3D-printed organoids for the personalized medicine of the future

3D printing technology combines with the ability to use cells as ink to create human brain organoids , useful for studying diseases and testing drugs : the Ceres project from the Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) has begun, paving the way for the personalized medicine of the future thanks to the ability to use cells taken directly from patients to develop tailored therapies . Ceres will involve IIT research centers in Naples, Rome, and Aosta and is expected to last 18 months. Unlike traditional 3D printers , which use plastics and metals , bioprinters deposit layers of cells in a controlled manner onto artificial scaffolds. Ceres, however, stands out because the organoids will not require scaffolding : instead, they will exploit the natural ability of cells to organize themselves in space , forming structures similar to human organs. The harvested cells will be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells , known as iPSCs , which are capable of differentiating into any type of tissue . The project is part of D³4Health , an initiative funded by the European Union and the Ministry of University and Research with €126.5 million from the National Plan for Complementary Investments to the PNRR. D³4Health, promoted by Sapienza University of Rome, brings together 28 partners including public and private universities, research institutes, and businesses, with the aim of transforming healthcare through advanced digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and wearable devices. Ceres is one of the winning projects in the cascade calls for proposals issued by the Polytechnic University of Turin.