Towards artificial tissue structures

Laura De Laporte and her team receive funding within the Proof of Concept program of the European Research Council (ERC) for research on bioprinting of complex tissue-mimicking structures.

Over the last ten years, 3D bioprinting has developed as a powerful tool for creating models of human tissue outside the body (ex vivo). These models can be used for drug research, for a better understanding of physiological and pathological mechanisms and in the future for the replacement of diseased or injured tissues and organs. For successful production of functional tissues, the 3D bioprint constructs should replicate the anatomical features of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of natural tissue. However, current bioprinting technologies cannot mimic the nano- and micro-scale of the fibrillar ECM, nor can they reproduce the anisotropic and spatially organized architecture and gradations of complex tissues such as cartilage, cornea and heart.

As part of BioArchitecture, Laura De Laporte and her team are aiming to develop a novel 3D bioprinter platform. This platform will be able to print ("bioprint") hierarchical and organized biomaterial constructs with high resolution to initiate and control cell growth and tissue maturation. The BioArchitecture platform will enable researchers and pharmaceutical companies to better identify drug targets in native-like bioprinting of human tissues ex vivo. This should enable better prediction of the efficacy and safety of the drugs tested and significantly reduce healthcare costs by reducing the amount of human, infrastructure and animal testing required to develop a new drug.

Proof of concept funding helps to verify the commercial or societal potential and the marketability of the work.