The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 26, 2012
Filed:
Sep. 27, 2006
Jeffrey W. Ruberti, Lexington, MA (US);
Gregory J. Kowalski, Beverly, MA (US);
Daniel Burkey, Waltham, MA (US);
Jeffrey W. Ruberti, Lexington, MA (US);
Gregory J. Kowalski, Beverly, MA (US);
Daniel Burkey, Waltham, MA (US);
Northeastern University, Boston, MA (US);
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods are provided for assembling polymer-forming molecular components such that highly-structured arrays of polymer strands, such as collagen fibrils, are formed without the need for cells. A polymer nanoloom is designed to control the self-assembly of monomers into fibrils and related tissue constructs including ligament, tendon, cartilage, and bone. A nanoloom system comprises a polymer printhead, a temperature controller, and a movable substrate for polymer printing. A polymer printhead contains one or more nanoreactors that can control the assembly of collagen fibrils or other polymers on a nanoscale. Methods are provided for temperature-driven, enzyme-driven, and cholesteric assembly of collagen or other polymers into two- or three-dimensional tissue constructs.