Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting
ABSTRACT Bioprinting is a technique that allows custom printing of cell-laden tissue using the principle of three-dimensional (3D) printing. The technique has various applications, ranging from tissue engineering to materials science. Bioprinting is an attractive topic for science, technology, engin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00124-22 |
| _version_ | 1797739375390359552 |
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| author | Leo Ming Pong Sun Andrew Ching-Yuet To |
| author_facet | Leo Ming Pong Sun Andrew Ching-Yuet To |
| author_sort | Leo Ming Pong Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Bioprinting is a technique that allows custom printing of cell-laden tissue using the principle of three-dimensional (3D) printing. The technique has various applications, ranging from tissue engineering to materials science. Bioprinting is an attractive topic for science, technology, engineering, and math education due to its novelty and interdisciplinary nature. Nonetheless, a basic commercial bioprinter could cost several thousand U.S. dollars. There have been attempts to construct low-cost do-it-yourself bioprinters for research purpose. However, those methods required expertise, uncommon reagents, and professional equipment, making it difficult for teachers and students in secondary schools to replicate. Here, we demonstrate how teachers and students in a secondary school can convert a 3D printer into a bioprinter for conducting a hands-on bioprinting activity using secondary school-available resources. Briefly, an open-source Creality Ender 3 V2 3D printer in a school was converted into a bioprinter using 3D-printed parts and other readily available materials. Cell-laden bioink and support medium were made using school-available reagents. The bioprinter can be easily constructed and operated by teachers and students who do not have prior knowledge in coding and engineering. We used the bioprinter to print a coronary artery model and an algae-laden artificial leaf. The photosynthetic activity of the artificial leaf could be observed and investigated using a hydrogen carbonate indicator. The work described in this paper could make bioprinting available, comprehensible, and enjoyable to secondary school students, opening a door for inexpensive innovative teaching and learning activities using bioprinting in secondary schools. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:57:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d548f4db64914fd397a312c289f8ee49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:57:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-d548f4db64914fd397a312c289f8ee492023-08-22T13:00:41ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852023-08-0124210.1128/jmbe.00124-22Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School SettingLeo Ming Pong Sun0Andrew Ching-Yuet To1Po Leung Kuk Laws Foundation College, Tseung Kwan O, Hong KongPo Leung Kuk Laws Foundation College, Tseung Kwan O, Hong KongABSTRACT Bioprinting is a technique that allows custom printing of cell-laden tissue using the principle of three-dimensional (3D) printing. The technique has various applications, ranging from tissue engineering to materials science. Bioprinting is an attractive topic for science, technology, engineering, and math education due to its novelty and interdisciplinary nature. Nonetheless, a basic commercial bioprinter could cost several thousand U.S. dollars. There have been attempts to construct low-cost do-it-yourself bioprinters for research purpose. However, those methods required expertise, uncommon reagents, and professional equipment, making it difficult for teachers and students in secondary schools to replicate. Here, we demonstrate how teachers and students in a secondary school can convert a 3D printer into a bioprinter for conducting a hands-on bioprinting activity using secondary school-available resources. Briefly, an open-source Creality Ender 3 V2 3D printer in a school was converted into a bioprinter using 3D-printed parts and other readily available materials. Cell-laden bioink and support medium were made using school-available reagents. The bioprinter can be easily constructed and operated by teachers and students who do not have prior knowledge in coding and engineering. We used the bioprinter to print a coronary artery model and an algae-laden artificial leaf. The photosynthetic activity of the artificial leaf could be observed and investigated using a hydrogen carbonate indicator. The work described in this paper could make bioprinting available, comprehensible, and enjoyable to secondary school students, opening a door for inexpensive innovative teaching and learning activities using bioprinting in secondary schools.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00124-22inexpensivesecondary school setting3D printingbioprintingbioprinterbioink |
| spellingShingle | Leo Ming Pong Sun Andrew Ching-Yuet To Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education inexpensive secondary school setting 3D printing bioprinting bioprinter bioink |
| title | Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting |
| title_full | Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting |
| title_fullStr | Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting |
| title_short | Inexpensive DIY Bioprinting in a Secondary School Setting |
| title_sort | inexpensive diy bioprinting in a secondary school setting |
| topic | inexpensive secondary school setting 3D printing bioprinting bioprinter bioink |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00124-22 |
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