3D Printing Polyesters, Hydrogels and Composites for Medical Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Many issues have been encountered in replacing or regenerating organs from organ transplants due to potential risks of complications, limited donors, biological compatibility, and injuries due to body rejection. Today, numerous strategies to replace tissues and organs use synthetic and biological materials. Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology using commercial or homemade printing plotters has been applied to solve limitations in the traditional manner in which such materials are assembled. 3D printing has been used to rapidly manufacture personalized tissue engineering scaffolds, repair tissue defects in situ with cells, and even directly print tissue and organs. Such printed implants and organs not only perfectly match the patient’s damaged tissue but can also have engineered material microstructures and cell arrangements to promote cell growth and differentiation. Thus, such implants allow for desirable tissue repair and can solve donor-shortage problems. In this Special Issue, we will assemble original research and review papers from experts worldwide discussing recent progress, strategies, problems, and case studies using 3D printing and bioprinting technology for tissue engineering purposes.  It will also include papers on the future of 3D printing (such as emerging work in 4D printing in which the 4th dimension is time to change the shape of 3D-printed scaffolds after implantation to ensure success), as well as promises and pitfalls of such research.

Prof. Anderson de Oliveira Lobo
Prof. Thomas Jay Webster
Guest Editors

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