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Bioengineering
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Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and...
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Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors

A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanobiotechnology and Biofabrication".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 14189

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Karthik K. Tappa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Anatomic 3D Printing and Visualization Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: 3D printing; AR/VR; 3D-printed implants; bioprinting; biomaterials; biodegradable polymers; tissue engineering; antibiotics; chemotherapeutics; patient-specific drug delivery
Dr. Udayabhanu Jammalamadaka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biomaterials Lab, BioScience Research Collaborative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005-1827, USA
Interests: 3D printing; biomaterials; biodegradable polymers; tissue engineering; antibiotics; chemotherapeutics; patient-specific drug delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent advances in 3D-printable biomaterials and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have enabled numerous novel applications in the medical and healthcare sectors, especially in the clinical, pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. Their most popular applications include the bioprinting of scaffolds, tissues and organs; patient-specific anatomical models and surgical guides; custom implants; and AR/VR in healthcare. The emergence of novel biodegradable and biocompatible materials that mimic native cells and tissues has enabled more controlled and efficient bioprinting of complex scaffolds with intricate vasculature. The customizability, greater degree of spatial control and accurate low-volume dispensability of 3D printing systems have enabled the development of numerous AM-based drug delivery systems, leading to tremendous breakthroughs in the pharmaceutical sector. With the increased affordability and wider availability of this technology, point-of-care facilities have increasingly adopted it for use in patient-specific 3D model production.

Although 3D printing is now widely used in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, there still exist numerous challenges with respect to selected material availability, printing technology defiance, QA/QC, regulations and safety. The aim of this Special Issue is to spotlight original research papers and review articles that focus on the development of novel biomaterials/polymers for use with various 3D printing technologies in clinical, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. This Special Issue also aims to assemble worldwide expert investigations on novel technological advancements in AM, and to highlight its newly emerging biomedical applications.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • Novel functional biomaterials for bioprinting;
  • The bioprinting of scaffolds, tissues and organs;
  • 3D-printed bioactive materials for drug-delivery applications;
  • 3D-printed biomedical and surgical devices;
  • 3D-printed anatomical models for patient/trainee education and perioperative planning;
  • 3D-printed patient-specific surgical guides and custom implants;
  • CAD/CAM and AR/VR in surgical planning.

Dr. Karthik K. Tappa
Dr. Udayabhanu Jammalamadaka
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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 printing
  • bioprinting
  • bioactive materials
  • bioink
  • anatomical models
  • surgical guides
  • patient-specific implants
  • 3D-printed drug delivery systems
  • 3D-printed biomedical devices

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 4985 KiB  
Article
Simulation of a Custom-Made Temporomandibular Joint—An Academic View on an Industrial Workflow
by Annchristin Andres, Kerstin Wickert, Elena Gneiting, Franziska Binmoeller, Stefan Diebels and Michael Roland
Bioengineering 2025, 12(5), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12050545 - 20 May 2025
Abstract
Temporomandibular joint replacement is a critical intervention for severe temporomandibular joint disorders, enhancing pain levels, jaw function and overall quality of life. In this study, we compare two finite element method-based simulation workflows from both academic and industrial perspectives, focusing on a patient-specific [...] Read more.
Temporomandibular joint replacement is a critical intervention for severe temporomandibular joint disorders, enhancing pain levels, jaw function and overall quality of life. In this study, we compare two finite element method-based simulation workflows from both academic and industrial perspectives, focusing on a patient-specific case involving a custom-made temporomandibular joint prosthesis. Using computed tomography data and computer-aided design data, we generated different 3D models and performed mechanical testing, including wear and static compression tests. Our results indicate that the academic workflow, which is retrospective, purely image-based and applied post-operatively, produced peak stress values within 9–20% of those obtained from the industrial workflow. The industrial workflow is prospective, pre-operative, computer-aided design-based and guided by stringent regulatory standards and approval protocols. Observed differences between workflows were attributed primarily to distinct modelling assumptions, simplifications and constraints inherent in each method. To explicitly quantify these differences, multiple additional models were generated within the academic workflow using partial data from the industrial process, revealing specific sources of variation in stress distribution and implant performance. The findings underscore the potential of patient-specific simulations not only to refine temporomandibular joint prosthesis design and enhance patient outcomes, but also to highlight the interplay between academic research methodologies and industrial standards in the development of medical devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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16 pages, 2888 KiB  
Article
Advanced Silicon Modeling of Native Mitral Valve Physiology: A New Standard for Device and Procedure Testing
by Katell Delanoë, Erwan Salaun, Régis Rieu, Nancy Côté, Philippe Pibarot and Viktória Stanová
Bioengineering 2025, 12(4), 397; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12040397 - 7 Apr 2025
Viewed by 317
Abstract
Mitral valve regurgitation is among the most prevalent valvular heart diseases and increases with age. Percutaneous therapy has emerged for the management of mitral regurgitation in high surgical risk patients. However, the long-term consequences of these interventions are still not fully understood due [...] Read more.
Mitral valve regurgitation is among the most prevalent valvular heart diseases and increases with age. Percutaneous therapy has emerged for the management of mitral regurgitation in high surgical risk patients. However, the long-term consequences of these interventions are still not fully understood due to their novelty and the difficulty of developing a strategy specific to the patient’s anatomy and/or pathology. To optimize these outcomes, an in vitro patient-specific approach could provide important insights for the most suitable strategy to use according to the patient profile. To ensure the reliability of this in vitro approach, the aim of this study was to reproduce the physiological behavior of the healthy native mitral valve for future applications. To do so, different silicon combinations reproducing the physiological anatomy of a healthy mitral valve were developed and tested under physiological hemodynamic conditions in a cardiac simulator. The hemodynamic and biomechanical behaviors of each mitral valve model were analyzed and compared to the physiological values provided in the literature. This study identified EcoFlex 00-50 and DragonSkin 10 (Smooth-On Inc., Easton, PA, USA) as the optimal silicon combination resulting in physiological strain values and hemodynamic parameters. These findings could be useful for future patient-specific applications, helping in the optimization of percutaneous mitral valve therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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19 pages, 7776 KiB  
Article
Development of an Oral Epithelial Ex Vivo Organ Culture Model for Biocompatibility and Permeability Assessment of Biomaterials
by Foteini Machla, Chrysanthi Bekiari, Paraskevi Kyriaki Monou, Evangelia Kofidou, Astero Maria Theodosaki, Orestis L. Katsamenis, Vasileios Zisis, Maria Kokoti, Athina Bakopoulou, Dimitrios Fatouros and Dimitrios Andreadis
Bioengineering 2024, 11(10), 1035; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11101035 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1619
Abstract
In the present study, a customized device (Epi-ExPer) was designed and fabricated to facilitate an epithelial organ culture, allowing for controlled exposure to exogenous chemical stimuli and accommodating the evaluation of permeation of the tissue after treatment. The Epi-ExPer system was fabricated using [...] Read more.
In the present study, a customized device (Epi-ExPer) was designed and fabricated to facilitate an epithelial organ culture, allowing for controlled exposure to exogenous chemical stimuli and accommodating the evaluation of permeation of the tissue after treatment. The Epi-ExPer system was fabricated using a stereolithography (SLA)-based additive manufacturing (AM) method. Human and porcine oral epithelial mucosa tissues were inserted into the device and exposed to resinous monomers commonly released by dental restorative materials. The effect of these xenobiotics on the morphology, viability, permeability, and expression of relevant markers of the oral epithelium was evaluated. Tissue culture could be performed with the desired orientation of air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions, and exposure to xenobiotics was undertaken in a spatially guarded and reproducible manner. Among the selected monomers, HEMA and TEGDMA reduced tissue viability at high concentrations, while tissue permeability was increased by the latter. Xenobiotics affected the histological image by introducing the vacuolar degeneration of epithelial cells and increasing the expression of panCytokeratin (pCK). Epi-ExPer device offers a simple, precise, and reproducible study system to evaluate interactions of oral mucosa with external stimuli, providing a biocompatibility and permeability assessment tool aiming to an enhanced in vitro/ex vivo-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) that complies with European Union (EU) and Food and Durg Administration (FDI) policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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11 pages, 3279 KiB  
Article
Advances in Virtual Cutting Guide and Stereotactic Navigation for Complex Tumor Resections of the Sacrum and Pelvis: Case Series with Short-Term Follow-Up
by Takashi Hirase, Grant R. McChesney, Lawrence Garvin II, Karthik Tappa, Robert L. Satcher, Alexander F. Mericli, Laurence D. Rhines and Justin E. Bird
Bioengineering 2023, 10(12), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10121342 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1673
Abstract
Primary malignancies of the sacrum and pelvis are aggressive in nature, and achieving negative margins is essential for preventing recurrence and improving survival after en bloc resections. However, these are particularly challenging interventions due to the complex anatomy and proximity to vital structures. [...] Read more.
Primary malignancies of the sacrum and pelvis are aggressive in nature, and achieving negative margins is essential for preventing recurrence and improving survival after en bloc resections. However, these are particularly challenging interventions due to the complex anatomy and proximity to vital structures. Using virtual cutting guides to perform navigated osteotomies may be a reliable method for safely obtaining negative margins in complex tumor resections of the sacrum and pelvis. This study details the technique and presents short-term outcomes. Patients who underwent an en bloc tumor resection of the sacrum and/or pelvis using virtual cutting guides with a minimum follow-up of two years were retrospectively analyzed and included in this study. Preoperative computer-assisted design (CAD) was used to design osteotomies in each case. Segmentation, delineating the tumor from normal tissue, was performed by the senior author using preoperative CT scans and MRI. Working with a team of biomedical engineers, virtual surgical planning was performed to create osteotomy lines on the preoperative CT and overlaid onto the intraoperative CT. The pre-planned osteotomy lines were visualized as “virtual cutting guides” providing real-time stereotactic navigation. A precision ultrasound-powered cutting tool was then integrated into the navigation system and used to perform the osteotomies in each case. Six patients (mean age 52.2 ± 17.7 years, 2 males, 4 females) were included in this study. Negative margins were achieved in all patients with no intraoperative complications. Mean follow-up was 38.0 ± 6.5 months (range, 24.8–42.2). Mean operative time was 1229 min (range, 522–2063). Mean length of stay (LOS) was 18.7 ± 14.5 days. There were no cases of 30-day readmissions, 30-day reoperations, or 2-year mortality. One patient was complicated by flap necrosis, which was successfully treated with irrigation and debridement and primary closure. One patient had local tumor recurrence at final follow-up and two patients are currently undergoing treatment for metastatic disease. Using virtual cutting guides to perform navigated osteotomies is a safe technique that can facilitate complex tumor resections of the sacrum and pelvis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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23 pages, 9420 KiB  
Article
Design and Additive Manufacturing of Acetabular Implant with Continuously Graded Porosity
by Sumanta Mukherjee, Santanu Dhara and Partha Saha
Bioengineering 2023, 10(6), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10060675 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2130
Abstract
Porous structured metallic implants are preferable as bone graft substitutes due to their faster tissue integration mediated by bone in-growth and vascularization. The porous scaffolds/implants should also mimic the graded structure of natural bone to ensure a match of mechanical properties. This article [...] Read more.
Porous structured metallic implants are preferable as bone graft substitutes due to their faster tissue integration mediated by bone in-growth and vascularization. The porous scaffolds/implants should also mimic the graded structure of natural bone to ensure a match of mechanical properties. This article presents a method for designing a graded porous structured acetabular implant and identifies suitable parameters for manufacturing the model through additive manufacturing. The design method is based on slice-wise modification to ensure continuity of gradation. Modification of the slices was achieved through the binary image processing route. A geodesic dome-type design was adopted for developing the acetabular cup model from the graded porous structure. The model had a solid shell with the target porosity and pore size gradually changing from 65% and 950 µm, respectively, in the inner side to 75% and 650 µm, respectively, towards the periphery. The required dimensions of the unit structures and the combinations of pore structure and strut diameter necessary to obtain the target porosity and pore size were determined analytically. Suitable process parameters were identified to manufacture the model by Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) using Ti6Al4V powder after carrying out a detailed experimental study to minimize the variation of surface roughness and warping over different build angles of the strut structures. Dual-contour scanning was implemented to simplify the scan strategy. The minimum diameter of struts that could be manufactured using the selected scanning strategy and scanning parameters was found to be 375 µm. Finally, the model was built and from the micro-CT data, the porosities and pore sizes were found to be closely conforming to the designed values. The stiffness of the structures, as found from compression testing, was also found to match with that of human trabecular bone well. Further, the structure exhibited compliant bending-dominated behaviour under compressive loading. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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Review

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24 pages, 4908 KiB  
Review
Emerging Biomedical and Clinical Applications of 3D-Printed Poly(Lactic Acid)-Based Devices and Delivery Systems
by Allan John R. Barcena, Prashanth Ravi, Suprateek Kundu and Karthik Tappa
Bioengineering 2024, 11(7), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11070705 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3097
Abstract
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is widely used in the field of medicine due to its biocompatibility, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. Three-dimensional (3D) printing or the systematic deposition of PLA in layers has enabled the fabrication of customized scaffolds for various biomedical and clinical applications. In [...] Read more.
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is widely used in the field of medicine due to its biocompatibility, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. Three-dimensional (3D) printing or the systematic deposition of PLA in layers has enabled the fabrication of customized scaffolds for various biomedical and clinical applications. In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, 3D-printed PLA has been mostly used to generate bone tissue scaffolds, typically in combination with different polymers and ceramics. PLA’s versatility has also allowed the development of drug-eluting constructs for the controlled release of various agents, such as antibiotics, antivirals, anti-hypertensives, chemotherapeutics, hormones, and vitamins. Additionally, 3D-printed PLA has recently been used to develop diagnostic electrodes, prostheses, orthoses, surgical instruments, and radiotherapy devices. PLA has provided a cost-effective, accessible, and safer means of improving patient care through surgical and dosimetry guides, as well as enhancing medical education through training models and simulators. Overall, the widespread use of 3D-printed PLA in biomedical and clinical settings is expected to persistently stimulate biomedical innovation and revolutionize patient care and healthcare delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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35 pages, 11715 KiB  
Review
Medical 3D Printing Using Desktop Inverted Vat Photopolymerization: Background, Clinical Applications, and Challenges
by Parimal Patel, Kashish Dhal, Rajul Gupta, Karthik Tappa, Frank J. Rybicki and Prashanth Ravi
Bioengineering 2023, 10(7), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10070782 - 30 Jun 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4517
Abstract
Medical 3D printing is a complex, highly interdisciplinary, and revolutionary technology that is positively transforming the care of patients. The technology is being increasingly adopted at the Point of Care (PoC) as a consequence of the strong value offered to medical practitioners. One [...] Read more.
Medical 3D printing is a complex, highly interdisciplinary, and revolutionary technology that is positively transforming the care of patients. The technology is being increasingly adopted at the Point of Care (PoC) as a consequence of the strong value offered to medical practitioners. One of the key technologies within the medical 3D printing portfolio enabling this transition is desktop inverted Vat Photopolymerization (VP) owing to its accessibility, high quality, and versatility of materials. Several reports in the peer-reviewed literature have detailed the medical impact of 3D printing technologies as a whole. This review focuses on the multitude of clinical applications of desktop inverted VP 3D printing which have grown substantially in the last decade. The principles, advantages, and challenges of this technology are reviewed from a medical standpoint. This review serves as a primer for the continually growing exciting applications of desktop-inverted VP 3D printing in healthcare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Additive Manufacturing Technologies in the Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sectors)
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