This technology is a simplified method for engineering 3D customizable skin substitutes using a 3D printed bioreactor.
Engineering human skin substitutes holds great promise as a therapy for over one million patients with skin loss from burns, pressure injuries, diabetic ulcers, or genetic skin diseases, such as epidermolysis bullosa. However, most commercially available skin grafts come as small, flat, rectangular sheets that must be sutured together to cover larger wounds. Although a method for creating custom-shaped grafts has been developed, it involves complex manufacturing processes that depend on external pumps, which limits its practicality.
This technology describes a method for engineering 3D human skin substitutes capable of fitting any part of the body, including irregular surfaces like hands or faces, without requiring complex manufacturing processes. A 3D model of the desired skin shape is created, which is then used to 3D print a bioreactor where the skin will grow. The bioreactor is filled with a collagen gel mixture and cultured skin cells, allowing the gel to set. Afterward, additional skin cells are cultured, and the tissue is exposed to air, promoting the formation of dermal and epidermal layers. This technology enables simple, cost-effective, and accessible methods for creating 3D skin substitutes, with widespread applications in burn treatment, trauma medicine, wound healing, regenerative medicine, and disease modeling.
This technology has been validated with mice hindlimbs.
Patent Pending
IR CU24168
Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu