IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,404,413
Granted Patent B2
US 12,404,413 · App. 16/153,501 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Bio-ink structures and methods of producing the same

Inventors: Fang Qian (Santa Cruz, CA); Sarah Baker (Dublin, CA); Joshua R. Deotte (Livermore, CA); Eric Duoss (Dublin, CA); Jennifer Marie Knipe (Oakland, CA); Samantha Ruelas (Newberry Springs, CA); Christopher Spadaccini (Oakland, CA); Joshuah K. Stolaroff (Oakland, CA); Cheng Zhu (Livermore, CA)
Assignee: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
C09D11/03B29C64/106B33Y10/00B33Y70/00C09D11/101C12P7/06B29K2105/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,404,413
App. No.
16/153,501
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Bio-ink comprising freeze-dried cells, methods of making a living structure from a bio-ink material of freeze-dried cells, and methods of using the living structure for biosensing, tissue regeneration, environment sensing, drug discovery, catalysis, and/or clinical implementation are described herein.

Claims (30)

1. A bio-ink comprising:

a first filler component comprising freeze-dried cells, wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 10 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink, and

a second filler component comprising nanocellulose crystalline powder,

wherein the bio-ink is configured to be used for bioprinting three-dimensional structures including living cells.

2. The bio-ink of claim 1 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells are microbes, wherein the microbes are selected from the group consisting of bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and a mixture thereof.

3. The bio-ink of claim 1 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 20 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

4. The bio-ink of claim 1 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 40 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

5. The bio-ink of claim 1 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 60 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

6. The bio-ink of claim 1 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 80 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

7. A bio-ink comprising:

a first filler component comprising freeze-dried cells, wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 10 wt % of the total weight of the bio-ink and

a second filler comprising nanocellulose crystalline powder,

wherein the bio-ink is configured to be used for bioprinting three-dimensional structures including living cells.

8. The bio-ink of claim 7 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells are microbes, and wherein the microbes are selected from the group consisting of bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and a mixture thereof.

9. The bio-ink of claim 7 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 20 wt % or more of the total weight of the bio-ink.

10. The bio-ink of claim 7 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 40 wt % or more of the total weight of the bio-ink.

11. The bio-ink of claim 7 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 60 wt % or more of the total weight of the bio-ink.

12. The bio-ink of claim 7 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 80 wt % or more of the total weight of the bio-ink.

13. A bio-ink comprising:

a first filler component comprising freeze-dried cells, wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 10 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink,

a second filler component selected from the group consisting of nanocellulose, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), and nanocellulose crystalline powder,

wherein the bio-ink is configured to be used for bioprinting three-dimensional structures including living cells, and

a binder comprising an oligomer, monomer, or a combination thereof, wherein the binder is configured to form a polymer when the bio-ink is used for bio-printing the three-dimensional structures including living cells.

14. The bio-ink of claim 13 , wherein the binder comprises styrene, methacrylate, vinyl alcohol, polyisobutylene, glycerol, polypropylene, or polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

15. The bio-ink of claim 13 , further comprising a photo-initiator configured to initiate photopolymerization of the binder upon irradiation with light.

16. The bio-ink of claim 15 , wherein the photo-initiator comprises 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2-methyl-1-[4-(-methylthio)phenyl]-2-4-morpholinyl)-1-propanone, hydroxyacetophenone, phosphineoxide, benzophenone, or lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP).

17. The bio-ink of claim 13 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells are microbes, wherein the microbes are selected from the group consisting of bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and a mixture thereof.

18. The bio-ink of claim 13 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 20 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

19. The bio-ink of claim 13 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 40 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

20. The bio-ink of claim 13 , wherein the first filler component of freeze-dried cells has a cell density of at least about 60 vol % or more of the total volume of the bio-ink.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2019
From: BAKER, SARAH; DEOTTE, JOSHUA R.; DUOSS, ERIC; KNIPE, JENNIFER MARIE; QIAN, FANG; RUELAS, SAMANTHA; SPADACCINI, CHRISTOPHER; STOLAROFF, JOSHUAH K.; ZHU, CHENG
To: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 048603/0352 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 26, 2019
From: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 048440/0424 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200109299A1 · Apr 9, 2020
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