Capstone Proposal: Bioprinting

Leif Torgerson
Spring 2016

Contents
Issue: .................................................................................................................................................3
Objective: ..........................................................................................................................................3
Research Methods: .............................................................................................................................3
Resources:..........................................................................................................................................4
Expected Findings: .............................................................................................................................4
Timeline: ...........................................................................................................................................5
Expenses: ...........................................................................................................................................5
Implications: ......................................................................................................................................5
If reading the digital version, the table will link to the various sections

Issue:
The present inability to create an operational vascular system in 3D Bioprinted tissues, which
significantly limits the size and scale of viable bioprinted tissues due to an inability to diffuse
nutrients and waste.

Objective:
The main goal of this project would be to create or design a system capable of printing, at the
very least, tissues with rudimentary vascular systems capable of diffusing waste and nutrients.
This would benefit the biomedical field in allowing for the creation of larger, healthier tissues,
and open the door to more complex tissues in the future. As a side benefit, the inherent increase
in printing precision would also allow for higher quality, refined prints at higher resolutions,
further improving the technology. Due to the need for printing multiple types of cells, for veins
and the surrounding tissue, the ability to accurately print multiple types of cells in the same print
would further improve the usefulness of the technology.

Research Methods:
I have already completed research about the challenges involved in modern bioprinting and
development of future systems, using sources such as Ibrahim Ozbolat and Yin Yus Bioprinting
Towards Organ Fabrication: Challenges and Future Trends and C. Ventolas Medical
Applications for 3D Printing: Current and Projected Uses for information. Ozbolat and Yus
work highlight issues that must be addressed going forwards with attempts to bioprint tissues and
organs, and Ventolas highlights potential uses for further developed bioprinting technology. In
addition to this research, prior experience with 3D Printers, which are, on a basic level, identical
to bioprinters, will aid the project immensely.

Resources:
Bioprinting development requires not only a sterile lab environment, but a relatively
sophisticated workshop, as well as printing medium and materials. For basic prototype testing,
the UHMC biology lab would work as a lab. As for the workshop, I plan to collaborate once
more with The Maui Makers, Mauis maker and hacker association. (I have collaborated with
The Maui Makers on projects in the past, so arranging one more should not be an issue.) Once
basic prototyping is complete, the UH Manoa biology lab will be used for more complete testing
and tweaking. As there are no state regulations on importing and using stem cells, stem cells and
hydrogel alginate (the printing medium) can be bought online and shipped here; the biology labs
facilities will be used to keep the stem cells viable in between testing. As I already have access to
a standard 3D printer, non-metallic parts of the bioprinter can be printed, requiring access to 3D
printing filament, which can also be bought online and shipped. Finally, either a standard 3D
printer, or the parts needed to build one from scratch, will be required. Modifying from a
standard 3D printer would be easier and less risky, but custom-building from scratch would be
cheaper and allow for customizations.

Expected Findings:
I expect my modified bioprinter to be capable of printing rudimentary vascular systems in
tissues, vastly increasing potential tissue size, variety, and viability in the future of bioprinting.
At present, I have no specific type of tissue in mind; the ability to print veins is my focus.

Timeline:
August 22,
2016
Begin research
and resource
arrangements

September
1, 2016
Begin
prototyping

October 1,
2016

October 15,
2016

November
15, 2016

December
1, 2016

Ja nuary 1,
2017

Ja nuary 15,
2017

February 15,
2017

Test prototype
A & redesign

Revise
prototype
based on
updated design

Test prototype
B & redesign

Revise
prototype
based on
updated design

Test prototype
C, redesign,
begin making
arrangements
with UH
Manoa

Revise
prototype
based on
updated design

Move to UH
Manoa, indepth testing
and tweaking
of system

Ma rch 1,
2017
Collect and
report results

Expenses:
Item
3D Printing Filament
Hydrogel Alginate
Stem Cells & Mediums
3D Printer
Transport to Oahu
Room & Board on Oahu
Unforseen Costs
Total

Price (Estimate)
$50
$100
$2000
$1000
$220
$1050
$580
$5000.00

Implications:
One of the biggest barriers to current bioprinting technologies is an inability to print vascular
systems. Being able to do so would allow for thicker, larger, tissues, able to use the vascular
system to exchange nutrients and waste rather than diffusing through thin tissue layers, clearing
the path to complete organs and complex tissues, and, in the future, affordable medical
transplants the ability to print new organs, rather than transplanting from a donor, would
greatly reduce the price of organ transplants, as well as raising the availability of vital organs
(hearts, livers, etc.) which cannot be donated by a living donor. In short, the ability to bioprint
vascular systems would revolutionize the technology as we know it.