SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

	·         SwRI can collaborate to design specific microfabrication equipment, which incorporates live cells and  structural, biological, and material properties into a 3D scaffold design.

The performance-driven scaffold fabrication technology was developed primarily for bone applications but can be applied to other tissue growth areas. As a research tool, the user can control the scaffold details to conduct a detailed performance study. The desired pore geometry, material properties, and the structural requirements for the cell and tissue application are the inputs to a structure optimization algorithm to predict a preferred scaffold structural element that is then propagated to fill a user-defined scaffold shape. The desired 3D scaffold is then printed using our custom scaffold extrusion equipment. The result is performance-driven scaffolds with precisely controlled and highly reproducible architectures, which are necessary for systematic experiments.

Demonstration of SwRI equipment printing a hydroxyapetite/CaP tissue scaffold in a voroni diagram pattern. View video in QuickTime or Windows Media

For more information about biomaterials capabilities at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) or how you can contract with us, please contact Jian Ling, Ph.D., jling@swri.org or (210) 522-3953, or Gianny Rossini, jrossini@swri.org, or (210) 522-6347.

biomedical.swri.org

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Southwest Research Institute^® (SwRI^®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.

June 16, 2011