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Monday, November 29, 2021

3-D Printed Living Ink can Release Drugs

 New possibilities for more directly efficient delivery methods.  Continue to be impressed by the new capabilities introduced by 3D printing. 

3D-Printed 'Living Ink' Full of Microbes Can Release Drugs

New Scientist, Carissa Wong, November 23, 2021

A “living ink” made entirely from bacterial cells can be used in a three-dimensional (3D) printer to create structures that discharge drugs or absorb toxins. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology genetically engineered the printable gel from proteins known as curli nanofibers, which are generated by E.coli cells; the nanofibers possess one of two oppositely charged modules attached to them, which crosslink. Filtering the bacteria through a nylon membrane concentrates the crosslinked fibers, making the gel printable. "The beauty of the work lies in the ability to genetically program the functional response of the printed living material," says André Studart at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH Zürich).

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