Northwestern University

Ramille N Shah

Adam E Jakus

Nicholas R Geisendorfer

Mark C Hersam

Alexandra L Rutz

Samuel I Stupp

Scott A Barnett

Teresa K Woodruff

David C Dunand

Nikhita Mansukhani

Ethan B Secor

Matthew Grayson

Linda M Guiney

Nirav A Shah

Katie D Koube

Shannon L Taylor

Monica M Laronda

Jun Peng

Zhan Gao

Provided herein are inks including decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) particles and scaffolds made from the inks. Also provided are methods of making the scaffolds and applications for the scaffolds. In an embodiment, a porous scaffold comprises dECM particles and an elastomer, wherein the scaffold is planar having a thickness of about 100 μm or greater, the scaffold comprises irregularly shaped pores having a random orientation and distribution throughout the scaffold, and the scaffold is free of crosslinking between the molecular components of the scaffold.

Surgically-friendly tissue papers from organ-specific decellularized extracellular matrices

Compositions for forming porous materials and three-dimensional objects, including fibers, films and coatings made from the materials are provided. Also provided are methods for forming the porous objects from the compositions. The compositions include a solvent, a polymer binder that is soluble in the solvent, and solid particles that are insoluble in the solvent. The solid particles include water-soluble salt particles that can be selectively dissolved from objects made from the compositions to render the resulting structures porous.

Water-soluble salt particle containing compositions and porous materials made therefrom

Thermal management composites and scaffolds for heat-generating implantable electronic devices made from the thermal management composites are provided. The composite materials are cytocompatible, porous materials that include hexagonal boron nitride particles dispersed in an elastomeric polymer binder.

Flexible hexagonal boron nitride composites for additive manufacturing applications

Ink formulations comprising bioactive particles, methods of printing the inks into three-dimensional (3D) structures, and methods of making the inks are provided. Also provided are objects, such as tissue growth scaffolds and artificial bone, made from the inks, methods of forming the objects using 3D printing techniques, and method for growing tissue on the tissue growth scaffolds. The inks comprise a plurality of bioactive ceramic particles, a biocompatible polymer binder, optionally at least one bioactive factor, and a solvent.

Ceramic-containing bioactive inks and printing methods for tissue engineering applications

3D printable ink compositions for forming objects, films and coatings are provided. Also provided are methods of printing the ink compositions and methods for making the ink compositions. The ink compositions include an elastic polymer binder and may have high loadings of solid particles.

Ink compositions for three-dimensional printing and methods of forming objects using the ink compositions

Woven flexible thermoelectric fabrics are provided. The fabric is a woven material that includes a series of longitudinal threads interwoven with a series of transverse threads. Within the longitudinal series, the threads have a repeating thread pattern of an n-type thermoelectric thread, a p-type thermoelectric thread, and an insulating thread. Within the transverse series, the threads have a repeating thread pattern of a first double-sided thread with conducting side down and insulating side up, a second double-sided thread with conducting side down and insulating side up, and a third double-sided thread with conducting side up and insulating side down.

Flexible woven thermoelectric fabrics for thermal management

Provided herein are inks including decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) particles and scaffolds made from the inks. Also provided are methods of making the scaffolds and applications for the scaffolds. In an embodiment, a porous scaffold comprises dECM particles and an elastomer, wherein the scaffold is planar having a thickness of about 100 &#x3bc;m or greater, the scaffold comprises irregularly shaped pores having a random orientation and distribution throughout the scaffold, and the scaffold is free of crosslinking between the molecular components of the scaffold.

Ink compositions for fabricating objects from planetary regoliths and objects fabricated from the ink compositions are provided. The objects include flexible, elastomeric objects and hard objects. Also provided are methods, including three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, for fabricating objects using the ink compositions. The ink compositions comprise a natural planetary regolith, such as an extraterrestrial regolith, a graded solvent system, and an elastomeric polymer binder.

Ink compositions for fabricating objects from regoliths and methods of forming the objects

Artificial ovaries comprising porous three-dimensional scaffolds are provided. Also provided are ink compositions and methods for printing the scaffolds. The artificial ovaries have spatial arrangements and cellular compositions that allow them to mimic native ovarian tissue. As such, they can be cultured or transplanted to support female endocrine function and/or the development of oocytes and/or eggs.

Artificial ovary

Electrically conducting, biocompatible, biodegradable tissue growth comprising graphene flakes in a polymeric matrix are provided.

Graphene-based ink compositions for three-dimensional printing applications

Solid oxide electrochemical devices, methods for making the electrochemical devices, and methods of using the electrochemical devices are provided. The electrochemical devices comprise a plurality of stacked functional layers that are formed by a combination of three-dimensional (3D) extrusion printing and two-dimensional (2D) casting techniques.

Three dimensional extrusion printed electrochemical devices

Extrudable hydrogel compositions for printing 3D objects, such as cell growth scaffolds, are provided. Also provided are methods for making the crosslinked hydrogel compositions and the printed objects and methods for culturing cells using the cell growth scaffolds. The hydrogel precursor solutions are aqueous solutions comprising a biocompatible polymer, functionalized polyethylene glycol as a crosslinker and, optionally, cells and/or bioactive factors.

Poly(ethylene glycol) cross-linking of soft materials to tailor viscoelastic properties for bioprinting

Methods of forming three-dimensional metallic objects are provided. A metal oxide paste comprising metal oxide particles, a polymeric binder and an organic solvent is extruded through a tip to deposit sequential layers of the metal oxide paste on a substrate to form a three-dimensional metal oxide object. The three-dimensional metal oxide object is exposed to a reducing gas at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to reduce and to sinter the metal oxide particles to form a three-dimensional metallic object. Depending upon the composition of the metal oxide paste, the three-dimensional metallic object may be composed of a single metal, a simple or complex metal-metal alloy, or a metal-ceramic composite.

Methods for fabricating three-dimensional metallic objects via additive manufacturing using metal oxide pastes

Disclosed herein are novel peptide amphiphile molecules and compositions composed of a peptide sequence that non-covalently binds the growth factor TGF-&#x3b2;1. Also disclosed are methods of using these peptide amphiphiles to create a gel scaffold in situ that enhances articular cartilage regeneration when used in combination with microfracture. Significant improvement in tissue quality and overall O'Driscoll histological scores were observed in rabbits with full thickness articular cartilage defects treated with the TGF-binding peptide amphiphile. The gel can further serve as a delivery vehicle for recombinant TGF-&#x3b2;1 protein growth factor. Scaffolds that localize and retain chondrogenic growth factors may synergistically enhance cartilage repair when combined with microfracture, by inducing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into chondrogenic differentiation. This invention represents a promising new biomimetic approach to enhance current techniques of articular cartilage regeneration in the clinical setting.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Ramille N Shah