Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hsu-Hsiang Lin, Pen-Hsiu Grace Chao, Wei-Chiu Tai, Po-Chun Chang
Summary: This study successfully developed a biomimetic microfibrous system to assist PDL regeneration and withstand functional load. Collagen-based microfibers were fabricated and PDL cells seeded on waveform microfibers showed enhanced growth and gene expression levels, indicating potential for promoting healing and regeneration under shear stress.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Yang Yang, Zixun Wang, Yuanyuan Xu, Jingjing Xia, Zhaoxian Xu, Shuai Zhu, Mingjie Jin
Summary: This study developed novel photo-responsive bioinks for 3D bioprinting using reliable Type-III recombinant human collagen and chitosan. The addition of chitosan allowed for tunable mechanical properties and degradation of the bioinks. In vitro tests confirmed the biocompatibility of these bioinks and their potential in constructing different tissues through 3D bioprinting.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Pei Zhuang, Zachary Greenberg, Mei He
Summary: A novel 3D printable nanocomposite starch hydrogel was developed with enhanced biocompatibility for promoting 3D cell growth, utilizing gelatin nanoparticles and collagen. The unique rheological properties of the hydrogel, along with the homogeneous microporous structure containing collagen fibers and gelatin nanoparticles, support cell attachment and proliferation. The cell metabolic activity study confirmed the remarkable enhancement of biological function of the developed starch hydrogel, making it a highly desirable bio-ink for advancing 3D tissue engineering.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Kegang Shu, Zuquan Huang, Xiaomin Pei, Pek Yin Michelle Yew, Shanshan Wei, Yuan Yang, Ying Lan, Dan Kai, Li Zheng, Jinmin Zhao
Summary: By utilizing a heteropolysaccharide called flaxseed gum (FG), a strong photo-crosslinked methacrylated FG (FGMA) bioink was synthetized and integrated with stem cells for cartilage defect therapy. FGMA has favorable 3D printability and shown to exhibit high mechanical strength and superior fatigue resistant ability. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that FGMA2 has excellent biocompatibility, chondrogenic potential, and can regenerate cartilage tissue with similar morphology and mechanical strength to natural cartilage.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Annika C. Dell, Grayson Wagner, Jason Own, John P. Geibel
Summary: 3D bioprinting plays a crucial role in tissue engineering in medicine by providing precise and highly customizable methods for creating biological tissues. The selection of appropriate cell ink formulations is vital for process optimization and customization to suit target tissues. Hydrogel-based cell ink formulations show promise for future development in bioprinting technology.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yi Zhang, Piyush Kumar, Songwei Lv, Di Xiong, Hongbin Zhao, Zhiqiang Cai, Xiubo Zhao
Summary: 3D bioprinting technology combines computing science, biology, and material engineering, and has great potential in fabricating vascularized constructs for tissue engineering. This review summarizes recent advances in 3D bioprinting of vascularized tissues, including the selection of biomaterials and various 3D printing techniques and applications.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Earnest P. Chen, Zeren Toksoy, Bruce A. Davis, John P. Geibel
Summary: The aim of tissue engineering with 3D bioprinting is to construct fully functional tissue and organ replacements for clinical applications. One of the main challenges is maintaining tissue viability through the inclusion of complex vascular networks. Recent advancements have made great strides in incorporating vascular networks in 3D printed tissue and organs, offering new possibilities for creating biologically functional tissues and organs.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Fatima Garcia-Villen, Amaia Guembe, Jose M. Rey, Teresa Zuniga, Sandra Ruiz-Alonso, Laura Saenz-del-Burgo, Jesus M. Izco, Jose I. Recalde, Jose Luis Pedraz
Summary: Collagen is a key protein for tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting, but it comes with challenges such as complex extraction processes and batch-to-batch reproducibility issues. This study evaluates the use of new, fibrillar type I collagen as a standardized and reproducible collagen source for 3D printing and bioprinting. The native, type I collagen demonstrated excellent performance during 3D printing and enabled cell inclusion without hindering printability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOPRINTING
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zixun Wang, Yang Yang, Yunbo Gao, Zhaoxian Xu, Shulin Yang, Mingjie Jin
Summary: This study successfully developed a UV-curable bioink system based on a novel water-soluble recombinant human collagen. The bioink demonstrated good biocompatibility and printability, and supported the expression of extracellular matrix and angiogenesis-associated proteins, enhancing cell viability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tamara Birman, Dror Seliktar
Summary: Balancing between chemical and biological functionality is crucial to achieve injectability in hydrogels through specific crosslinking pathways, while maintaining cell compatibility. With the emergence of new injectable biosynthetic materials, their impact in cell therapy and bioprinting is becoming increasingly significant.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Liliang Ouyang, Jonathan P. Wojciechowski, Jiaqing Tang, Yuzhi Guo, Molly M. Stevens
Summary: This study introduces a method to engineer controlled microporosity in 3D bioprinted hydrogels using microgel-templated porogel (MTP) bioinks. By fabricating templated gelatin microgels with different sizes and mixing them with photo-crosslinkable formulations, the researchers achieved consistent printability and the formation of micropores in situ. This approach provides a facile strategy to compensate for the limited resolution of current bioprinting approaches and engineer precise micropores in 3D printed structures.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhou Jian, Tian Zhuang, Tian Qinyu, Peng Liqing, Li Kun, Luo Xujiang, Wang Diaodiao, Yang Zhen, Jiang Shuangpeng, Sui Xiang, Huang Jingxiang, Liu Shuyun, Hao Libo, Tang Peifu, Yao Qi, Guo Quany
Summary: By optimizing the preparation of meniscus-derived bioink and utilizing a custom 3D bioprinting system, a biomimetic meniscal scaffold with optimal features in terms of morphology and components was successfully created. Comprehensive evaluations were conducted on cell viability, mechanics, biodegradation, and tissue formation to ensure the scaffold's feasibility and functionality for application in tissue engineering.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zeyu Luo, Liming Lian, Thiago Stocco, Jie Guo, Xuan Mei, Ling Cai, Syed Muntazir Andrabi, Yajuan Su, Guosheng Tang, Hossein Ravanbakhsh, Wanlu Li, Mian Wang, Xiao Kuang, Carlos Ezio Garciamendez-Mijares, Di Wang, Zongliang Wang, Junlong Liao, Maobin Xie, Jingwei Xie, Heemin Kang, Anderson Oliveira Lobo, Zongke Zhou, Yu Shrike Zhang
Summary: A cryo(bio)printing-based method is developed to fabricate shelf-ready, storable modules for scalable tissue assembly. The method involves assembling cryo(bio)printed modular scaffolds in their frozen state and subsequently bonding them together into an integral piece during the melting and photocrosslinking processes. This method overcomes the height limitation of cryo(bio)printing and allows the generation of tissue constructs of same or dissimilar materials for more precise treatment.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jianhua Zhang, Esther Wehrle, Marina Rubert, Ralph Mueller
Summary: Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a promising approach for tissue engineering, allowing precise placement of cells and biomaterials to mimic complex microstructures of biological tissues. Bioprinted tissues can benefit from exposure to fluid mechanical cues provided by bioreactor systems, aiding in tissue development and function.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Ya Ren, Xue Yang, Zhengjiang Ma, Xin Sun, Yuxin Zhang, Wentao Li, Han Yang, Lei Qiang, Zezheng Yang, Yihao Liu, Changxu Deng, Liang Zhou, Tianchang Wang, Jingsheng Lin, Tao Li, Tao Wu, Jinwu Wang
Summary: Organoids developed from pluripotent stem cells or adult stem cells are three-dimensional cell cultures that mimic certain biological developmental processes of organs, with promising applications in drug screening, disease modeling, and regenerative repair. The challenges facing organoid construction include breakthroughs in scale size, vascularization, reproducibility, and precise architecture. Bioprinting techniques, with the application of bioinks, have accelerated the process of organoid construction, and a multidisciplinary combination of developmental biology, disease pathology, cell biology, and materials science will help overcome obstacles to further develop real organs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOPRINTING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Agnieszka Gierej, Kurt Rochlitz, Adam Filipkowski, Ryszard Buczynski, Sandra Van Vlierberghe, Peter Dubruel, Hugo Thienpont, Thomas Geernaert, Francis Berghmans
Summary: We have prepared and characterized microstructured biodegradable and biocompatible polymer optical fibers using commercially available poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA). The preparation of preforms by transfer molding and fiber manufacturing was reported and the influence of polymer processing on the molar mass decrease of PDLLA was investigated. The in vitro degradation of the fabricated fibers in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was studied, showing molar mass loss of 21%, 25%, and 43% over 105 days for fibers with diameters of 400, 200, and 100 μm, respectively. Cutback measurements revealed an attenuation coefficient of 0.065 dB/cm at 898 nm for a microstructured fiber with a diameter of 219 +/- 27 μm. After immersion in PBS at 37 degrees C, the optical loss increased by 0.4 dB/cm at 950 nm after 6 h and by 0.8 dB/cm after 17 h.
JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Optics
Yunfeng Nie, Jingang Zhang, Runmu Su, Heidi Ottevaere
Summary: Optical systems are vital for consumer electronics, remote sensing, and biomedical imaging. Neural networks have only recently been used in optical system design due to the complexity of aberration theories. This study proposes a differentiable freeform raytracing module that allows for deep learning-based optical design in off-axis, multiple-surface freeform/aspheric optical systems. The trained network has the potential to generate, record, and replicate good initial optical designs.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alejandro Madrid-Sanchez, Fabian Duerr, Yunfeng Nie, Hugo Thienpont, Heidi Ottevaere
Summary: The characteristics of high porosity, microscale features, and pores interconnectivity make scaffolds suitable for human tissue substitutes. However, these characteristics often limit the scalability of different fabrication approaches, especially in bioprinting techniques. In this study, an alternative vat photopolymerization technique called light sheet stereolithography (LS-SLA) is proposed to fabricate centimeter-scale scaffolds with high resolution. The LS-SLA technology allows the modification of voxel profiles using laser beam shaping and enables the production of complex three-dimensional scaffolds.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOPRINTING
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Quinten Thijssen, Laurens Parmentier, Kevin Van Holsbeeck, Steven Ballet, Sandra Van Vlierberghe
Summary: In order to imitate the cell adhesion ability of nature, researchers often modify the surface of PCL with nature-derived polymers or functionalize it using a cell-binding motif. However, these surface modifications are limited to the surface, require multiple steps, and involve harsh conditions. In this study, a one-step strategy is proposed where thiol-ene chemistry is used to crosslink alkene-functionalized PCL with a multifunctional thiol, and a cysteine coupling site is used to covalently bind the cell-binding motif C(-linker-)RGD throughout the PCL networks during crosslinking. The influence of different linkers between the cysteine coupling site and the cell-binding motif RGD is investigated and the functionalization is evaluated using static contact angle measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Successful introduction of cell adhesiveness is demonstrated by seeding fibroblasts onto the functionalized PCL networks.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Ikuo Arata, Hirotoshi Terada, Michael Vervaeke, Dries Rosseel, Hugo Thienpont
Summary: In this study, a gallium arsenide (GaAs) aspherical solid immersion lens (SIL) has been developed for semiconductor failure analysis. The SIL significantly increases the numerical aperture and spatial resolution of a microscopy system by attaching it to the backside of the device-under-test. To improve the spatial resolution, a shorter wavelength light source is used. The use of GaAs as SIL material enables the use of shorter wavelengths, and an aspherical design corrects spherical aberration, resulting in diffraction limited performance for semiconductor failure analysis.
MICROELECTRONICS RELIABILITY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lien Smeesters, Jef Verbaenen, Luca Schifano, Michael Vervaeke, Hugo Thienpont, Giancarlo Teti, Alessio Forconi, Filippo Lulli
Summary: This study proposes a novel five-channel multispectral camera design suitable for autonomous and continuous crop monitoring. It covers visible, near-infrared, and thermal wavelength bands, allowing the sensing of various vegetation indices. The wide-field-of-view imaging design exceeds 164 degrees, providing a larger field of view compared to drone-sensing systems.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Olga Rusyakina, Thomas Geernaert, Mederic Loyez, Maxime Lobry, Karima Chah, Pawel Mergo, Hugo Thienpont, Christophe Caucheteur, Francis Berghmans, Tigran Baghdasaryan
Summary: We address the challenge of spectral multiplexing of biosensors in a single optical fiber by combining photonic crystal fibers (PCF) with fiber Bragg grating technology. We utilize the optical transmission spectrum of a straight fiber Bragg grating in a PCF to excite cladding mode resonances, enabling plasmonic label-free biodetection of HER2 protein. Our PCF sensor can detect a protein concentration of 8.62 nM with high reproducibility.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mehrdad Lotfi Choobbari, Jennifer Ferguson, Niko van den Brande, Tim Smith, Tatevik Chalyan, Wendy Meulebroeck, Heidi Ottevaere
Summary: The blending of different polymers has long been used in the plastic industry. However, research on microplastics has mainly focused on particles made of single polymers. This study focuses on the blending of Polypropylene (PP) and Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE), two commonly used polymers, and applies 3-D Raman mapping to visualize their distribution and estimate concentrations. The precision of the quantitative analysis is evaluated using a parameter called the concentration estimate error (CEE). Additionally, the impact of different excitation wavelengths and a line-shaped laser beam profile on measurement time are investigated.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sara Abbasi, Mehdi Feizpour, Ilse Weets, Qing Liu, Hugo Thienpont, Francesco Ferranti, Heidi Ottevaere
Summary: Identifying hemoglobinopathies is crucial for managing clinical diseases. This study demonstrates the potential of Raman spectroscopy in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography for accurate identification of different hemoglobin types.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Astghik Chalyan, Tine De Pauw, Nathalie Debaes, Hugo Thienpont
Summary: More than 10 years ago, the Photonics Explorer Kit (PEK) was developed as an educational tool to inspire students towards photonics. It has been widely used by physics teachers and optics-related organizations, reaching over 200,000 students annually. The PEK aims to promote the understanding and impact of light technologies in schools, universities, and companies worldwide.
SEVENTEENTH CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN OPTICS AND PHOTONICS: ETOP 2023
(2023)
Article
Optics
Artem Shcheglov, Yunfeng Nie, Hugo Thienpont, Heidi Ottevaere
Summary: Recently, there is a growing trend for cost-effective, portable spectrometers to be applied in various fields, including scientific research, food safety, and air pollution analysis. In this study, we propose a miniaturized, two-channel, broadband spectrometer based on variable-spacing concave gratings, which integrates imaging optics and diffraction gratings into a single component. The design allows for a small volume and high spectral resolution, and simulation results demonstrate optical resolutions of less than 1.6 nm in the visible channel and less than 3.1 nm in the near-infrared channel. To validate the feasibility for mass production, we successfully manufactured the variable-spacing concave gratings using diamond tooling and hot embossing replication. The fabricated grating replicas exhibit high diffraction efficiency in both channels. Experimental results of the prototype show a good match in spectral resolution with the nominal design.
JOURNAL OF OPTICAL MICROSYSTEMS
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Optics
F. Duerr, H. Thienpont
Summary: Today's optical design of imaging systems heavily relies on efficient ray tracing and optimization algorithms. However, the traditional design approach often requires extensive experience, intuition, and trial-and-error guesswork. We propose a novel method that allows systematic generation and evaluation of directly calculated imaging optics design solutions, enabling a rigorous and real-time evaluation in solution space. The method is based on differential equations derived from Fermat's principle and can calculate optical surface coefficients to minimize image blurring for each individual aberration order.
OPTICAL DESIGN AND TESTING XII
(2023)
Article
Optics
Qingyue Li, Vincent Raimbault, Pierre-Francois Calmon, Benjamin Reig, Pierluigi Debernardi, Heidi Ottevaere, Jean-Baptiste Doucet, Julien Roul, Veronique Bardinal
Summary: In this study, two-photon polymerization three-dimensional laser writing is used to integrate a microlens on the surface of a single mode polarization-stable VCSEL for use as a tunable source in a compact optical guided-wave gas sensor. The writing conditions are optimized for on-demand room temperature fabrication at a post-mounting stage.
JOURNAL OF OPTICAL MICROSYSTEMS
(2023)
