Measurement of the mechanical properties of 3D printed scaffolds using ElastoSens Bio

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Rheolution is a private company that provides innovative solutions to current industrial challenges in materials development and characterization. Rheolution offers to customers around the world cost-effective and high added-value testing instruments for industrial quality and process control as well as research & development. The company has been actively involved in cheese, food and biomaterials industries since their incorporation in 2009. In particular, Rheolution has recently entered the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in which bioengineered tissue-like scaffolds are made from scaffolds and cells for drug screening and organ transplantation. Recently, three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising method for precisely depositing biomaterials, cells, and biological factors with exquisite control on their spatiotemporal distribution. However, optimizing the mechanical properties of 3D-printed scaffolds has remained a significant challenge as conventional methods including the use of tensile machines are destructive and cannot provide the full picture of the variations in the mechanical properties of scaffolds over time. As such, the overarching goal of this collaborative research and development proposal is to use the state-of-the-art non-destructive mechanical tester developed by Rheolution (ElastoBio Sens) to measure the mechanical properties of 3D-printed cell-laden scaffolds. We will use a multifaceted approach that combines bioprinting, material sciences, and cell biology to develop protocols for measurement of mechanical properties of cell-laden scaffolds made from an array of bioinks and cells. This technology will allow Rheolution to compete in the ever-increasing market of tissue engineering for drug discovery and organ transplantation. The proposed research is anticipated to result in significant economic gains for BC, QC, and Canada since the targeted technology applies to an emerging and strategic market. Innovations in this area can help reduce the costs associated with current drug development processes and cell-based therapies and transform the health and life sciences sectors.