Biofabrication

Thanks to its investigations in laser-assisted processes to select and print cells, Fraunhofer ILT is developing specific cell-micro-environments for cell-biological research, the improvement of tissue models and even for the printing of artificial organs and organ components.

In addition to these printing processes for biofabrication, the group institutes are also developing different methods to functionalize scaffold structures. For many biological or medical applications, the various surfaces must be modified in a first step in order to be coated in a second step, for example. In medical technology and biotechnology, one-way systems often require bio-compatible surfaces in order to promote cell growth on the surfaces or to specifically prevent them, or to provide functional groups to chemically couple biomolecules. The atmospheric-pressure plasma processes developed at Fraunhofer IST are suitable tools for achieving a cost-efficient modification of the surface. In addition, these methods can also be used to suitably modify the surfaces of 3D substrates, such as microtiter plates, PCR tubes or cell culture bags.