Seminar
08/10/2024
Smart hybrid inorganic-organic multifunctional bioinks and their application in 3D printing of in vitro models

12.00pm, Seminar Room

Uxue Aizarna Lopetegui

2024A library of hybrid multifunctional inks has been developed and integrated with advanced 3Dbioprinting techniques to fabricate dynamic 4D models, with a particular focus on in vitro modeling ofvascular structures. Many current tissue analogues are either overly simplistic or employ materials thatdo not adequately represent the complexity of the tissues or diseases they aim to simulate. Thecombination of advanced bioprinting techniques with advanced multifunctional materials provides adistinctive approach for replicating biological processes in vitro. In this thesis we have shown thepotential of hybrid inorganic-organic and dECM-based materials for various 3D printing technologies toachieve human blood vessels analogues. We have shown the potential of NPs as antennas for NIR-based stimulation to induce local thermoresponsive effects in hybrid materials, thus offering a novelmethodology to study mechanobiology in 3D models. Additionally, porcine-derived decellularizedextracellular matrix (dECM) was explored as a more relevant extracellular matrix (ECM)-buildingmaterial, which retained key structural components like various collagens and elastin, provide asuitable ECM for 3D bioprinting of embedded vascular cells, demonstrating high cell viability andspreading, and replicating the characteristics of native blood vessels. The bioprinted models thatintegrate these novel materials have applications in basic science to facilitate a deeper understandingof underlying biological mechanisms, in precision medicine for drug screening applications, and also asvaluable tools for modeling disease conditions. The versatility and tunability of these inks facilitatetheir broad application in mimicking other tissues and functions, marking a significant advancementtowards developing relevant 3D in vitro models for clinical research.