One limiting factor of medical miracles has always been the supply of biological tissues and organs. There are only so many hearts available to transplant. But what if you could could print three-dimensional, transplantable structures capable of regenerating human tissue? As CTO and Co-Founder of Dimension Inx, Dr. Adam Jakus developed a platform that shapes biomaterial into synthetic bones, tissue and soon, entire organs.
Tell us about your research…
My work for the past 10 years has focused on developing new materials for 3D-printing and 3D-printing processes. This resulted in the 3D-PAINT technology platform, allowing nearly any material to be formed into complex 3D structures. The hundreds of 3D-PAINTS demonstrated to date include new biomaterials that can repair and regenerate biological tissues and organs.
The hundreds of 3D-PAINTS demonstrated to date include new biomaterials that can repair and regenerate biological tissues and organs.
The demand for these 3D-PAINTS, including Hyperelastic Bone®, 3D-Graphene™, Fluffy-X™, and Tissue Papers™, was so great that in in 2016, I co-founded Dimension Inx. 3D-PAINTS are now being used in laboratories and industry across the globe, enabling new research and product development.
Can you explain that to a non-scientist?
I developed a process by which nearly any material can be 3D-printed and fabricated into nearly any form. From metals, ceramics, electronic materials, extraterrestrial materials, to even biomaterials, the 3D-PAINTING process is a completely new way to create and develop new technologies.
I developed a process by which nearly any material can be 3D-printed and fabricated into nearly any form.
The biomaterial 3D-PAINTS are unique in that they can be 3D-printed into simple or complex forms that can then be implanted. Once implanted, these biomaterials will repair and regenerative damaged tissue. For example, if bone needs to be repaired, 3D-PAINTED Hyperelastic Bone® can be used for an implant that will integrate and transform into new bone.
Once implanted, these biomaterials will repair and regenerative damaged tissue.
How could it someday impact patient lives?
The 3D-PAINT technology is already in the process of being developed into medical products that can heal damaged tissue in patients – whether it be from birth abnormalities in infants or trauma in children and adults. 3D-PAINTING is enabling the emerging biofabrication industry, providing materials and means of manufacture that will permit new medical products to be developed and made available to surgeons and their patients. This will transform not only how patients can be treated, but what can be achieved in that treatment – improved healing times, restoring function to damaged organs, or eventually, fabricating new organs for transplant.
This will transform not only how patients can be treated, but what can be achieved in that treatment – improved healing times, restoring function to damaged organs, or eventually, fabricating new organs for transplant.