Main Applications Of Biological 3D Printing

Main Applications Of Biological 3D Printing

Products derived from biological 3D printing can mimic the biological and functional properties of structures and tissues naturally present in our bodies. This could lead to different types of applications, but today new biological 3D printing has only one viable use: drug testing and research.

While the ultimate goal of practical biological 3D printing is to produce artificial organs for transplantation, the complexity of making them function as real organs is immense. However, scientists today can successfully create biological structures and tissues that mimic those of nature. Researchers have been able to use practical biological 3D printing to create structures that chemically behave like kidney tissue, rather than fully functioning kidneys. While far from the original goal, these structures can be used to test new drugs without having to rely on real-life patients who may suffer unexpected side effects.

New biological 3D printing started out as a regenerative medicine tool. Producing artificial organs for transplantation would address the issues of high demand and low availability, as well as post-operative complications associated with organ rejection, as the manufactured organs would be developed using the patient's own organic materials. Drug development with practical biological 3D printing materials could make preclinical trials of new drugs more cost-effective, helping them to be validated and get to market faster. At the same time, biological 3D printing can also reduce the need for animal testing.