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June 3, 2022

Anna Murray 

On June 2nd, the successful transplantation of a 3D-printed ear made from human cells onto a woman born with a rare ear deformity was announced by 3DBio Therapeutics (3DBio), a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company, and the Microtia-Congenital Ear Deformity Institute. The transplantation was part of the technology's first medical trial, and its success represents a significant step forward for tissue engineering.

Microtia, a disease in which one or both ears are underdeveloped or missing totally, affects about 1,500 babies born in the United States every year. The researchers took half a gram of cells from the patient and expanded them into billions of cells using "proprietary technologies." The ear was then printed using a customized 3D printer that used collagen-based "bio-ink."

So far, this year has been a watershed moment in transplant technology. Doctors performed a pig heart transplant on a patient in January, though the patient died a few months later. Other research teams are developing 3D-printed lungs and blood arteries. 3DBio Therapeutics now plans to use the same technology on other body parts such as spinal discs, noses, and rotator cuffs.