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A New Biopaper for Organ Printing

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the 98.6-off-the-presses dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Organ printing is an emerging branch of medicine which uses healthy cells to repair a damaged or diseased organ. But as its name implies, this new medical technology needs ink, paper and a printer. Now, a new hydrogel -- or biopaper -- developed at the University of Utah has been selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to speed up this process. This five-year NSF study will initially try to print blood vessels and cardiovascular networks. But its real goal is to build some complex organs, such as livers or kidneys. This technology can potentially help millions of people waiting for transplants."

6 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. This just in - rare screenshot of printed organ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    Here's a screenshot of a printed colon

    :

  2. Organ printing, eh? by TinBromide · · Score: 5, Funny

    According to my e-mail inbox, i don't need to print a new one, all i need to do is just go to thier website and use a cream or pills or something and i can enlarge my organ to beyond "be1 eef" or something...

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    Is it sad that I am more likely to recognize you and your posts by your sig than your name or UID?
  3. The hitch with this technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The cartridge included with the printer runs out half way through a kidney, and then you find out the replacement cartridge costs $73,489 dollars.

  4. gives a new meaning... by conJunk · · Score: 5, Funny
    gives a new meaning to "tissue paper", eh?

    sorry... sorry...

  5. Printing Food! by TheNarrator · · Score: 5, Funny

    Could we use this to print really fine cuts of beef for pennies? Being a geek, I find this particularly interesting because it means I could cook without leaving my computer.

  6. Questions for fundies by AndroidCat · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does life begin when the printer stops, when the job hits the printer buffer, when it's queued, or when the user clicks the Print button? Should canceling a print job be a crime?

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