Abstract

Bioinspired-Fabrication Towards Replicating Tissue Functions

Yan Yan Shery Huang, University Lecturer in Bioengineering, University of Cambridge

Emerging devices created at the bio-abio interfaces calls for new fabrication processes that can integrate a wider choice of biological and synthetic materials, combined with delivery of complexity in feature sizes, structures and functionalities.

Herein, we explore various bioinspired fabrication approaches to replicate the cross-length scale, and multi-material nature of tissue functions. At the extracellular matrix (nano/ micro feature) length-scale, 3D fibre patterning was used to create fibrillar structures in multiple arrays with designable orientations. We demonstrate biological applications utilising the fibers’ topography to guide the assembly of cellular aggregates in a 3D culture context; and optoelectronic applications showing ‘floating’ fibre-array electronics. Spanning to the cellular and organ-scale, embedded printing is employed to structure soft materials, such as elastomers and hydrogels. By formulating the ‘supporting bath’ and ‘sacrificial ink’ compositions, we show that soft materials can be tailor-made for their external shapes and internal architectures (such as porosity). Applications in creating heterogeneous material integration to mimic the tissue microenvironments, and dissecting the impedance properties of human cochlea, are demonstrated.