3D Printing Innovations Workshop

In the field of life sciences, innovative solutions are necessary to drive sustainability and precision in biomedical applications. Join us for a comprehensive Satellite Workshop, “3D Printing Innovations: Insights from acib, Black Drop, and the EU project Piezo4Spine,” where experts share advancements in 3D printing technologies. The program covers theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, divided into two session:

Session 1 focuses on sustainable bioprocessing, featuring Private Lecturer Peter Satzer from BOKU University Vienna, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, and the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib), who will present on “Sustainable Life Science Research and the Role of 3D Printing.” Satzer will highlight the environmental challenges posed by life science research, which produces 5 million tons of plastic waste annually. Discover how the sterile 3D printing of bioplastics can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80%, making research more sustainable and contributing to the EU Green Deal.

Professor Karin Stana Kleinschek from Graz University of Technology, Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Biobased Systems, and acib will speak on “Bio-Polymers for Functional Biomolecular Interactions.” Her talk will explore how polysaccharides and other bio-polymers are being developed as smart biomaterials for various biomedical applications. Learn about the physicochemical properties of these biodegradable materials, their surface modifications, and their use in creating targeted biomolecular interactions.

Session 2 shifts focus to advanced 3D bioprinting applications in the EU Project Piezo4Spine, which aims to develop a novel multifactorial therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI). After an overview about the project’s objectives, Professor Andreas Bläser from Black Drop GmbH and the Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute for BioMedical Printing Technology, will present “Design and Fabrication of 3D-Theramesh for Spinal Cord Injury Treatment”. Bläser will explain how his team is optimizing bioprinted tissue analogues for drug testing and personalized therapy development. His work focuses on creating bioinks and hydrogel matrices that support cell viability, and he will also provide a live demonstration of bioprinting technologies, showing the processes of bioink preparation, print handling, and 3D bioprinter operation. Participants will have the opportunity to gain practical experience with state-of-the-art 3D printing technologies, enabling precise regulation and optimization of printing parameters.