Scientists have developed a coffee-machine-sized 3D bioprinter that produces humanlike tissue in a move they hope can 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.
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.