University of Toronto

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.

Sunnybrook Research Institute

Richard Yihsiu Cheng

Axel Guenther

Elliot L Chaikof

Lian Leng

Navid Hakimi

Stephanie Grainger

David Miranda Nieves

Marc G Jeschke

Shashi Malladi

Mohammad Hadi Sotoudehfar

Saeid Amini-Nik

Qing Ba

Disclosed herein is a bioprinter that enables the in situ formation of architected planar biomaterials and tissues by translating a printer head along a deposition surface, such as skin wounds. In handheld configurations of of the instrument, cell-laden biopolymer solutions are perfused through a moving microfabricated printhead and deposited onto a stationary planar surface or a wound. The printer head may be translated via a drive mechanism. Different embodiments of the instrument are disclosed form vivo application in small animals, as well as for large animal and clinical application. A stationary embodiment of the instrument is well suited for the continuous formation and roll-to-roll processing of planar biomaterials and tissues.

Tissue printer

Systems, devices and methods are provided for fabricating anisotropic polymer materials. According to various embodiments, a fluidic device is employed to distribute a polymer solution and a flow-confining solution in order to generate a layered flow, where the layered flow is formed such that a polymer liquid sheet is sheathed on opposing sides by flow-confining liquid sheets. The fluidic device includes first and second fluid conduits, where the first fluid conduit receives the layered flow. The second fluid conduit has a reduced height relative to the first fluid conduit, such that the layered flow is constricted as it flows through the second fluid conduit. The constriction formed by the second flow conduit causes hydrodynamic focusing, reducing the thickness of the polymer liquid sheet, and inducing molecular alignment and anisotropy within the polymer liquid sheet as it is hardened and as strain is applied during extrusion of the sheet.

Fluidic systems, devices and methods for inducing anisotropy in polymeric materials

Growing community of inventors

Toronto, Canada

Richard Yihsiu Cheng