MRI: Acquisition of a microfluidic-based 3D printer for additive manufacturing of biomaterials for fabrication of tissue-on-a-chip models.

来自主要研究仪器计划的这一奖项支持德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校（UTEP）收购带有RX 1生物打印平台的实验室打印机（LOP）。该仪器将加速UTEP的基础3D生物打印研究。LOP技术独特地能够在单个打印头墨盒上组合多种细胞类型和生物材料输入，从而能够在3D中精确沉积不同的细胞和材料，以重建和模拟真实的组织的复杂结构。RX 1生物打印平台使用LOP技术快速精确地构建功能性3D活体组织，具有先进的材料处理能力，可快速准确地控制生物构建模块的图案化。 在UTEP，RX 1生物打印平台将用于几个高影响力的项目，包括血管工程组织，人类心脏壁，神经再生和发育生物学组织，以及新型2D/先进材料在体外研究中的应用。同时，RX 1生物打印平台将提供持续和跨学科的研究，同时通过为学生提供尖端的教学，研究技术和机会，促进和推进STEM教育和培训。研究人员的主要目标是使用打印机实验室（LOP） 利用水凝胶（合成的和天然衍生的）作为生物打印的支架，旨在进行组织芯片研究。此外，非水凝胶类型的材料，如聚合物混合物（包括聚氨酯，PCL-PLLA），形状记忆聚合物和纳米复合材料与纳米线夹杂物也将成为目标。3D打印结构将包括生物神经网络开发，基于小分子的治疗剂的剂量优化/最小化，以及用于能量相关应用的增强介电能量存储和能量收集。LOP技术可以容易地实现软结构（例如组织）的打印，这提供了对具有比目前可能的有利性质的生物材料的所需探索。该仪器将支持多学科，以团队为基础的机会，涉及工程教师在UTEP和教师从其他科学学科，并帮助建立新的关键区域合作内的得克萨斯州和邻近的新墨西哥州。该打印机的技术和实践使用将被纳入现有或新课程的实验室部分，每年有近100名学生接触这项技术。它将加强对社区、当地初中和高中学生的宣传。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with the acquisition of a Lab-on-a-Printer (LOP) with RX1 Bioprinting Platform. The instrument will enable accelerated fundamental 3D-bioprinting research at UTEP. The LOP technology is uniquely capable of combining multiple cell types and biomaterial inputs on a single printhead cartridge, enabling the precise deposition of different cells and materials in 3D to recreate and mimic the complex structure of real tissue. The RX1 Bioprinting Platform uses the LOP technology to rapidly and precisely construct functional 3D living tissue, with an advanced material processing capability providing accurate control over patterning of the biological building blocks, rapidly. At UTEP, the RX1 Bioprinting Platform will be used in several high impact projects including, engineering tissues with blood vessels, the human heart wall, tissues for nerve regeneration and developmental biology, and the application of novel 2D/advanced materials for in-vitro studies. Concurrently, the RX1 Bioprinting Platform will provide sustained and cross-disciplinary studies while contributing to and advancing STEM education and training by providing students access to cutting-edge teaching, research technologies and opportunities. The main objective of the researchers is to employ the Lab-on-a-Printer (LOP) to utilize hydrogels (synthetic and naturally derived) as scaffolds for bioprinting aimed at tissue-on-a-chip studies. In addition, non-hydrogel type materials such as polymer blends (including Polyurethane, PCL-PLLA), shape memory polymers and nanocomposites with nanowire inclusions will also be targeted. The 3D-printed constructs will include biological neural network development, dose optimization/ minimization of small molecule based therapeutics and enhanced dielectric energy storage and energy harvesting for energy related applications. The LOP technology can easily enable printing of soft structures (such as tissues) which provides needed exploration of biomaterial with advantageous properties than currently possible. The instrument will support multidisciplinary, team-based opportunities involving Engineering faculty at UTEP and faculty from other scientific disciplines and help establish new critical regional collaborations within the state of Texas and neighboring New Mexico. The technology and hands-on use of this printer will be incorporated into existing or new courses with laboratory component, exposing nearly 100 students annually to this technology. It will strengthen outreach to the community, local middle- and high-school students. It will lead to new industry-academic collaborations benefiting both the scientific community at UTEP and industry, nationwide.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.