Described herein are improvements to bioprinting technology that facilitate automation of tissue and organ fabrication processes.

Bioink compositions comprising a biomaterial (mammalian, plant based, synthetically derived, or microbially derived) such as a hydrogel and a microbial-, fungal-, or plant-produced polysaccharide, with or without cells, for use in the 3D bioprinting of human tissues and scaffolds are described. The bioink compositions have excellent printability and improved cell function, viability and engraftment. Furthermore, the bioink compositions can be supplemented through the additional of auxiliary proteins and other molecules such as growth factors including extracellular matrix components, Laminins, super affinity growth factors and morphogens. The bioink compositions can be used under physiological conditions related to 3D bioprinting parameters which are cytocompatible (e.g. temperature, printing pressure, nozzle size, bioink gelation process). The combination of a biogum-based biomaterial together with mammalian, plant, microbial or synthetically derived hydrogels exhibited improvement in printability, cell function and viability compared to tissues printed with bioink not containing biogums.

An apparatus for cultivation of cells, particularly podocytes, is described. The apparatus includes a cell cultivation surface exhibiting at least one feature providing a non-planar microtopology. A method for cultivation of cells, particularly podocytes, is also described. The method includes introducing a differentiation media including ATRA, Vit D3, and Dex.

A cell support composite includes: a substrate formed of an artificial material; a laminin molecule or a fragment thereof which adheres to at least a part of the substrate; and a renal tubule epithelial cell or a renal tubule epithelial-like cell which is a culture cell attached to the substrate via the laminin molecule or the fragment thereof.

A syntrophic enrichment for enhanced digestion (SEED) system is presented, in which a retrofit addition to existing anaerobic digestion infrastructure provides improved digestion process rate and biogas quality. The system provides optimal niche environments for accelerating fermentative, syntrophic and methanogenic metabolisms to increase digestion system loading rates and enhance main digester microbiome. Prescribed media formulations, reactor integrations, and operational methods using various fixed and loose media enhance global digestion system performance. The retrofitted system enables existing plants to transition from an outdated solids-management model to one of valorized biomethane production.

Exemplary embodiments describe apparatuses and related processes for improving mixing and sheer in a fixed film reactor. One process can include recycling at least a portion of a biogas product through at least one sparger below a fixed film zone in the fixed film reactor at conditions sufficient for mixing and sheering the film from an internal structure within the fixed film zone. Often, a cross-sectional area of the fixed film zone fills at least about 90% of a cross-sectional area of the fixed film reactor.

A mixed acrylate-siloxane polymer can be used to create three-dimensional (3D) structures of arbitrary shape via nanolithography. Treatment of such structures with amine (such as diamine) makes them permissive for neuronal cell adhesion and growth without need of additional modification such as poly-lysine (D or L) nor laminin.

The present invention provides an immobilized reaction device and a method for carrying out reaction by utilizing the immobilization technology. The immobilized reaction device includes a columnar reactor with an inlet and an outlet. The reactor is provided with an interior cavity which is defined by a top portion and a bottom portion opposite to each other, and a side wall connecting the top portion and the bottom portion.

A gelatin or a chemically modified product thereof contains 10 to 50% by mass of a high-molecular weight component, and a low-molecular weight component in such an amount that a value obtained by subtracting a low-molecular weight component content from a high-molecular weight component content is greater than or equal to 0% by mass.

A yarn reinforced bacterial cellulose hybrid composition includes a two-dimensional yarn mesh stretched and embedded within a BC sheet. Such materials are fabricated by providing a bacterial cellulose-producing bacterium; providing a suitable bacteria nutritional medium; culturing the bacterium in the nutritional medium under conditions to produce bacterial cellulose; and providing a two-dimensional yarn mesh having a defined pattern such that the yarn mesh is embedded within the bacterial cellulose.