Organovo: NovoGen MMX Bioprinter™
Organovo turned science fiction into science fact with the world’s first commercial 3D bioprinter to print human tissues.Client: Organovo
Product: NovoGen MMX Bioprinter™
AWARDS
2011 Engineering Innovation Excellence Award, 2011 Award of Excellence in Research & Development
REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS
CISPR 11, EN 61326-1, EN 60204-1
EXPERTISE
LEVERAGED
Fluidics, Thermal Control, Precision Motion
Transforming Organovo’s core science into a reliable and commercially viable instrument
“Imagine being able to print human tissues on demand.”
This was the inspiration for start-up company Organovo as they set out to build the world’s first production 3D bioprinter.
For decades, the goal of tissue engineers has been to advance beyond simple two-dimensional cell cultures to creating three-dimensional organs. Organovo had a vision to produce a 3D bioprinter that would make this dream a reality, providing surgeons with tissue on demand and helping solve the global shortage of human organs.
Invetech partnered with Organovo to help them transform their core science into a reliable and commercially viable instrument. Within nine months, this partnership had solved engineering challenges that had confounded the biomedical industry for decades to design, develop, manufacture and ship the world’s first commercial 3D bioprinter.
The printer includes two robotically controlled precision print heads: one for placing human cells, the other for placing a hydrogel, scaffold, or support matrix.
One of the most complex challenges in the development of the bioprinter was to perfect a means to consistently position the cell dispensing capillary tip attached to the print head within microns. Invetech developed a computer-controlled, laser-based calibration system to achieve the required repeatability.
While the science and engineering is incredibly complex, the intuitive user interface makes operating the printer extremely simple: the operator literally draws the organ to be built on the computer screen. The initial focus of the bioprinter is on producing simple tissues, like blood vessels and nerve conduit, but potentially any tissue or organ can be built.
Life Sciences & Biotech
Not all innovative or complex technology is used in the clinic, but these systems benefit from many of the same principles used.
Mid to High Throughput Instruments
Whether we support the entire product or take lead on a subsystem, full instrument architecture is critical to success.
Benchtop & Distributed
Translating technical workflows of an assay into an automated process performed within a device.
Custom Process Automation
Transition from clinical to commercial scale manufacturing with our production-ready manufacturing and automation solutions.