School of Dentistry seminar series: Light activated biomaterials for 3D bioprinting - Assoc Prof Khoon Lim

3D Bioprinting requires specialized bioinks that are able to be printed but also protect the cells during the printing process. These bioinks are often biomaterials with specific rheological properties that allow spatial extrusion in a layer-by-layer manner, but also being cyto-compatible to support cellular viability and function. This lecture will cover the different design criteria required for bioinks, as well as the variety of materials being employed to manufacture these bioinks. Specific focus will be placed on the various chemistries used to synthesize polymers, photo-initiating systems to crosslink the polymers, as well as strategies to maintain bioprinted constructs’ stability. Moreover, these chemistries and strategies will also be compared between different biofabrication platforms, including extrusion and lithography-based bioprinting technologies. The versatility of these materials and crosslinking chemistries allows the generation of different tissue analogues including cartilage, bone and blood vessels.

A/Prof Khoon Lim leads the Light Activated Biomateirals Group at the University of Otago Christchurch. His research involves photo-polymerizable hydrogels for 3D-bioprinting of functional tissues, and delivery of bioactive molecules to promote tissue regeneration. He has published >60 high impact journal publications and has successfully raised a total of >NZD$5Million research grant funding, including the prestigious Emerging Researcher First Grant, Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship, HRC Project Grant, from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, and MARSDEN Fast Start Grant and Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal Society of New Zealand. His research has also generated intellectual property leading to commercialization of hydrogel-based bioinks licensed to a US-based company, as well as establishment of multiple commercial contracts. He is currently the President of Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (ASBTE), councilor of the New Zealand Association of Scientists and Executive Board Member of Te Titoki Mataora (MedTech Translator Programme). He has previously won a number of awards such as the ASBTE Emerging Investigator Award, European Society for Biomaterials Jean Leray Award, University of Otago Early Career Award for Distinction in Research, as well as the International Society for Biofabrication Young Investigator Award.

This seminar will be held on Zoom at https://uqz.zoom.us/j/86098029225 and will be recorded.