artificial retinal cells

25.01.2023

Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a new method for the production and clinical application of stem-cell-based retinal implants, which could contribute towards the successful treatment of AMD.
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Image: Nurse is caring for a surgical wound at the leg of a patient; Copyright: DegrooteStock

DegrooteStock

Wound care: healing with technology

01.12.2022

Wound care by nurses is directly about cleaning, sterile covering, and documentation. Medical and surgical interventions may also be necessary. In this context, wound care also offers potential for the use of technical aids that can help prevent complications.
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Image: Nurse is cleaning a surgical wound with two sutures between the fingers of a patient; Copyright: ARTFULLY79

ARTFULLY79

Technology in wound care: tools for better healing

01.12.2022

Wounds – both acute and chronic ones – can have many different causes. They all have in common that they require meticulous care because complications in wound healing can severely reduce both the patients’ health and quality of life. But there is more to modern wound care than just cleaning and bandaging them. Nursing staff and physicians can also access technical aids for this work.
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Image: A woman with long blonde hair and black glasses smiles at the camera - Anna Rising, research group leader; Copyright: Lena Holm

Lena Holm

Scientists develop gel made from spider silk proteins for biomedical applications

19.08.2022

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have discovered that spider silk proteins can be fused to biologically active proteins and be converted into a gel at body temperature.
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Image: Chip with adipose tissue is held in place by hands in purple disposable gloves; Copyright: Berthold Steinhilber

Berthold Steinhilber

Ex vivo obesity research thanks to the adipose-on-chip system

08.07.2022

Ex vivo studies of human obesity without animal testing? The Adipose-on-Chip system offers a solution that allows scientists to gain better insights into various obesity-linked secondary diseases and comorbidities in the future.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Fibers for fibers – Textile implants repair the body

08.06.2022

We are nowadays already able to weave implants out of artificial fibers that can replace tissue or heal injuries. Different materials like polymers or nitinol are used to create flexible shapes. But the materials and their uses can still be improved.
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Image: a smiling man stands in front of a white 3D printer; Copyright: Gabriel Salg/Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg

Gabriel Salg/Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg

Using 3D printing to create insulin-producing cells

22.02.2022

3D printing opens a world of endless possibilities – for both industrial and medical applications. A cross-national project recently created tissue that produces insulin, spelling hope for patients with diabetes.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Tissue Engineering and Bioprinting – From artificial heart valves and printed humans

27.01.2021

Drug research and artificial skin replacement - these are the areas in which tissue engineering and bioprinting are already used today. What else could be possible in the future? We asked Dr. Nadine Nottrodt from Fraunhofer ILT and Prof. Sabine Neuß-Stein from RWTH Aachen University Hospital!
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Image: cell matrix; Copyright: TU Wien

Multi-photon lithography: printing cells with micrometer accuracy

01.12.2020

How do cells react to certain drugs? And how exactly is new tissue created? This can be analyzed by using bioprinting to embed cells in fine frameworks. However, current methods are often imprecise or too slow to process cells before they are damaged. At the TU Vienna, a high-resolution bioprinting process has now been developed using a new bio-ink.
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Image: 3D printer with a human heart inside, next to a box with

Bioprinting: life from the printer

01.12.2020

It aims at the production of test systems for drug research and gives patients on the waiting lists for donor organs hope: bioprinting. Thereby biologically functional tissues are printed. But how does that actually work? What are the different bioprinting methods? And can entire organs be printed with it? These and other questions are examined in our Topic of the Month.
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Image: three vials, one with hydrogels, one with bio ink and one with unmodified gelatine; Copyright: Fraunhofer IGB

"Cells are highly sensitive" – material development for bioprinting

01.12.2020

The big hope of bioprinting is to someday be able to print whole human organs. So far, the process has been limited to testing platforms such as organs-on-a-chip. That's because the actual printing process already poses challenges. Scientists need suitable printing materials that ensure the cell's survival as it undergoes the procedure. The Fraunhofer IGB is researching and analyzing this aspect.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Medical products made of collagen - Biocompatible, elastic, stable

19.03.2020

Regenerative medicine often relies on implants and materials that support healing in our body. Collagen has a special significance here. It is compatible to the body and offers an excellent environment for the growing of new cells. In our video, we took a look on where collagen and collagen products for medicine come from.
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Image: Man with mouthguard and laboratory glasses holding Petri dish up; Copyright: panthermedia.net/kasto

panthermedia.net/kasto

Cardiac Tissue Engineering: a heart out of the Petri dish

23.09.2019

For patients waiting for donor organs, every day can mean the difference between life and death. Making things even more complicated is the fact that not every organ is a compatible match with the patient. It would mean enormous progress if we could grow organs from the patient's own cells in the lab. That's why patients with heart disease place big hope in tissue engineering.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Multi-organ chips: Drug research without animal testing at vasQlab

15.05.2019

New active substances that are suitable for drugs are initially tested in animal experiments. However, the results cannot always be transferred to the human organism. At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Prof. Ute Schepers from vasQlab explains how active substances can be tested in human tissue without endangering human health.
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