3D printing aids first steps in the creation of ‘bench-top’ brain tissue

Every year successful tests of therapeutics on animal models fail to translate into positive results in human clinical trials due to largely unknown but inherent differences in the brain. Significant value has therefore been placed on the creation of ‘bench-top’ brain tissue in order to fully understand brain functioning and to maximize the effectiveness of drug testing. The recent development of a 3D-printed layered structure that incorporates neural cells and closely mimics the structure of human brain tissue by a team of researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (NSW, Australia) represents a step closer to the...