According to Kleinschek, initial tests of the 3D-printed hydrogels in cell culture have yielded promising results, showing that the cross-linked materials are both mechanically stable and non-toxic to cells.
“In the next step, the 3D-printed models (skin imitations) will be used to test nanoparticles,” Kleinschek explains. “This is a success for the complementary research at TU Graz and VIT.”
“Our many years of expertise in the field of material research for tissue imitations and VIT’s expertise in molecular and cell biology have complemented each other perfectly,” the professor concludes in a press release. “We are now working together to further optimise the hydrogel formulations and validate their usefulness as a substitute for animal experiments.”