Project Description:
In the United States, more than 120,000 people are waiting to receive tissue or organ transplants. Some of these people wait years for a donor and could potentially die before a replacement organ is donated. Bioprinting is a method of addressing this issue in that a physician can print out the tissue, organ, or prosthetic needed. The purpose of Phase II of this project is to differentiate Mesenchymal Stem cells into Chondrocytes using a sterilized, FDM Bioprinted Scaffold. This will be done using last years design of the extruder nozzle to create a scaffold construct of polycaprolactone (PCL), along with the deposition (cell seeding) and cell culturing of mesenchymal stem cells. New chamber designs will be implemented to ensure cell viability through control of environmental factors such as temperature and to limit user contact with the inside of the chamber to ensure chamber sterility. Chamber redesigns will also incorporate a method of ridding the printer of wastes to the outside environment. Lastly, design of a UV sterilization system will replace the method of a 70% ethanol wash to rid the printer of excess waste which must be removed and to ensure the scaffold provides more than just an aseptic environment for the cells.
In the United States, more than 120,000 people are waiting to receive tissue or organ transplants. Some of these people wait years for a donor and could potentially die before a replacement organ is donated. Bioprinting is a method of addressing this issue in that a physician can print out the tissue, organ, or prosthetic needed. The purpose of Phase II of this project is to differentiate Mesenchymal Stem cells into Chondrocytes using a sterilized, FDM Bioprinted Scaffold. This will be done using last years design of the extruder nozzle to create a scaffold construct of polycaprolactone (PCL), along with the deposition (cell seeding) and cell culturing of mesenchymal stem cells. New chamber designs will be implemented to ensure cell viability through control of environmental factors such as temperature and to limit user contact with the inside of the chamber to ensure chamber sterility. Chamber redesigns will also incorporate a method of ridding the printer of wastes to the outside environment. Lastly, design of a UV sterilization system will replace the method of a 70% ethanol wash to rid the printer of excess waste which must be removed and to ensure the scaffold provides more than just an aseptic environment for the cells.
Group Members: George Banis Christopher Marki Kim Chan Scott Lisa |
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Project Adviser: Dr. Christopher Wagner Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Rice University (PhD, 1997) Email: [email protected] |
*All details regarding Phase I of the FDM Bioprinter can be found at www.fdm3dprinter.weebly.com*