PAGE TITLE
Overview
PAGE SUMMARY
Drexel University researchers have developed a novel biocompatible and biodegradable thermosensitive and photocrosslinkable material for use with solid freeform fabrication (SFF) printers. Blends of a thermosensitive poly (ethylene glycol-b-(DL-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-bethylene glycol), PEG-PLGA-PEG, triblock and photocrosslinkable PEG methacrylatePLGA-PEG methacrylate, PEGma-PLGA-PEGma, allow for materials that are well suited for the fabrication of 3-D soft tissue scaffold printing. It is a solution of low viscosity at low temperature and becomes a highly viscous material with increase in temperature. Additional strength and irreversibility of the gel is gained with UV light irradiation.
Other types of natural and synthesized materials were studied for use with SFF printers but none were capable of general use with a multiple number of printers because of specialized gelation steps or long solidification times. Thermosensitive and photocrosslinkable materials were also studied because of their simplicity allowing for the elimination of additional crosslinking material. Alone, each material is not able to build 3-D structures due to its mechanical abilities, but combined, the advantages of each material create a material that is ideal for soft tissue scaffold printing. This type of material allows for the integration of cell printing so that precise complex architecture can be accomplished with the incorporation of cells where needed in the scaffold.
APPLICATIONS
TITLE: Applications
3D printing of complex structures
Soft tissue scaffold printing
Printing of tissue engineered scaffolds containing live cells and growth factors
ADVANTAGES
TITLE:Advantages
Does not require the addition of crosslinking materials
Photocrosslinkable
Designed for cell printing for complex tissue creation
IP STATUS
Intellectual Property and Development Status
United States Patent Issued- 9,579,419
https://patents.google.com/patent/US9579419B2/en?oq=9%2c579%2c419
PUBLICATIONS
References
Pubinfo should be the citation for your publication. Publink is the full url linking to the publication online or a pdf.
A Thermosensitive and Photocrosslinkable Composite Polymer study for 3-D Soft Tissue Scaffold Printing
https://idea.library.drexel.edu/islandora/object/idea%3A3783/datastream/OBJ/download/A_thermosensitive_and_photocrosslinkable_composite_polymer_study_for_3-D_soft_tissue_scaffold_printing.pdf.
Commercialization Opportunities
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Contact Information
Ravi Raghani, Ph.D.
Licensing Manager
Office of Applied Innovation
Drexel University
215-895-0303
rmr359@drexel.edu