Bioengineers use open source 3-D printer to create human organs

A group of bioengineers at Penn is one step closer toward the creation of full-fledged human organs in the laboratory. Through the use of open-source 3-D printers, researchers at the Tissue Microfabrication Lab have come up with a cheap and innovative way to create a model of an effective blood vessel network, which is vital to the survival of any organ.

The project is a joint collaboration between Penn and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is being led by School of Engineering and Applied Science professor Christopher Chen.

“As we have come to appreciate the scope of the grand challenges that lie ahead, the entire research community has become much more collaborative,” Chen said in an email. “And the internet has eliminated many of the barriers associated with long-distance collaboration, allowing us to form teams with the best researchers in our field.”