AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Good Health & Well-being
KEYWORDS
injuries, IT, tools
COUNTRY
Canada
DESIGNED BY
Arianna McAllister, Lian Leng
WEBSITE
http://www.jamesdysonaward.org/projects/printalive-bioprinter/
PRINTALIVE BIOPRINTER
Compact bioprinter PrintAlive prints synthetic skin complete with hair follicles and sweat glands.
Printing synthetic skin much more quickly and affordably than any other competing device on the market, PrintAlive BioPrinter also eliminates the painful process of traditional treatment for serious burns, which involves grafting skin from another part of the body. The machine can print large, continuous layers of tissue, including hair follicles, sweat glands and other human skin complexities using the patient’s own cells, thereby eliminating the problem of tissue being rejected by their immune system. Poorly-equipped health care systems and inadequate access to burn care facilities in low and middle income countries cause higher mortality and morbidity rates due to burns in rural and developing areas around the world. By regenerating skin in such a practical and quick way, the risk of death in developing countries can be significantly decreased.