The Future of Organs: How 3D Bioprinting is Shaping the Medical Revolution

Bioprinting is a new medical discovery that is aiming to change the landscape of future medicine and drug testing. Photo by National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences via Flickr

As 2025 begins, 3D bioprinting is rapidly emerging as one of the most groundbreaking up-and-coming medical innovations.

This emerging technology can potentially change healthcare for the better, allowing for the creation of living tissues and organs. Some may even be able to recreate complex cellular structures with incredible precision. 

Although the technology is still in its early stages, it gives incredible hope for future organ shortages, personalized treatments, test drugs and the outcomes of surgeries. 

3D bioprinting is the use of a 3D printer to create layers of living cells that can turn into real, functioning organs. These cells then form into tissues or organs. Unlike traditional 3D printing, which uses plastic or metal, bioprinting uses bioinks. These are defined as living cells, biomaterials and growth factors that encourage tissue formation and cell growth. 

The printer works by depositing bioinks layer by layer, and each layer hardens into a solid structure. Over time, the process leads to the formation of complex three-dimensional tissue constructs. Its ultimate goal is to be able to replicate human tissues or organs that function the same as natural biological systems.

“I hope that it will be possible one day. It could save a lot of people,” said Maya Karangis ‘26.

While the technology is still new, it has made significant progress over the past couple of years. The most complicated aspect is mimicking the functionality of real human tissue. The cells need to be able to survive in the printed environment. This takes incredibly precise control over the biological conditions within the printer, and these complications ultimately come with not being able to produce the needed biomaterials. 

An article published in Nature Biotechnology states that the development of bioinks that are supportive of cell life and simulating human tissue has been a major scientific hurdle.

The creation of blood vessels within the printed tissue remains a focus of research. Without a supply of blood, tissues and organs are unable to grow beyond a certain size. To address this, researchers at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have been working on printing vascular networks that can nourish larger structures. 

The potential of 3D bioprinting regarding organ transplantation is an incredible step within medicine. The global issue of lack of donatable organs can be potentially fixed with this emerging technology. The ability to print patients’ cells and create custom models of a patient’s anatomy within surgeries or other tailored treatments is extraordinary. 

A study in The Lancet demonstrated the successful printing of skin with a high level of functionality in vitro, suggesting that bioprinting could one day lead to fully transplantable organs.

As researchers and clinicians continue to push the boundaries of healthcare, 3D bioprinting has the potential to alter modern healthcare. Although it is just the beginning, the future of 3D bioprinting is incredibly promising for the healthcare world.