Printing objects that can incorporate living organisms

A method for printing 3D objects that can control living organisms in predictable ways has been developed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at MIT and elsewhere. The technique may lead to 3D printing of biomedical tools, such as customized braces, that incorporate living cells to produce therapeutic compunds such as painkillers or topical treatments, the researchers say.

For their initial proof-of-concept experiments, the team precisely incorporated various chemicals into the 3D printing process. These chemicals act as signals to activate certain responses in biologically engineered microbes, which are spray-coated onto the printed object. Once added, the microbes display specific colors or fluorescence in response to the chemical signals.

The objective is to make a robust design tool for producing objects and devices incorporating living biological elements, made in a way that is as predictable and scalable as other industrial manufacturing processes. In their tests, the team used genetically modified E. coli bacteria, because these grow rapidly and are widely used and studied, but in principle other organisms could be used as well, the researchers say.

Read more at MIT

Image Credit: MIT

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