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(07/02/2025) A Chicago VA researcher teamed with a trio of national and international universities to develop a biological 3D printing technique that holds promise for patient-specific tissue repair and the creation of replica disease models for testing treatments and medications. The researchers demonstrated the creation of complex multi-tissue structures using a microgel mixture that retains the shape of a 3D-printed biological object. They also developed a high cell-density bioink from individual stem cells that can be injected into a micro-gel bath in a desired pattern to match a specific biological organization of cells. The research is the first to successfully combine these techniques to 3D-print composite tissue similar to what is found in bone and cartilage. The approach may lead to the precision engineering of complex tissues for wound healing and tissue regeneration. (Materials Today, Jul. 1, 2025)