Solvent-Cast 3D Printing with Multi-Material Inks to Independently Control Biochemical and Physical Properties

The biochemical and physical properties of a polymer-based biomaterial are commonly tailored to drive desired cellular responses for specific applications. However, modifying one property can lead to unwanted changes to another that make it difficult to fine-tune cell-material interactions. For example, surface chemistry can be controlled by changing composition, but this also impacts mechanical properties. Scaffold stiffness can be tuned without changing polymer type by changing porosity, but pore size and shape also affects cellular infiltration and nutrient and oxygen exchange. To address these challenges, we developed a versatile solvent-cast 3D printing platform using inks containing different polymer MW ratios and/or end-functionalized polymer conjugates to independently control surface chemistry, stiffness, and architecture. Blending different MW ratios of the same polymer allow us to change scaffold stiffness while the end groups of the conjugate become displayed on the surface during fabrication. In addition, using multiple printer heads enable us to spatially deposit different inks to organize biochemical and physical cues within the same construct. This talk will describe our platform and how we are 3D printing heterogeneously organized scaffolds to regenerate complex tissues like the osteochondral interface.