The bioprinter costs only $624 to build, and the device is still under development, but has reached the necessary level of precision to produce fine biological material.
Researchers at Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have used Lego to create a printer capable of creating human tissue samples. This was reported by Science Alert.
Obtaining human tissue samples for biological research is not always easy, scientists say. And it’s not just that their number is limited. The availability of tissue samples of a specific size and type is also limited. In addition, the equipment is quite expensive, so the experts decided to save the research budget and assemble the device from designer parts.
Scientists have noticed that Lego parts are very cheap and versatile, and also have high-precision standardized parts and, most importantly, are available worldwide.
The scientists built a workshop in the corner of their lab, using standard Lego bricks, their mechanical sub-brand Lego Mindstorms, and a lab pump commonly used in research labs. A team of engineers and biologists worked on the project to create a bioprinter, and as a result, they succeeded.
The advent of 3D bioprinting has provided a potential solution to the problem of obtaining tissue samples. This technology involves loading “bio-ink” containing living cells into a cartridge.
That, in turn, is loaded into the bioprinter. Once programmed, the bioprinter prints the cell-filled bioink, forming 3D structures that aim to mimic the complex structure of biological tissue.
It was previously reported that chemical engineers from Korea have developed a way to turn carbon dioxide into a bioplastic.
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Source: korrespondent
I am Ben Stock, a passionate and experienced digital journalist working in the news industry. At the Buna Times, I write articles covering technology developments and related topics. I strive to provide reliable information that my readers can trust. My research skills are top-notch, as well as my ability to craft engaging stories on timely topics with clarity and accuracy.