Salk researcher Yao-Cheng Li and professor Geoffrey Wahl developed a new technology for visualizing protein interactions, which could lead to better cancer drugs. Credit: Salk Institute
For decades, researchers have struggled to translate basic scientific discoveries about cancer into therapeutics that effectively—and with minimal side effects—shrink a tumor.
A San Diego company has created human liver tissue with a 3-D printer designed to be used by drug companies for testing.
The feat achieved by Organovo may seem like science fiction but more and more researchers and scientists have been examining how 3-D printers can be used to “create” human tissue for research purposes.
The “tiny livers” are “bioprinted” with a specially designed 3-D printer and are composed mainly of three kinds of human liver cells, the company announced this week. In theory the tissue will allow drug companies to test out new medication on liver tissue before they go to human trials.
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