UMD couples AI with 3D bioprinting: Faster bioink optimization and robust tissue models

Researchers at the University of Maryland are combining data-driven methods with 3D bioprinting to more quickly align cell “inks” and process parameters for resilient tissue equivalents. The goal is a reproducible workflow in which patient-specific constructs can be created without donor tissue. The project is coordinated at the A. James Clark School of Engineering by the Fischell Department of Bioengineering under the leadership of John P. Fisher.

Technically, the team addresses two bottlenecks: high-dimensional formulation development and the sensitive control variables of extrusion printing. Machine learning systematically explores parameter combinations of viscosity, polymer content, cell concentration, nozzle temperature, feed rate, and UV/ion crosslinking. Models evaluate targets such as cell viability, filament continuity, porosity, and layer adhesion, and propose candidates for the next iteration. In parallel, image and sensor data are captured during printing to estimate line width, roughness, and dimensional accuracy in near real time. In the long term, a closed control loop is planned to compensate for deviations before they compromise the tissue’s mechanical integrity.

For translation into design and the clinic, the researchers couple CAD-based geometries with simulation-supported topology adaptation. This allows strut thicknesses and permeability to be dimensioned for nutrient transport and cell spreading, while material models (e.g., viscoelastic hydrogels) account for lateral deformation during deposition. Validation steps include compression and creep tests, live/dead assays, and long-term culture protocols to assess functional maturity and degradation behavior.

For AM practice, the approaches mean shorter design cycles, tighter coupling of metrology and process control, and robust datasets for documentation and approval. This brings an integrated medtech workflow closer—one that consistently maps everything from bioink formulation to printing to standardized testing.