{"id":848,"date":"2020-02-27T11:01:05","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T11:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sagaciousresearch.com\/blog\/?p=848"},"modified":"2023-04-05T10:35:15","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T10:35:15","slug":"potential-3d-printed-human-cornea-bioengineering-intellectual-property-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sagaciousresearch.com\/blog\/potential-3d-printed-human-cornea-bioengineering-intellectual-property-perspective","title":{"rendered":"The Potential Of 3D Printed Human Cornea In Bioengineering \u2013 An Intellectual Property Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Manufacturing, as we know it, will never be the same. 3D printing that has already been known for decades has revolutionized various industries with its ever-advancing technology. This has been possible by augmenting the capabilities of existing methods of manufacturing, materials used and range of applications. Through its better creativity, customizability and sustainability, it has successfully penetrated aerospace to automotive to health care to biotechnology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The focus of the scientific community has shifted\ntowards transformative applications of bio-nanotechnology and finding\nrevolutionary approaches for the reconstruction and regeneration of human tissues\nand organs. This is where 3D printing comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The technology uses\nbiomaterials, cells, proteins, and other biological compounds as building\nblocks to make up 3D structures (artificial organs) in layer-by-layer\nfashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientists at Newcastle University,<\/a> UK, have developed 3D printed cornea using a simple, low-cost 3D bio-printer that extrudes bio-ink in concentric circles to form the shape of the human cornea. Such attempts show novel approaches that can accelerate the realization of anatomically correct tissue constructs for transplantation. In the future decades, and in combination with synthetic biology and nanotechnology, it has the potential to radically transform the biomedical field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent reports, \u201cabout 53% of\nthe world’s population had no access to corneal transplantation. There is a\nconsiderable shortage of corneal graft tissue, with only 1 cornea available for\n70 needed\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to American Academy of Ophthalmology<\/a>, \u201cif the cornea is scarred, swollen, or damaged, light is not focused properly in the eye leading to blurry vision or cause a glare. If cornea cannot be healed or repaired, the ophthalmologist may recommend a corneal transplant. This is when the diseased cornea is replaced with a clear, healthy cornea from a human donor. There are different types of corneal transplants. In some cases, only the front and middle layers of the cornea are replaced. In others, only the inner layer is removed. Sometimes, the entire cornea needs to be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diseases and injuries that can damage\nthe cornea are Keratoconus, Fuchs\u2019 dystrophy, corneal ectasia, fungal\nkeratitis, Acanthamoeba keratitis, chalazion, corneal abrasion, previous corneal surgery\nor another eye surgery that damaged the cornea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people receive a replacement cornea from a human donor. Although the surgery has a high success rate, the supply of donor tissue is limited. In the developing world, access to donor tissue is even more difficult. Furthermore, while human donor transplants are the standard treatment for corneal blindness, the complications and limitations inherent in them have prompted development of synthetic corneal substitutes. Existing synthetic corneas can be categorized into: <\/p>\n\n\n\n