Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala and JIS Institute of Advanced Studies (JISIASR), Kolkata have bagged a major research grant from Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, Govt. of India, for an interesting collaborative research on “Cellulose Based Injectable and Printable Ink for Tissue Engineering Applications”.

Dr. Prosenjit Saha and Prof. Dr.Sabu Thomas from JISIASR and MGU respectively, are investigating the translational applications of bacterial cellulose for 3D printed organ fabrication to achieve a new height of personalised healthcare for the mass population.

This joint project will pioneer the development of 3D printable biomaterial inks for the creation of artificial organ units including cells, tissues, and organoids in India. “This innovation could potentially revolutionise organ transplantation by addressing the current supply-demand imbalance and eliminating prolonged waiting periods for patients” said Prof. Sabu Thomas, the Co-investigator of the project.

Researchers working in this project have successfully identified a special bacterial species to extract the cellulose as pure as its synthetic counterpart. Upon further modifications of this cellulose, a printable bio-ink can be directly used to fabricate any design and shape of the sophisticated part of human organs along with live cells. The selection of the entire materials was carefully executed to ensure the biocompatibility with the live system for minimum immune ejection by the patient’s body.

The ultimate aim of this work is to develop the fundamental benchmark based on which people can customise their organs in near future fulfilling personalised requirements.

Dr. Prosenjit Saha of Kolkata expressed his confidence to align this project work with national and global standard of organ printing using bacterial cellulose, a renewable and biodegradable material as the primary ingredient in these inks. Moreover, this will help to boost the Indian market to become a leader in supplying novel bio-inks that have been in demand around the world for 3D printed organ fabrications in the field of regenerative medicines.