Scientists at the University of Wollongong, Australia have just taken the 3D printing craze to an all new level. After spending months researching and developing the Bio-Pen, a handheld pen that uses 3D printing technology and bio ink to “draw” over sections of damaged bone, this week they turned the technology over to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne for further research.

 
The Bio-Pen essentially works by allowing surgeons to draw or place layers of healing cells onto damaged bones and cartilage using biologically friendly material, and two essential gel components. The first is comprised of stem cell ink which can differentiate between muscle, bone and nerve cells, along with a special seaweed-based growth culture that encourages the cells to thrive once placed on the affected area; the second outer layer contains a UV-reactive protective gel to aid in healing. The pen itself has an attached low power UV light which reacts with the gel, hardening it to form a layer that allows cells to grow undisturbed. This new form of technology has been dubbed “additive biofabrication”, and doctors are hoping it will aid in repairing chipped, broken or fractured bone and cartilage within the body, as well as damage to nerves.

 
For patients who would previously have needed multiple invasive surgeries to repair, say – damage from a severe car accident, or certain genetic defects - this could have a dramatic impact on both overall effectiveness and recovery time. Since the gel is biodegradable, it dissolves as the cells grow into healthy and functional tissue, lessening the need for further invasive procedures to monitor healing, as well as cutting weeks of recovery time that would have been associated with traditional techniques. Additionally, given the size of the pen and the ease of its use, cells can be placed not only more quickly, but more precisely as well.

 
Professor Peter Choong of the St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, who is currently spearheading the next development phase of the BioPen, stated this week that “This type of treatment may be suitable for repairing acutely damaged bone and cartilage, for example from sporting or motor vehicle injuries. Professor Wallace’s research team brings together the science of stem cells and polymer chemistry to help surgeons design and personalize solutions for reconstructing bone and joint defects in real time”. He is just one of many researchers and developers around the world that are hopeful and excited for the future of the BioPen, and the possibilities that it brings. Currently, the development team at St. Vincent’s predicts that it may even be ready for human clinical trials in as little as five years.