Project —

Embracing the difference to print the future of regenerative medicine

Discover the next generation of ink-based hybrid multimaterial implants.

Our vision

The vision of INKplant is the combination of different biomaterials, high-resolution additive manufacturing technologies, and advanced simulation and biological evaluation, to bring a new solution for the fabrication of biomimetic implants for tissue regeneration.

INKplant addresses the complexity of regenerating different tissues in the body and has the potential to reduce healthcare costs and rehabilitation time.

Objectives —

Personalised regenerative therapies for the whole society

01

ObjeCtive —

Develop manufacturing technologies and materials for implants.

02

ObjeCtive —

Create a workflow for the design optimization of 3D implants.

03

ObjeCtive —

Demostrate the INKplant approach in four different Use Cases.

04

ObjeCtive —

Assure the future translation of the technology to clinical application.

materials —

Developing a hybrid multimaterial scaffold

The implants are characterised by a Hard Phase and a Composite Phase.

The Hard Phase consists of a bi-material ceramic part and is intended to mimic the biological and mechanical performance of bone tissue.

The Composite Phase consists of a combination of biomaterials that provide the cells with the optimal environment for tissue regeneration.

Ceramic Hard Phase

CaP By Lithoz

ZrO2 By Lithoz

Multimaterial Composite Phase

n-HA By Fluidinova

Hydrogel By 3D-Matrix

Biopolymer By Luxinergy

PDMS By Elkem

INKplant - Lithoz - ceramic multimaterial
INKplant - Lithoz 3D Printer
INKplant - Stratasys 3D Printer

Technology —

Innovative manufacturing technologies for patient-specific implants

INKplant concept is based on a hybrid additive manufacturing process. The bi-material ceramic Hard Phase is fabricated by Lithographic Ceramic Manufacturing. The Composite Phase is fabricated on the surface of the ceramic parts by multimaterial Inkjet 3D Printing.

Bi-material LCM

Hard Phase · By Lithoz

3D multimaterial inkjet printing

Composite Phase · By Profactor

Design —

Create a workflow for the design optimization of 3D printed materials

Integrating the modelling and experimental data in a workflow that will allow the design and manufacturing of a patient-specific implant starting from medical imaging data. The manufactured implant will not only provide patient-specific dimensional fitting but also fulfill the required mechanical and biological properties to promote regeneration of the targeted tissue.

Simulation and Modelling

Characterization of 3D scaffold structures

Design workflow

INKplant - Profactor researcher

Use case — 01 & 02.

Implants for weight-bearing
joints

meniscus design

Meniscus

Implants that improve symptoms and reduce joint degeneration for patients requiring partial or total meniscal resection.

Osteochondral defects design

Osteochondral defects

The project will address the clinical need for customised treatment of osteochondral lesions in the knee.

Palatal defects design

Palatal defects

INKplant will work to repair palatal defects caused by the common birth defect cleft palate or as a result of diseases such as cancer.

Bone reconstruction for dental implants design

Bone reconstruction for dental implants

New approach for bone reconstruction when an insufficient amount of soft and hard tissue is available to place a dental implant.

Use case — 03 & 04.

Implants for defects in the oral and maxillofacial region

Transversal priorities —

Cross-cutting issues

Open-Science

The consortium will create the first European virtual community for promoting open science and open innovation in the tissue engineering fields. External users, healthcare professionals, and potential collaborators will be able to use INKplant’s expertise and technologies through a series of periodic calls and focus group workshops.

The project will include dissemination and communication activities, as well as designs and blueprints delivered as open-source solutions, for fostering replicable research in the tissue engineering and biofabrication fields.

Gender-Specific

Most studies in tissue engineering don’t plan experiments for understanding gender-specific issues, and most in vivo animal models used in biomedical research are male, for simplicity and to avoid hormonal variations.

INKplant methodically addresses gender-specific issues, fundamental in osteoarticular, bone, chondral, and mandibular repair and regeneration strategies. The project will analyze these procedures, perform specific experiments for considering gender and provide guidelines for researchers.

Long-term Sustainability

A dedicated co-creation environment, the i-INKplant platform, and INKplant’s long-lasting research and innovation community will manage the developed inkplants and will enlighten forthcoming EU breakthroughs in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and biofabrication fields.

Thanks to covering the whole implant development life-cycle, from materials and technologies to patients treated in personalized ways, INKplant will contribute to configuring the EU hospitals of the future.

Clinical Application —

Assure the future translation of the technology to clinical application

INKplant works for future clinical translation during the development process, to achieve a fast market entry after finishing the project. INKplant will analyse the implications of the innovative personalised 3D implants for regenerative medicine, in order to develop ethical recommendations for INKplant Use Cases. Doctors, researchers in social humanities, and a standardization body work together to ensure the translation to a real product in the future.

INKplant - technology transfer to clinic

Work plan —

We work together

The project is divided into 10 work packages covering the scientific and technical aspects of INKplant, social humanities and cross-cutting priorities, exploitation and dissemination of results, and project management.

WP01 · Led by PRO

Led by Profactor

Project Management

Materials & manufacturing

Design & characterization

Use cases

WP02 · Led by MUW

Led by Medical University Vienna

Definition of requirements

Arrow

WP03 · Led by LIT

Led by Lithoz

3D bi-material
ceramic printing

WP04 · Led by PRO

Led by Profactor

3D multimaterial
inkjet printing

WP06 · Led by UPM

Led by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Design for additive manufacturing strategy

Arrow

WP05 · Led by BMC

Led by BioMed Center Innovation

Hybrid 3D printing of multimaterial scaffolds

WP07 · Led by CHT

Led by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Characterization of test structures & cell studies

Arrow

WP08 · Led by TT

Led by TransTissue Technologies

Demonstration in
Use Cases

Arrow

WP09 · Led by UMC

Led by University Medical Center Utrecht

Social humanities and cross-cutting priorities

WP10 · Led by BMC

Led by BioMed Center Innovation

Exploitation & Dissemination

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