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3-D-printed human cells - Biotech's Future
Nano3D Biosciences Inc., a small business funded by the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research program, uses a magnetic 3-D bioprinting technology to reimagine cell culture models and tissue engineering.
Hubert Tseng, senior scientist at Nano3D Biosciences, Inc., explains the technology and its potentially transformative applications in this video.
According to Tseng, he and his team magnetize the cells, and then use magnetism to print those cells into micro-tissues. He explains that they use a solution called "nanoshuttle," which consists of magnetic nanoparticles that attach to the cells to magnetize them. They can then print the magnetized cells into shapes by changing the shape of the magnet.
In one experiment, Tseng describes taking induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocites -- essentially heart cells -- magnetizing and printing them into a sphere. The cells started beating. This technique offers an advantage over 2-D cell models that wouldn't beat in the same way, he says.
Tseng says NSF funding has been vital because his team is tackling fundamental research challenges. Current 3-D cell culture systems "suffer from technical issues such as ease of handling, exchange of media, things that are important for cell culture and cell maintenance."
Future applications for this technology could transform wound healing and regenerative medicine.
Learn more about Nano3D Bioscience, Inc. and the NSF SBIR program. Watch other NSF-funded biotech stories.
Date originally posted: Nov. 24, 2015
Credit: NSF
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