Skeletal muscle tissue (SMT), the body’s largest organ by mass, plays a vital role in movement, posture, breathing, overall physiology and energy homeostasis. However, genetic disorders, diseases, injuries, and aging can impair this essential organ, significantly impacting health and quality of life. Traditional 3D culture systems have struggled to replicate the complex structure and functionality of native muscle tissue, particularly at larger, centimeter scales. Using advanced bioprinting technologies, Dr. Miriam Filippi and her group from the Soft Robotics Laboratory (led by Prof. Robert Katzschmann at ETH Zurich) have developed biohybrid SMT constructs that effectively mimic native muscle tissue.

There is a rising need of platelet units, which is primarily sourced from healthy donors. However, the natural production of platelets coupled with the brief shelf life does not meet the demand by the healthcare industry. Prof. Alessandra Balduini and her team at the University of Pavia are taking this challenge head-on by initiating the EIC Transition SILKink project, which aims to produce a groundbreaking platform that combines the use of natural silk and 3D bioprinting to recreate the environment of the human bone marrow where platelets are produced.

Heart valve disease is a significant global health issue, affecting millions of people and contributing to a substantial number of cardiovascular-related deaths. Traditional mechanical replacements, while life-saving, present several challenges, especially over time. Most mechanical valves do not grow or adapt with the patient’s body, leading to the need for multiple invasive surgeries. This not only poses inherent risks but also significantly impacts the patient’s quality of life. Issues such as blood clots, calcification, and severe inflammation further complicate the situation. These challenges become even more critical in pediatric cases, where conventional solutions, while still life-saving, may reduce life expectancy by up to 50%. Professor Savoji, Arman Jafari, a PhD student in his lab, and a dedicated team at the University of Montreal have employed bioprinting and their BIO X6 to address these challenges and develop a method to bioprint heart valve replacements.

We have interviewed Takaaki Arahira, the Associate Professor of the Department of Information Networks, Faculty of Management and Information Sciences at Kyushu Institute of Information Sciences.