Methods and apparatus for computer-aided tissue engineering for modeling, design and freeform fabrication of tissue scaffolds, constructs, and devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965656-B2
Application number	US-201514924801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Nov 14, 2003
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

One aspect of the invention provides a method for multi-nozzle biopolymer deposition of heterogeneous materials to create or modify a composite biopolymer multi-part three-dimensional assembly having at least one biomimetic and at least one non-biomimetic feature. The method includes: (a) utilizing a CAD environment to design and/or modify a composite multi-part assembly, thereby producing a CAD design; (b) converting the CAD design into a three-dimensional heterogeneous material and multi-part assembly model in a format suitable for three-dimensional, multi-nozzle printing, wherein the design comprises at least one biomimetic feature and at least one non-biomimetic feature; and (c) printing the composite assembly by simultaneously depositing the heterogeneous materials using multiple, different, specialized nozzles, wherein the simultaneous depositing includes direct deposition of cells.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for multi-nozzle biopolymer deposition of heterogeneous materials to create or modify a composite biopolymer multi-part three-dimensional assembly having at least one biomimetic and at least one non-biomimetic feature, the method comprising:
(a) utilizing a CAD environment to design and/or modify a composite multi-part assembly, thereby producing a CAD design;
(b) converting the CAD design into a three-dimensional heterogeneous material and multi-part assembly model in a format suitable for three-dimensional, multi-nozzle printing, wherein the design comprises at least one biomimetic feature and at least one non-biomimetic feature; and
(c) printing the composite assembly by simultaneously depositing the heterogeneous materials using multiple, different, specialized nozzles, wherein the simultaneous depositing includes direct deposition of cells and biological factors.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing step includes performing at least one Boolean operation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing step includes performing at least one scaling operation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing step includes performing at least one smoothing operation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing step includes performing at least one mirroring operation.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the composite biopolymer multi-part three-dimensional assembly is one or more selected from the group consisting of: a tissue engineering device, an artificial organ, a tissue scaffold, an artificial vasculature or channel system, and a cytotoxicity testing sample.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the composite biopolymer multi-part three-dimensional assembly is a biochip.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the composite biopolymer multi-part three-dimensional assembly is a biosensor.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the composite biopolymer multi-part three-dimensional assembly is a scaffold selected from the group consisting of: a bionic scaffold, a cybernetic scaffold, a mechanoactive, and a bioactive tissue scaffold.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printing step includes:
controlling an ultraviolet-radiation-emitting nozzle to deliver ultraviolet energy to speed solidification of the one or more deposited heterogeneous materials.

Assignees

• Univ Drexel

Inventors

• Sun Wei
• Nam Jae Hyun
• Darling Andrew Leete
• Khalil Saif

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• A61K47/36

  Polysaccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. gums, starch, alginate, dextrin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, inulin, agar or pectin · CPC title

• B29C41/52

  Measuring, controlling or regulating · CPC title

• C12N2533/74

  Alginate · CPC title

• C12N5/0691

  Vascular smooth muscle cells; 3D culture thereof, e.g. models of blood vessels · CPC title