Advanced 3D Cell Culture Technologies and Formats—3rd Edition
A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Regenerative Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 219
Editors
Interests: 3D cell culture; bioreactors; tissue engineering; biomaterials; stem cells; cell expansion and differentiation; dynamic cultivation; hypoxia
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: biomicrofluidics; lab-on-a-chip; cell culture technology; bioengineering; continuous bioprocessing; organ-on-chip; additive manufacturing; miniaturized analytical systems; point-of-care diagnostics; biosensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Tissue engineering, bioprinting, bioassembly, and microfluidic engineering deliver complex and functionally mature 3D tissues that closely emulate native microenvironments. From multi-material bioprinting to microphysiological systems with integrated sensors, engineering advances are rapidly enhancing cell functionality and the manufacture of cellular products. At the same time, as 3D culture moves toward clinical use, there is an urgent need for scalable, standardized, and automated workflows. Advances in bioreactor design and analytics are enabling the reproducible production of therapeutic cells, while emerging standards are raising the bar for comparability and transparency.
This Special Issue will highlight the recent breakthroughs in 3D cell culture systems that are driving therapeutic development, disease modeling, and high-throughput screening. Additionally, it will feature culturing methods that will enhance cell function, enable scalable production, and ensure consistent results while accelerating clinical translation.
Therefore, we invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and methods regarding novel 3D cell culture technologies and advanced culturing platforms. These submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Advanced 3D culture formats: Aggregates, spheroids, organoids, tumoroids, and organ-on-chip platforms.
- Scaffold-based and scaffold-free platforms; synthetic ECMs, dynamic and stimuli-responsive hydrogels, and decellularized matrices.
- Three-dimensional cell culture formats in the context of in vitro test systems (3R concept).
- Novel bioreactors and closed/automated GMP-compatible systems.
- Scale-up and manufacturing of cells and extracellular vesicles; processing analytical technologies and in-line sensors.
- Cryopreservation, shipping, and storage strategies for cells and cellular products.
- Regulatory science, standardization, and reporting frameworks.
Prof. Dr. Cornelia Kasper
Prof. Dr. Janina Bahnemann
Guest Editors
Name: Dr. Oscar Fabian García-Aponte
Guest Editor Assistant
Affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Interests: biotechnology; bioengineering; bioprocess engineering; 3D cell culture; tissue engineering; bioreactors; stem cell manufacturing; stem cells; biomaterials; hydrogels
Name: Dr. Isita Sagar
Guest Editor Assistant
Affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Interests: 3D culture; hydrogel development; bioreactor culture and differentiation; MSC culture and differentiation; MSC immunomodulation; cell-based therapies
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Bioengineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- 3D cell culture
- bioreactors
- tissue engineering
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