Researchers are developing a 3D bioprinting platform designed to manufacture complex living tissues for biomedical research and cultivated meat production. The five-year project, known as PRISM-LT and funded by the European Union, runs until 2027.
Building Engineered Living Materials Through Bioprinting
The project focuses on engineered living materials, or ELMs, which consist partly or entirely of living cells such as bacteria or fungi. Unlike traditional static materials, these composites can grow, respond, and adapt to their environment by self-organizing and self-repairing. Massimo Vassalli, chair of bioengineering at the University of Glasgow and scientific coordinator of PRISM-LT, noted that these materials possess dynamic features traditional static materials cannot replicate.
Turning this potential into reality requires solving the biological problem of printing living cells into complex structures without killing them or losing control over their development. The PRISM-LT team addresses this by enclosing living cells and a gel-like support material, or bioink, inside tiny capsules. Laura Martinelli, PRISM-LT project coordinator and executive director of In Society, explained that these modular living components can be placed precisely by a robotic arm or bioprinted layer by layer.
Each capsule acts as a biological unit containing both a scaffold and artificial microorganisms that guide cell development. These microorganisms are genetically modified to detect when stem cells begin to differentiate and respond by releasing chemical signals called growth factors. The manufacturing process takes between a few minutes and an hour, followed by a three-week maturation period.
Targeting Applications in Bone Marrow and Cultivated Meat
The team is currently working to produce tissue blocks measuring one cubic centimeter, up from their current output of roughly one square centimeter of thin tissue. Researchers are focusing on two specific tissue types. The first is the interface between bone and adipose tissue found in bone marrow, intended for biomedical research and drug testing related to diseases such as leukemia.
The second application targets muscle-and-fat structures to reproduce the fat marbling found in natural meat. Martinelli stated that achieving the correct distribution of adipose tissue provides the proper texture required to commercialize alternative meats.
Creating these materials requires establishing a symbiotic relationship between biological systems that do not naturally coexist, such as yeast and stem cells. Vassalli acknowledged that the main challenge involves maintaining conditions suitable for both the microorganisms and the differentiating stem cells.
Frequently Asked Questions About PRISM-LT
What is the timeline for the PRISM-LT project?
The European Union-funded project spans five years and runs until 2027, though researchers note that real-world public applications remain distant.
What institutions are involved in coordinating the project?
The initiative is scientifically coordinated by Massimo Vassalli of the University of Glasgow, with In Society, a research organization based in Udine, Italy, providing coordination through project coordinator Laura Martinelli.
What specific tissue sizes are researchers currently able to produce?
The research team currently produces roughly one square centimeter of thin tissue and is working to scale up production to a one cubic centimeter block.