3D-bioprinted bacterial cellulose scaffolds for tissue
This technology uses bacteria to grow three-dimensional cellulose structures with precisely controlled shapes, pore sizes, and thicknesses — essentially 3D printing with living microbes instead of plastic filaments. The process combines microfluidic nutrient delivery with inkjet-style bioprinting to guide bacterial cellulose growth around sacrificial alginate templates, which are later dissolved away to leave behind a porous, interconnected scaffold. The resulting nano-cellulose structures are strong, biocompatible, and architecturally tunable, making them suitable for use as tissue engineering scaffolds, surgical implants, or wound care materials. Think of it as growing a custom-shaped biological sponge that the human body can accept and potentially integrate with.
What you could build
A manufacturing process or contract fabrication service producing custom bacterial cellulose scaffolds for cartilage, bone, vascular, or wound-healing applications, sold to medical device companies and regenerative medicine researchers as ready-to-use implantable components or research tools.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based medical device manufacturers, defense medical research programs (DARPA, USAMRIID at Fort Detrick proximity), and university hospital systems with regenerative medicine programs would be plausible partners or licensees.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Paul Gatenholm, Henrik Backdahl, Theodore Jon Tzavaras, Rafael V. Davalos, Michael B. Sano
- Granted
- April 8, 2014
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8691974
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.