High-resolution bioprinting at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute

The drive toward New Alternative Methods (NAMs) requires tissue models that accurately mirror human biology with a level of detail previously thought impossible.

To achieve this, the Boroviak Group brought in the the MiniREJI next generation bioprinter, a multi-modal bioprinter that overcomes the limitations of current technology to deliver unprecedented precision and scalability.

Originally developed by Prof. Kenny Dalgarno and his team at Newcastle University, this platform is specifically designed to accelerate the adoption of 3D in vitro models by providing researchers with a tool that goes beyond the capabilities of any commercially available system.

What makes this bioprinter unique is its ability to combine three distinct print modes to address a wide range of modelling needs. At its core is the patented Reactive Jet Impingement (ReJI) process, which allows for the rapid production of cell-filled gels with near-physiological cell densities. This is complemented by high-resolution inkjet bioprinting for single-cell placement and micro-valve technology for the rapid deposition of larger cell volumes within supportive hydrogels. The integration of these techniques enables the MiniREJI to create complex, multicellular architectures that replicate native cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions across a variety of hard and soft substrates.

The NC3R-funded MiniREJI at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute is operated by the Boroviak lab to model human embryogenesis and, in collaboration with groups across Cambridge, to generate physiologically relevant tissue-scale organ models.