3D Bioprinting for clinical applications

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

Diabetes is a global disease affecting more than 400 million people. The burden of the disease by life- threatening secondary complications has led to the disease becoming the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by progressive loss of the insulin-producing beta cells in islets of Langerhans following an immune attack and require life-long insulin therapy. In spite of optimal insulin treatment periods of hyper- and hypoglycemia induce serious vascular- and neurological complications. The mortality rate of patients suffering from T1D is increased by 3-fold compared to the normal population. Clinical islet transplantation, where the insulin producing beta cell mass are substitute by healthy donor-derived beta cells, has evolved as a safe treatment option for T1D patients. However, the method is hampered by side effects of immunosuppressive agents in need to avoid rejection, and huge loss of islets using the intraportal infusion route. 3D bioprinting enables the creation of bioengineering tissue in a highly controlled manner, by simultaneously integrating living cells, biomaterials, and biological cues to provide a customized scaffold. This project aims to develop 3D Bioprinting technology to deliver human islets and adipose derived stem cells in implantable device to treat Diabetes patients.