Dec 7, 2015 | By Tess
3D bioprinting, which consists of additively manufacturing spatially controlled organic cell structures, has been one of the most exciting areas of 3D printing research and has some of the biggest potentials, with researchers developing how to 3D print human organs, and various organic tissues. One of the fastest growing areas of research within the 3D bioprinting industry, however, is the additive manufacturing of skin, which, as an industry, is projected to be worth $1 billion by the end of 2025.
Research in the field of 3D printing skin has been predominantly conducted by cosmetic companies, such as L’Oréal and Proctor and Gamble, who are interested in using the technology to improve and speed up the process of product testing. Imagine being able to quickly test makeup, or other cosmetic formulations on specific types of skin early on in the research and development stages. The technology could mean lots of time and money saved for the cosmetic companies, as well as more efficiently targeted products by skin type, and, importantly, a more ethically sound way of product testing than animal testing.
Companies such as French cosmetic giant L’Oréal have been working to develop artificial skin for years, as they have made advances in growing artificial skin in a laboratory setting. The process for the latter, however, is a time consuming and difficult one, which could also be improved on using 3D printing technologies. Recently, L’Oréal has teamed up with San Diego based biotech company Organovo, which itself has been successfully developing 3D bioprinting processes.
3D printing skin research has also taken off elsewhere, with Proctor and Gamble partnering with the Singaporean government’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research, and chemical company BASF teaming up with biotechnology firm Poietis to continue developing 3D bioprinting processes and technologies.
Of course, with any new technologies, especially those concerning organic matter, caution must be taken. As Arnold Bos, an expert in 3D bioprinting who works for independent research and advisory firm Lux Research, warns: cosmetic companies must remain aware of the difficulties and variables in working with 3D printed skin, especially from a biological perspective.
He says, “The 3D technology out there for plastics can also be used for bio-printing but if you get anything wrong on the cell, if anything changes in the process of printing it may be hard to detect or indeed rectify.”
That is, any unplanned change in an acidity or temperate level could severely alter a 3D printed skin model and ultimately make it useless for efficient testing. To counter this, Bos suggests that the cosmetic industry will need to work with regulators to establish standards and guidelines for the process of effectively 3D printing skin.
Taking these words into consideration, the future of 3D bioprinting remains bright with R&D practices at various companies and institutions continually improving the processes of additively manufacturing skin.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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