In the U.S. The National Institute of Health has moved a step closer to help to fund the joint venture of Rainbow Coral Corp. and Nano3D Biosciences. Nano3D has been awarded a grant for work associated with its recent proposal Novel 3D high-content/throughput assay with mobile device-based data acquisition. The project may be funded further by the National Institute of Health’s Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) program, for small business concerns to engage in research and development that has the potential for commercialisation.
Rainbow Coral and Nano3D Biosciences are another step closer to receiving their mutual funding for a new 3D bioprinting system that promises to deliver high throughput and high-content drug screening that could replace traditional in vitro and animal toxicity tests permanenty.
Rainbow Coral has recently formed a biotech subsidiary named Rainbow Biosciences focused on identifying and developing the next generation of bioscience solutions for physicians, researchers and pharmaceutical engineers. The company took an interest in n3D in 2012 after the companies formed a joint venture in the global biotechnology marketplace.
Demand for new cellular researchcontinues to grow so Rainbow Biosciences is increasing its investment in 3D bioprinting technology. Now RBCC and n3D are working together to develop what is set to be the world’s first 3D bioprinting system designed for high throughput and high content drug screening available commercially, the BiO Assay…
The mutual enterprise seeks to raise$1-3 million for the new product line.The BiO Assay will be presented at a number of high-profile healthcare and biomedical conferences this month in North America, Europe, Asia and more. Glauco R. Souza, the president and chief science officer of n3D has delivered successful presentations in Toronto, which included a collaboration with pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca.
The Rainbow Nano3D duo has announced that the BIO Assay uses ‘biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles’ to print cells into three dimensional structures in a production process that is both faster and more affordable than the current bioprinting technology available.
It is impressive to see the use of a simple iPod in the set up. Could this be but one more step towards something like the Star Trek Tricorder of the near future as such things appear to have been coming ever closer?
Whilst concepts for such all-in-one portable medical devices are out there this innovative3D bioprinting process for professionals creates a biomedical use of an app-driven portable device. The features – for the reader that understands things that I do not – are as follows:
- Biocompatible nanoparticles to magnetise cells
- Magnetised spheroids that are easy to handle/retrieve
- 3D spheroids/rings mimicking native tissue environments
- Rapid printing of spheroids/rings: 15 minutes to a few hours
- Shrinkage is label-free, quantitative
- Automated imaging, just set the iPod
- High-throughput, high-content
The true science of this technology is certainly beyond this writer, but RBCC’s CEO Kimberly Palmer said: “We’re immensely gratified that the NIH recognizes the unprecedented research potential of the Bio Assay. This effective, affordable technology could soon replace traditional in vitro and animal toxicity tests permanently.”
