BITS Pilani Goa researchers develop pharma polymer-based bioink for 3D-printed skin scaffolds and customised drug delivery

Researchers at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, have developed a pharma polymer-based hydrogel for 3D printing using extrusion-based method which has the potential to be used for skin tissue engineering and customised drug delivery.

The study, published in the Journal of Biological Engineering, explores the use of pharmaceutical grade polymers, such as starch, maltodextrin and sodium alginate, to create hydrogels that display the desired properties needed to be 3D printed. The method could help to solve some of the issues with traditional bioinks: material variability, safety, high costs, and regulatory approvals.

The research was led by Prof Anasuya Ganguly, along with Hemant Kumar Bankhede, Maheswari Sivaravi, Antara Poi Raiturker, and Prajakta Praveen Bhende from the Department of Biological Sciences, and Prof Asima Shaukat, Assistant Professor, Mamta Keshav Tari, Sagar B Kale from the Department of Chemical Engineering, BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus.

Caption: Hemant Bankhede with the 3D bioprinter

Developing a printable hydrogel for skin tissue engineering

The researchers formulated a hydrogel designed to exhibit the flow and recovery properties necessary for extrusion-based 3D printing. The material demonstrated shear-thinning behaviour, enabling it to flow under the shear applied during printing and subsequently recover its structure after deposition. The study reported 87 per cent thixotropic recovery, indicating its ability to retain the shape and structural integrity of the printed constructs.

The researchers also evaluated the biological compatibility of the hydrogel using L929 and HaCaT cells, which are relevant to skin tissue engineering. The formulation demonstrated more than 70 per cent cell viability in the tested cell models. The printed scaffolds also showed blood compatibility, with 5.0 per cent haemolysis reported in the study. Confocal microscopy further provided evidence of cell growth on the crosslinked hydrogel.

Prof. Anasuya Ganguly, Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani, said, “This study demonstrates that pharmaceutical-grade polymers can be formulated into hydrogels with properties suitable for 3D bioprinting. The findings provide a promising foundation for exploring a single, versatile platform for applications ranging from skin tissue engineering to customised drug delivery.”

Extending the bioink platform to customised drug delivery

The researchers further demonstrated the versatility of the formulation by incorporating glimepiride into the hydrogel and using it to produce 3D-printed customised chewable tablets.

The printed tablets demonstrated 100.4 per cent content uniformity, indicating consistent drug loading, and exhibited a sustained drug-release profile over four hours. The findings demonstrate how 3D bioprinting could offer greater flexibility in designing oral dosage forms and potentially enable customised formulations based on specific therapeutic requirements.

Prof. Asima Shaukat, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, BITS Pilani, said, “By using pharma polymers that are already established in drug formulation, this work explores how 3D bioprinting can be applied across tissue engineering and drug delivery. Our focus has been on combining material safety, printability and practical applications within a single platform.”

Building on pharma polymers for biomedical applications

A significant feature of the work is the use of pharma polymers rather than relying exclusively on specialised or animal-derived biomaterials. The researchers’ approach builds on earlier work exploring pharma polymers as potential bioinks for soft-tissue engineering and clean bioprinting.

While the findings are promising, the study represents a research-stage demonstration rather than a clinically approved treatment or commercially available 3D-printed medical product.