Journal article

Development of the Biopen: A handheld device for surgical printing of adipose stem cells at a chondral wound site

CD O'Connell, C Di Bella, F Thompson, C Augustine, S Beirne, R Cornock, CJ Richards, J Chung, S Gambhir, Z Yue, J Bourke, B Zhang, A Taylor, A Quigley, R Kapsa, P Choong, GG Wallace

Biofabrication | IOP PUBLISHING LTD | Published : 2016

Abstract

We present a new approach which aims to translate freeform biofabrication into the surgical field, while staying true to the practical constraints of the operating theatre. Herein we describe the development of a handheld biofabrication tool, dubbed the 'biopen', which enables the deposition of living cells and biomaterials in a manual, direct-write fashion. A gelatin-methacrylamide/hyaluronic acid-methacrylate (GelMa/HAMa) hydrogel was printed and UV crosslinked during the deposition process to generate surgically sculpted 3D structures. Custom titanium nozzles were fabricated to allow printing of multiple ink formulations in a collinear (side-by-side) geometry. Independently applied extrus..

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Scheme


Funding Acknowledgements

Funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Scheme (Project Number CE 140100012) is gratefully acknowledged. The biopen has been developed with the design and additive fabrication resources of the ANFF (Australian National Fabrication Facility) Materials node. GelMa and HAMa materials were also obtained from the ANFF Materials Node.