FRESH Bioprinting Breakthrough Enables Fully Biologic Vascularized Tissue Models.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have taken a major step toward creating functional, vascularized tissues using their groundbreaking Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) 3D bioprinting technique. This innovative approach enables the fabrication of soft, living tissues using biologic materials rather than traditional synthetic ones, offering new possibilities for disease modeling and regenerative medicine.

Led by Professor Adam Feinberg, the team at Carnegie Mellon's Feinberg Lab has successfully constructed a microphysiologic tissue system entirely from collagen—the body's most abundant protein. While collagen is widely known for its role in skin health, it also provides crucial structural support to nearly all organs and tissues. Until now, such systems—also known as organ-on-a-chip or microfluidic models—were typically created using synthetic substances like silicone or plastic, limiting their biological relevance.

"Now, we can build microfluidic systems in the Petri dish entirely out of collagen, cells, and other proteins, with unprecedented structural resolution and fidelity," said Feinberg, a professor of biomedical engineering and materials science. "Most importantly, these models are fully biologic, which means cells function better."

In a study published in Science Advances, the researchers demonstrated how the improved FRESH technique enables the creation of complex vascularized tissue constructs. Notably, the team succeeded in printing a pancreatic-like tissue with blood vessel-like channels as small as 100 microns in diameter—structures essential for delivering nutrients and supporting tissue function. This tissue model also showed the ability to release insulin in response to glucose, mimicking the natural function of a pancreas and offering potential for treating Type 1 diabetes.

Daniel Shiwarski, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh and former postdoctoral fellow in the Feinberg lab, emphasized the technological advancements behind the achievement. "With a single-step fabrication process, we produced perfusable collagen-based CHIPS in a variety of intricate designs that surpass the resolution and fidelity of any previously known bioprinting method," he explained. By integrating multiple biologic materials—including extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors, and cell-loaded bioinks—into a customized bioreactor system, the team was able to generate centimeter-scale constructs with therapeutic potential.

This technology is being commercialized through FluidForm Bio, a Carnegie Mellon spinout. According to Dr. Andrew Hudson, Director of Tissue Therapeutics at FluidForm Bio, the team has already demonstrated success in curing Type 1 diabetes in animal models and plans to launch human clinical trials in the near future.

Feinberg highlighted the collaborative nature of the project, noting, "Team-based science, drawing from biology to materials science, is crucial to the success of this kind of innovation and to its broader societal impact."

Looking ahead, the research team is focusing on integrating machine learning and computational modeling to refine what kinds of tissues to print for maximum therapeutic benefit. "We’re not asking whether we can build it anymore," Feinberg said. "Now, it's about what we build and how we ensure it functions exactly as intended in the human body."

The lab remains committed to open science, aiming to release open-source tools and designs so that other researchers worldwide can build on this technology to address a wide range of diseases and tissues.

Source:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250423163914.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.