Biofabrication

Biofabrication is a novel, inherently cross-disciplinary scientific field that focuses on biomanufacturing processes

(technologies, materials, devices, models). This is the first book that presents the range of biofabrication technologies (cell

printing, patterning, assembling, 3D scaffold fabrication, cell/tissue-on-chips) as a coherent micro-/nano-fabrication toolkit.

The book is designed as a practical guide to these key emerging technologies, with real-world examples to help readers gain

a working knowledge of how to apply biofbrication techniques in areas such as regenerative medicine, pharmaceuticals and

tissue engineering.

Biofabrication focuses on biomanufacturing processes, that ultimately aim at the development of products relevant to the

living system. These products may involve living (cells and/or tissues) and nonliving (bio-supportive proteins, scaffolds)

components or their combination. They maybe drugs, therapeutic solutions, design principles or quantitative models.

Whereas in the more narrow field of tissue engineering, for example, the primary objective is to build specific tissue

substitutes (skin, cartilage, cardiac, etc., with whatever method), in biofabrication the focus is on the development of

technologies with which this objective could be reached in the most efficient and optimal way.

Biofabrication techniques facilitate the advance of tissue engineering from 2D cell culture to the 3D methods required for

future developments in regenerative medicine, including potentially the growth of entire human organs.