The Biofabrication Process
What is Biofabrication?
“Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done.” -Robert Heinlein
The Process
Biofabrication is an aspect of regenerative medicine that refers to the production of human tissues from organic and synthetic sources.
Step 1: Cell Culture and Harvest
Cell culture and harvest is the process of growing living cells in a lab environment or extracting specific cells from human or animal tissue.
This stage includes:
Cell banking
Expansion culture
Cell harvest and wash
Step 2: Scaffold Fabrication
Scaffold fabrication is the process of creating structures that support the growth of living cells. 3D printing is most often used to create the structures.
Step 3: Tissue Maturation & Bioreactor Culture
Tissue maturation and bioreactor culture is the process where tissues are grown on scaffolds in a sterile, controlled environment to become a usable product.
This stage includes:
Tissue assembly
Tissue maturation
Step 4: Preservation, Packaging, & Transport
Preservation, packaging and transport are the processes where the tissue products are safely moved from a controlled growth environment to the patient.
This stage includes:
Preservation
Packaging and storage
Transport to patient
The Role of Automation
As the biofabrication industry grows, the importance of automated manufacturing will greatly increase.
Scientists, researchers, and doctors have discovered how to create human tissues in the lab. Now it is up to engineers, manufacturing technicians, and industrial workers to mass-produce them.
The goal of using automation in biofabrication is to mass-manufacture organs and make sure they are available to the thousands of people who need them.