3D Printing for Biomedical Applications: Latest Advances and Prospects

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are now one of the main trends in the field of new technological solutions. These technologies are often considered to be one of the pillars of the fourth Industrial Revolution. The use of computer-aided design (CAD) methods to generate models with complex geometry takes this technology to the next level of automated production of highly repeatable parts. AM technologies offer many techniques that vary depending on the material used.

One of the AM techniques is the three-dimensional printing (3DP) of biomaterials, which can be an interesting alternative for the production of allogeneic tissue and organ transplants in the case of donor and organ shortages. The ever-increasing demand for personalized implants and tissue scaffolds requires the use of advanced biomaterials and processes to produce three-dimensional (3D) structures that resemble the complexity of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In recent years, the use of living cells in additive technologies (ATs) has aroused increasing interest. Such 3D biomaterial structures show high functional similarity to natural tissues and organs.

Interesting possibilities are provided by the use of hydrogels in AT. Hydrogels, which resemble biological ECMs, can provide cells with mechanical support to control their behavior. Therefore, striving for the mechanical tissue integrity of the produced scaffolds has become a fundamental research issue for three-dimensional hydrogel structures. 3D-printed nanocomposites (NCs) are constantly being modified to introduce new 3DP techniques for hydrogel-based materials, their properties, and biomedical applications.

The pharmaceutical industry is an example of such new applications of 3DP. Hydrogels can be easily modified through physicochemical reactions to obtain specific functional properties and structures tailored to the respective application. Properties such as solubility and degradation make hydrogel bioinks suitable for use in drug delivery systems (DDSs). Appropriately selected methods of administering such drugs (often individualized) minimize side effects and maximize their effectiveness. 3DP can replace traditional drug manufacturing techniques, as it enables the fabrication of complex shapes that can meet individual patient needs while improving compliance and accessibility, using a wide variety of materials.

Despite such promising results, 3DP is still in its early stages and has yet to overcome many material and technological challenges before it can meet current clinical and industrial needs. The efforts of researchers are focused mainly on the development and optimization of technology and the target production process.

This Special Issue is a place to exchange scientific experiences in the field of 3D printing for medical applications, taking into account various applications, with a vision of clinical research and an industrial approach. Authors are encouraged to publish original research, review articles, and messages presenting advances in 3D-printing technologies in the field of creating tissue and organ models, or innovative applications in personalized medicine, pharmacy, and biosensors.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following research areas:

• Innovative materials as bioinks for research and clinical applications;
• The use of 3D printing in regenerative medicine;
• 3D modeling of tissues, organs, or diseases for use in novel pharmacological and hybrid therapies;
• The use of 3D printing for the production of drugs, including personalized ones;
• New material formulations and composite materials;
• Mechanical properties of materials for 3D printing;
• 3D diagnostic models related to lab-on-a-chip;
• Material performance standards and data exchange formats.

Dr. Patrycja Szymczyk-Ziółkowska
Prof. Dr. Jerzy Detyna
Guest Editors

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• additive manufacturing
• 3D bioprinting
• biofabrication
• tissue engineering
• regenerative medicine
• bioink
• cell printing
• organoids
• personalized medicine
• tissue models
• custom-made tissues and organs
• nanocomposites
• lab-on-a-chip
• drug delivery systems
• hydrogels
• advanced materials