Jul 30, 2018 | By Thomas

3D bioprinting company Allevi has teamed up with California-based 3D printing and space technology firm Made In Space to develop the Allevi ZeroG – the first 3D bioprinter capable of working in low-gravity conditions.

Allevi (formerly BioBots) was founded in 2014 by University of Pennsylvania graduates Ricardo Solorzano and Daniel Cabrera. At the time, the ambitious duo set out to develop an accessible desktop bioprinting system which could be used for a wide variety of research and educational applications.

Now, four years on, the company is now looking to expand their scope with 3D bioprinter.

“Four years ago, no one knew what to do with a 3D bioprinter, a user would have to train for months on end to get the basics, and units were only accessible to a handful of researchers,” said Solorzano. “We designed the first ever desktop 3D bioprinter and brought that to hundreds of scientists around the world.”

Allevi develops Allevi 1, Allevi 2 dual extrusion bioprinter and Allevi 6 3D bioprinters with 6 printheads. It also develops software, and bioinks to make it easy to design and engineer 3D tissues.

“While we continue to understand the capabilities and constraints of 3D biofabrication here on Earth, the ability to explore cellular function in space could afford us novel discoveries of organ form and function that have never before been studied,” stated Allevi.

Made In Space is an organization that focuses on increasing human capability in orbit by bringing 3D printing technology onto the International Space Station (ISS). On March 23rd, 2016, Made In Space launched the AMF, a zero-gravity, second-generation 3D printer, on the ISS. The company has also received the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest 3D printed object.

Now, Made In Space and Allevi are working together to develop the Allevi ZeroG. Allevi has designed a compatible extruder that can be outfitted onto Made In Space’s existing Additive Manufacturing Facility on the ISS. According to Allevi, the ZeroG bio-extruder will "allow scientists on the Allevi platform to simultaneously run experiments both on the ground and in space to observe biological differences that occur with and without gravity."

"We are excited to continue to revolutionize how we study biology, not only on the ground but now in space," Allevi wrote. "And perhaps one day, the Allevi ZeroG will aid astronauts in 3D bioprinting replacement organs for deep space travel. We’re excited to participate in this next generation space race."

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Application

 

 

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