In-situ biofunctionalisation for additive manufacturing

结合活细胞打印的增材制造可以创建模拟生物学的分层、多组分结构。然而，目前缺乏包括空间分离的生物线索的能力。该项目将开发等离子笔模块，在打印时选择性地使表面和界面功能化，使用坚固的固定水凝胶和生物信号分子来指导细胞行为。预期的结果是一种绿色技术，使制造结构能够复制体内细胞的天然环境，为药物发现和再生医学提供最佳功效，并为澳大利亚生物医学部门带来重大利益。

Additive manufacturing that incorporates printing of live cells can create hierarchical, multi-component structures that mimic biology. However, an ability to include spatially segregated biological cues is currently lacking. This project will develop plasma pen modules to selectively functionalise surfaces and interfaces, as they are being printed, with robustly immobilised hydrogels and biological signalling molecules to direct cell behaviour. The expected outcome is a green technology enabling the fabrication of structures that replicate the native environments of cells in the body to provide optimal efficacy in drug discovery and regenerative medicine, and significant benefits for the Australian biomedical sector.