Need

3D bioprinting is a powerful technology that can produce 3D biomedical structures, artificial tissues and organs imitating the critical characteristics of a natural tissues or organs. The lack of ideal bioinks is one of the main bottlenecks limiting the progress of bioprinting.

Solution

3D CelluGel is nanocellulose based bioink. Our solution includes a methacrylation step where a photo- cross-linkable functionality is added to nanocellulose. Upon photocuring, it leads to a long-term stable 3D scaffold with a tuneable mechanical stiffness, an important customizable parameter for a broad range of cell lines in in vitro 3D cell culture research.

Applications

3D cell culturing and 3D cancer cell research.

Unique benefits

• Tuneability optimized for in vitro 3D cell culture model or tissue equivalent research
• Good porosity and viscoelastic 3D scaffolds properties to support cells´ activities
• Mechanical fragmentation of 3D CelluGel into microgels providing more room to promote the activity of encapsulated cells
• Suitable for different printing technologies like extrusion, volumetric tomography and DLP printing

Team

3D CelluGel team from the Laboratory of Natural Materials Technology (NMT) and Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory develops novel nanocellulose-based bioinks utilizing the biomaterial from the Finnish natural resources, forests.

Professor Chunlin Xu (PI)
Academy Research Fellow Dr. Xiaoju Wang (co-PI)
Ms. Marjo Lehtinen (Business Champion)

The 3D CelluGel project, co-funded by Business Finland (R2B), includes the preparation of commercialization of the research outcome. Our innovative approach will provide a highly profitable value-chain for bio-based economy and provides new health promoting applications. We strive to make our innovation as globally recognized 3D bioink products and services.