Biofabrication Strategies for Protein-Based Biomaterials and Tissues

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• Prof. Axel Guenther, University of Toronto
• Friday 29 August 2025, 11:30-12:30
• Lecture Room 6, Cambridge Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, Cambridge.

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Abstract: In animals and humans, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are spatially distributed from submicron to organ scales. The hierarchical organization spans at least seven orders of magnitude in length, is tissue specific, evolves over time and explains many unique properties of intact tissues. While current biofabrication strategies allow biomaterials and tissues to be spatially organized, many limitations remain. Bioprinted tissues are often produced at low speed and poor spatial resolution with sizes seldom exceeding one centimeter. They are fragile, lack multi-scale ECM organization and fail to withstand physiological loading forces.

I will discuss microfluidics-enabled strategies based on protein-based biomaterials to overcome some of these limitations. A first case study will focus on the in-situ delivery of biomaterials and cells for skin tissue repair. My research group has developed a handheld skin printer for intraoperative use. I will discuss the microfluidic synthesis of granular bioinks, their consistent and rapid in-situ delivery independent of the inclination angle, (convex) curvature radius, and gravity, as well as healing of full thickness wound models. In a second case study, I will discuss the formation of ultrathin collagen sheets, demonstrate examples for their assembly into multiscale load-bearing biomaterial and tissue structures, both for in vitro use in tubular organ on chip models (arteries, airways, bile ducts) and, ultimately, for implantation.

Biography: Dr. Guenther is a Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, with cross-appointment at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. He trained at the universities of Paderborn, Hanover (Germany) and Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, obtained his doctoral degree from ETH Zurich, and conducted postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received the ETH medal (2002), the Ontario Early Researcher Award (2009), the I.W. Smith Award of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers (2010) and the Innovator of the Year (2013) and Safwat Zaky Research Leader (2021) Awards of the University of Toronto. He is interested in microfluidic and biofabrication strategies for hierarchical biomaterials and tissues. He invented several bioprinting technologies, is a co-founder of the biotech company Vrit, Inc., and currently serves as a founding Co-Director of the nationally unique Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies (CRAFT), a collaborative research center between the University of Toronto, St. Michael’s Hospital/Unity Health Toronto, and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) that aims to accelerate the translation of microfluidic device innovations to the clinic and to industry.

This talk is part of the Engineering - Mechanics, Materials and Design (Div C) - talks and events series.

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• Engineering - Mechanics, Materials and Design (Div C) - talks and events
• Lecture Room 6, Cambridge Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, Cambridge

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