Medical 3D-Nanolithography for Additive Manufacturing
Biocompatible 3D scaffolds made of functional polymers are produced in this TIMed CENTER Core Facility.
The currently growing market for in-vitro diagnostics is driving research in the fields of tissue engineering and organ printing. Devices are also becoming smaller and smaller in the medical field, primarily in order to save resources: Increasing miniaturisation makes it possible, for example, to reduce the amount of sample material taken from patients for analysis. In addition, the amount of material required to manufacture the devices is reduced.
However, new materials will be needed for this purpose in the future. These are to be discovered at the TIMed CENTER Core Facility ‘Medical 3D Nanolithography for Additive Manufacturing’ at the FH OÖ Campus Linz. To achieve this goal, their investigations are focussing on the structuring of biocompatible 3D scaffolds consisting of chemically functional polymers. These carry proteins either to mimic the tissue environment or for molecular biosensing (microfluidic channels).
The methods used are multiphoton lithography and UV lithography. Both technologies make it possible to produce 3D structures in the micro- to nanoscopic range. These technologies are not only used by the research group, but are also constantly being developed further.
Functions
- Micro- or nanoscopic structuring
- Research in the field of biomolecular bio sensor technology (microfluidics, micro-fluidic channels)
- 3D-lithography which allows the real time-visualization of biomolecules, interactions and dynamics
Services
- 2D- and 3D-rapid prototyping of micro- and nano-structures
- Prototyping of microfluidics
- Cell growth on biocompatible polymers (application field: bioassays)
- Modification of surfaces
- Protoyping: 3D-cell cultures and bio-chips