Bioprinting company CELLINK has been granted a patent from the European Patent Office for a new technology for controlling the temperature of a printbed. The patent protects the technology in the European market.

The invention leverages the Peltier effect, resulting in a compact standalone system that is smaller and more robust than systems that use conventional thermoregulation methods.

Now, for research involving temperature-sensitive bioinks like collagen and GelMA, CELLINK’s temperature-controlled printbed promises reliable and precise control during the bioprinting process — which is good news for users bioprinting retinal cells, heart cells, liver cells, cancer models and disease models. The patent complements a full portfolio of bioprinting solutions being developed at CELLINK. See the portfolio in this link.

Bioprinting different biomaterials relies on the ability to control each bioink’s individual rate of crosslinking. Conventional printbeds that use circuit boards, PCBs and film heaters pose problems in terms of accuracy and responsiveness, and typically lack a cooling function, according to the patent.

CELLINK set out to develop a different approach. The new printbed enables users to both raise and reduce temperature and the Peltier effect cools down the bioprinter much faster than older methods, offering more control to the user.

The method outlined in the patent makes a large step towards the ideal bioprinter and biomaterial-supporting technology. 

The inventors include Erik Gatenholm and Héctor Martínez, co-founders of CELLINK, as well as Jockum Svanberg and Erik Sternå.

Source: Company Press Release