In the latest press release released by the Institute of Biomedical Research of Hospital La Paz It is announced that the center has been able to develop, by means of complicated cell bioengineering methods, a new methodology by which, using biological materials and stem cells from the patient himself, fabricate corneas completely identical to those of a donor by 3D printing.
As has been commented from the research center itself, the objective of this project is to manufacture the first corneas for clinical use in 5 years and produce them completely tailor-made and totally personalized for each patient within a week.
Researchers at the Hospital La Paz Biomedical Research Institute manage to develop a new methodology to create 3D-printed corneas
Thanks to the novel idea, the project has been selected by the Foundation for Innovation and Prospective in Health in Spain (Fipse) within the framework of the international Idea2 Global program developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
As explained by the own Foundation for Innovation and Prospective in Health in Spain In its press release, this project is exploring the different methods to synthesize a collagen polymeric extracellular matrix capable of mimicking human corneas as well as a biomimetic human corneal stroma that should be able to replace the need for human donors.
The patient's own mesenchymal stem cells will be 3D printed on said matrix, thus producing tailor-made biological corneas to respond to people who need a corneal transplant and restore their vision. Undoubtedly, this discovery and technological achievement can be a great step towards providing greater well-being to many people, not in vain today in the world there are more than 10 million blind people in the world due to a pathology in their corneas.