Abstract

What Can Biofabrication do for Space and what can Space do for Biofabrication?

Lorenzo Moroni, Professor in Biofabrication for Regenerative Medicine, Chair of Complex Tissue Regeneration Department, Maastricht University & MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine

Biofabrication in space, and in particular bioprinting, is one of the novel promising and perspective research directions in the rapidly emerging field of space biomedical sciences. There are several advantages of bioprinting in space. First, under the conditions of microgravity (µg), it is possible to bioprint constructs employing more fluidic channels and, thus, more biocompatible bioinks. Second, µg conditions enable 3D bioprinting of tissue and organ constructs of more complex geometries with voids, cavities, and tunnels. Third, a novel scaffold-free, label-free, and nozzle-free technology based on multi-levitation principles can be implemented under the condition of µg. The ideal space bioprinters must be safe, automated, compact, and user friendly. Thus, there are no doubts that systematic exploration of 3D bioprinting in space will advance biofabrication and bioprinting technology per se. Vice versa 3D bioprinted tissues could be used to study pathophysiological biological phenomena, when exposed to µg and cosmic radiation that will be useful on Earth to understand ageing conditioning of tissues, and in space for the crew of deep space manned missions. Here, we provide some leading concepts on what mutual benefit can be drawn by the application of biofabrication technologies in space, and sketch a future scenario where such marriage could enable advancements in space biological programs and of our ageing society.