The first bioprinted skin and bone samples designed to treat injured astronauts in space have been produced by scientists at the European Space Agency, in a collaborative project with the University Hospital of Dresden Technical University (ESA). The 3D-printed materials were developed for use in an environment where injuries can take longer to heal and astronauts cannot access conventional treatment. The process combined human blood plasma with plant material to enable it to work at zero-gravity, while calcium phosphate bone cement was added to human stem cells to support the growth of bone.
The first bioprinted skin and bone samples designed to treat injured astronauts in space have been produced by scientists at the University Hospital of Dresden Technical University, in a collaborative project with the European Space Agency (ESA). The 3D-printed materials were developed for use in an environment where injuries can take longer to heal and astronauts cannot access conventional treatment. The process combined human blood plasma with plant material to enable it to work at zero-gravity, while calcium phosphate bone cement was added to human stem cells to support the growth of bone.