Scientists have developed a coffee machine-sized 3D bioprinter that produces human-like tissue in a move they hope could potentially speed up the development of new treatments for the likes of heart disease and arthritis.
The technology, known as Reactive Jet Impingement (ReJI), uses two different liquids: a polymer solution and one that contains cells suspended in a solution.
These are jetted at one another and mixed mid-air to create a cell-filled hydrogel that can be printed on any surface.
The method increases cell density by about 10 times that of other bioprinting technologies, producing tissues that are much closer models to humans.
Kenneth “Kenny” Dalgarno, a professor of manufacturing and engineering at Newcastle University, led the project.
“Drug discovery is a complicated and extremely costly process involving multiple rounds of testing before they reach clinical trials,” he said.
“In clinical investigations, only one in 10 of compounds tested proceeds to reach market.
“These rates of failure make it clear that we must improve our models so that they are more representative of drug response in humans.”
One stage of drug development is testing on lab-grown cell cultures, which are usually grown on a flat surface, like a microscope slide.
However, printing cells in 3D can potentially make tests more accurate.
Prof Dalgarno added: “There is currently a lot of interest in developing better human in-vitro models of diseases and tissues so we have better ways of testing drugs.”
Researchers have set up a spin-out company, Jetbio, to attract investment and potentially roll out the ReJI printer worldwide.
The Jetbio team showcased the technology to British ministers and health leaders, including the Chief Medical Officer for England, Prof Sir Chris Whitty, at Britain’s Houses of Parliament last month (February 2025).
The printers have also been exhibited at the universities of Bristol, Newcastle and Cam-bridge in Britain at a series of workshops and will now be used in their labs. – PA Media/dpa
