3D bioprinting of artificial livers: U.S. research project relies on patient-derived cells

At the heart of the project, called VITAL, is the combination of patient-derived cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and precise bioprinting technology. Researchers obtain cells from patients with liver disease and reprogram them into iPS cells, which are then differentiated into the various cell types of the liver. These cells are combined with a hydrogel-based bio-ink that enables the layer-by-layer construction of complex tissue structures in a 3D printer. The aim is to generate not only liver cells, but also blood vessels and bile ducts within a single integrated construct.

“Over the last two decades, researchers have made remarkable progress toward the goal of creating lab-made organs, including innovations in biomaterials, stem cell differentiation, and bioprinting. UT Southwestern is an ideal environment to bring together the recent advances that have never been combined before,” said the project’s principal investigator, Muhammad Rizwan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Ophthalmology at UT Southwestern.

“This project represents a bold step toward advancing patient care through biomedical innovation,” Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D., inaugural Chair of Biomedical Engineering and Professor in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and of Radiology at UTSW, said. “It unites engineers, clinicians, and scientists to transform discovery into real-world solutions, shaping a future where functional organ printing becomes reality.”

Beyond the prospects for transplantation, the participants also see potential for drug development. Bioprinted livers could serve as physiologically relevant test systems and partially replace animal experiments. In the long term, the approach is intended to demonstrate whether additive manufacturing can be established in the medical field not only for implants, but also for complex organs.