Elizabeth Heile

The advancement of 3D bioprinted models has the potential to improve research by replacing animal models and to support regenerative medicine by minimizing organ transplant waitlists, diminishing the risk of organ transplant rejection, and curing a variety of degenerative diseases. The Ogle Lab has applied 3D bioprinting in order to generate complex cardiac mimics using human induced pluripotent stem cells; however, researchers have experienced challenges with the leakiness of 3D bioprinted structures, as well as the reproducibility and resolution of printing. In order to address these challenges, a series of optimization experiments were done to improve print resolution, varying both the flow rate of the ink and the speed of printing. Additionally, structure leakiness was minimized through tests in which the number of perimeters and orientation during printing were adjusted. Prints were assessed by measuring dimensions, injecting dye into the structures to view the chambers, cryosectioning, and image analysis. This project improved 3D bioprint resolution and reproducibility by assessing how various printing parameters affect resolution, defining the optimal parameters for high-resolution printing, and writing a protocol that improves the reproducibility of the bioprinted structures. This protocol will allow researchers to continue to develop 3D bioprinting technology without being hindered by poor resolution, structure, or reproducibility between prints. By improving these hinderances, more effective research can be done to improve cardiac cell maturation and viability using a bioreactor and to introduce other cardiac cell types such as endothelium and epicardium to further replicate the heart’s complex anatomy.