TU/e Achieves Breakthrough in 3D Printing Living Tissue with Light
Eindhoven, Friday, 28 February 2025.
Researchers at TU Eindhoven have advanced 3D printing technology for living tissue using light, enabling shape-shifting capabilities. This could revolutionize bioprinting and regenerative medicine.
Revolutionary Bioprinting Technology
The breakthrough, announced on February 27, 2025, centers on Xolography, a sophisticated light-based printing technique that enables the creation of intricate living tissue structures [1]. Led by researchers Lena Stoecker and Miguel Dias Castilho at Eindhoven University of Technology, the team has successfully adapted this technology to produce structures as small as 20 micrometers—approximately the size of a human cell [2]. The innovation represents a significant advancement in healthtech, specifically in the field of regenerative medicine.
Technical Innovation and Capabilities
The technology utilizes a custom version of the Xube printer, developed by xolo GmbH in Berlin, which employs UV light to ‘switch on’ a specialized fluid before using visible light to solidify it into precise 3D shapes [1]. The system can create detailed scaffolds with pores ranging from 100 micrometers to 1 millimeter, enabling the development of complex tissue structures [1]. A particularly revolutionary aspect is the implementation of thermally responsive hydrogels, which allow for 4D printing capabilities where structures can change shape or properties over time in response to temperature variations [1].
Clinical Potential and Future Applications
While the technology is currently in an experimental phase, described by researchers as a ‘hackerspace,’ its potential applications are profound [1][2]. The research team envisions the development of more realistic tissue and organ models for studying diseases and developing treatments [1]. According to Dias Castilho, this advancement could ‘unlock exciting possibilities in healthcare by producing more realistic and functional tissue models and implants’ [2]. The findings, published in Advanced Materials on February 26, 2025, are considered a foundational contribution to the field of light-based high-resolution fabrication of cell-laden hydrogels [2].