Associate Professor University of Florida, Florida, United States
The pharmaceutical industry needs reliable 3D microtissue culture systems that are relatively high throughput, stable for ≥ 14 to 28 days, reproducible & transferable, able to be assessed by meaningful endpoints, capable of human dose/exposure prediction, and able to differentiate good compounds from bad for efficacy and safety. To address this critical need, in this talk we will present results from the development and testing of an in vitro liver tissue model for use in toxicological investigation. We will show that by combining 3D bioprinting with new 3D culture materials, we created reproducible cellular structures that remain viable over the course of at least 21 days and exhibit function comparable to human liver tissue. Future stages of this project include toxicological tests and improved systems for tissue manufacturing, maturation and monitoring. The successful completion of this project, focused on 3D liver tissue models, will establish guidelines and best practices for predictable and repeatable tissue assembly and maturation culture more broadly in tissue-engineered manufactured products.
