Category: 3D Bioprinting Certification Course

3D printing is changing personalized medical devices as we know them from new, beautiful, conformal, ventilated scoliosis braces to millions of dental restorations and to beautiful bracings for amputees, another opportunity to emotionally reconnect with your symmetry. We are on the cusp of the 3D printing explosion, and the careers that today’s students choose to look very different than the careers available today. 3D bioprinting will impact a wider range of branches of medicine in terms of personalization and customization.

Former President Barack Obama said, “3D Bioprinting has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.” As the 3D printing industry booms, what does it mean for job seekers? From designers to nontechnical positions, there are various jobs that will be created or get a boost from 3D printing. If you desire to have technical brains that you can make yourself, then you should step into an exhilarating and proliferating career in 3D printing. The art of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file has roots in 3D imaging and layer by layer additive fabrication. This is an emerging field as a novel blooming technology that might have an acute impact on human lives.

Applications

Constructing human permanent implants, drug testing model, controlled drug release, and biomimetic scaffolds. 3D bioprinting uses layer by layer method to pledge materials known as BIOINKS which are substances made of living cells and resemble an extracellular matrix environment. Bio inks are utilized for creating complex tissue models with application in medical and tissue engineering fields. Cell Biologists and tissue engineers really believe that 3D bioprinting can alter the way we respond to aging and it can further change the way we treat diseases. This technique contributes to reducing the time and cost to introduce the new drug in the market. To develop a new drug, 2D cell cultures are not efficient in predicting the toxicity of the drug which can be done competently in 3D models cutting the need for pre-clinical trial stages.

What it can offer as a career?

Development in 3D Bioprinting technology can give rise to broad potentials for several employment opportunities. It could prove helpful in forensic sciences where one can reconstruct bones and body parts, or ambiguous evidence assimilated from crime scene investigations. It also has applications in paleontology, in reconstructing the fossils, in archaeology, replicating the historical artifacts, in aerospace for astronauts: to create space food and undoubtedly in healthcare and biopharma.

Some of the career opportunities offered by 3D bioprinting are as follows:

– Biopharma Companies: Huge number of pharmaceutical and certain allied industries would be trailing for candidates skilled in designing, modeling, and engineering with science backgrounds. The contribution of this technique in healthcare is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. In certain developing countries, 3D bioprinting is still in the growing phase but it will surely change the future of the healthcare industry soon. Over 15- 20% of 3D printing companies comprise of medical 3D bioprinting.

– Biomedical technology: One can select a career in biomedical research implementing 3D bioprinting to develop new solutions to medical ailments.

– Academics: Opting for academics as a career option always leads to a great idea as nowadays many organizations are introducing hands-on techniques in 3D bioprinting to students. Well, skilled instructors will remain in demand in the future to provide training for company crash courses, at universities and technical schools.

Companies majorly engaged in medical 3D Bioprinting:

• Organovo: Proposing liver tissue generated by 3D bioprinting for R & D.
• Aspect Biosystems: Commercialize bio-printed living human tissues. This company tries to strategically partner with life science companies as well as academic researchers, to develop a portfolio of 3D Bioprinted human tissues.
• TeVido Biodevices: A US-based company working on bio-printed breast tissue.
• Celllink: It is the first bioink company in the world. It designs and develops bioprinting technologies that enable researchers to 3D print organs and tissues.
• Regenovo Biotechnology: A Chinese company offering its bioprinter “Regenovo” for constructing organs and tissues. This company also helps in providing professional integrated solutions in 3D printing technology for biomedical applications.

Job prospects:

– 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeling: With CAD experts, 3D printing would not be possible. CAD experts have the skills and expertise to convert product designs into digital blueprints that 3D printers need. Along with product designers, there will be a demand for 3D CAD modelers.

– Research and Development: From 3D printed shoes to 3D printed clothes and accessories, 3D orienting is the fashion of the future. 3D printing will open jobs for forward-thinking R & D professionals who understand the intersection of tech and consumer products while keeping an eye on the bottom line.

– Biological and Scientific Modeling: From prosthetics to human tissue, 3D printing promotes medical advancement and saves lives. It can also create drones, defense equipment and maybe even space food. The 3D printing industry will need more engineers, designers and modelers who have a biomedical or scientific background to further innovate and produce highly advanced 3D-printed products.

– Architecture/ Construction modeling: For the construction industry, this paradigm shift will boost the need for 3D modelers that may replace current 2D construction planning solutions. In the architecture, engineering, and construction industries, 3D printing will redefine the production of construction documents. Instead of 2D CAD modeling on paper, 3D printers can produce true-to-life models to better represent what structures will look like.

– Education:

What about the goodness of the above-mentioned jobs if no one has the qualifications to fill them? To help fill the skills gap, schools are developing 3D printing programs at all grade levels. This will open jobs for educators who can teach the technical and business aspects of 3D printing.

– 3D Chef: Using printers loaded with the most delicious food these 3D chefs will design and produce beautiful and tasty culinary masterpieces. In addition to creating a luxurious and fun experience, 3D printed food offers the possibility to bring food to places in the world where it is needed most.

This was a glimpse of 3D Bioprinting & The available Career Opportunities. Dive in to read more.

Happy Learning!

Bioprinting is a new technique that has gained immense popularity due to its ability to create highly aligned tissues. Bioprinting includes the use of 3D printers which deposit layers of biomaterial to build complex body structures like skin, cartilage, and even corneas. The required cells are isolated from a patient – or adult stem cells can also be used – and are cultivated into a bioink to ‘print’ an organic object. It is held together through gel or collagen scaffold which can support the cells and mould them into the correct shape.

Stages in the bioprinting process

The bioprinting process consists of three distinct phases. First is the pre-processing phase where the planning details are considered before the production of bioprinted tissue. Using specialized software programs the imaging data is transformed into cross-sectional layers so that the bioprinting device adds them in a layer-by-layer fashion. The second phase is the processing phase wherein steps are taken for the actual construction and manufacture of the bioprinted tissue. In this stage, a specific printing method is selected and a combination (bioink, scaffold, and other additives) of materials is formulated which can affect the final tissue product. Finally, the post-processing phase includes all steps that must occur before bioprinted tissue is fully mature and ready for in vivo usage. For most 3D bioprinting applications, this usually occurs within a bioreactor.

Figure: An illustration showing the different stages involved in bioprinting

Why is 3D bioprinting important?

• 3D bioprinting is being used to generate three-dimensional in vitro tissue models.
• These models further aid in drug discovery by reducing the cost and human resource investments required to discover and bring a new drug to market.
• 3D bioprinting of cells to make tumor models are further helpful for understanding the interaction of immune and tumor cells and for finding new treatments.
• 3D bioprinting is going to be the solution to organ shortage.

In the near future, one does not have to wait for organ donors as through bioprinting the organs can be created and used. Apart from organs, the other necessary requirements like blood vessels can also be created. The other applications are bioinks, food and animal products, and biosensors.

Currently, with the increase in cases of COVID-19 disease, the demand for tissue and organ generation is increasing. This further augments the exponential growth of this field.

Global 3D Bioprinting market share

There is a constant technological advancement being made in 3D bioprinters, biomaterials and its wide applications in medicine and the regenerative field. Thus, the market value is projected to reach USD 1,647.4 million by 2024 from USD 651.6 million in 2019.

Figure: Global 3D Bioprinting market share, by application, 2019(%)

To master this technique, the course on 3D bioprinting has been designed which includes 14 sessions. The various sessions give insights on the process of bioprinting, its applications in In Vitro Toxicology, dentistry, drug development, and medical research, among others. To make 3D bioprinting a career option one needs to know how these 3 D bioprinters are created and used, the software used to construct 3D objects. All this can be gained by joining this course. To assess the understanding of this course there will also be a knowledge test at the end.