This vision is enabled by combining and advancing a number of achievements in the fields of optics and laser technologies, materials, engineering and micro-instrumentation, and experimental surgery. We propose to pursue two equally novel approaches:

i) print ex vivo fully autologous bladder tissue employing primary urothelial cells (pUCs) and smooth muscle cells (pSMCs) embedded within a novel xenofree (XF) human-based hydrogel from methacrylated platelet lysate (PLMA)

ii) in vivo print autologous pUCs in PLMA

A number of conditions, including trauma, inflammation, incontinence, overactive bladder, renal impairments, neurological disorders (like spinal cord injury or spina bifida) and cancer, require bladder augmentation. For almost a century now, the majority of cystoplasties utilize bowel segments (enterocystoplasty). This, almost a century year old, gold standard practice bears numerous risks and complications affecting the majority of patients, thus compromising the quality of life while burdening the health care systems.

This has fuelled efforts towards the development of engineered bladder tissue. Advancements in bioprinting technologies are increasingly employed in regenerative medicine but mostly in smaller and less complicated tissues.

UroPrint proposes the use of Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) to generate bladder tissue for autologous transplantation that would meet the biological, mechanical and functional properties of human bladder. To this end, primary urothelial and smooth muscle cells will be obtained from healthy donors and expanded in fully Good Medical Practice compliant methodologies. These will be combined with novel natural autologous scaffold material obtained from platelet lysates.

Then, a novel approach in the generation of bladder transplant will be utilized, combining intestine denudation and in vivo printing during surgery using a novel prototype LIFT printer that achieves high spatial resolution (<10 m) and high cell viability (>95%).

Objectives to be achieved by UroPrint:

OBJ-1. To integrate all ex vivo cell processes under GMP compliance

OBJ-2. To generate engineered bladder tissue using novel scaffolds ex vivo

OBJ-3. To develop a prototype for elasticity and permeability measurements

OBJ-4. To bioprint in vivo on cleared intestinal muscle tissue

The socioeconomical, scientific and technological impact of UroPrint is outlined below:

-Quality of Life (QoL) of patients

-Economic impact on healthcare systems

-Economic impact on 3D bioprinting applications

-Economic impact on tissue engineering

-Scientific and technological impact

-Additional socioeconomic benefits

UroPrint latest achievements will be observed, best dissemination channels for scientific, industrial and public awareness will be chosen and the outputs will be published in this section.

PUBLIC DELIVERABLES

Project website launch: datafiles/file/Project%20website%20launch.pdf

This deliverable describes the launch of a comprehensive website for the project’s results and developments. The website will be continuously updated during the project period to highlight new scientific findings and dissemination events.