Biology for Engineers

21BE45
Module 5
Trends in Bioengineering
 Syllabus
TRENDS IN BIOENGINEERING
• Bio printing techniques and materials
• 3D printing of ear, bone and skin
• 3D printed foods
• Electrical tongue and electrical nose in food science
• DNA origami and Biocomputing
• Bio imaging and Artificial Intelligence for disease diagnosis
• Self-healing Bio concrete (based on bacillus spores, calcium lactate
nutrients and bio mineralization processes) and
• Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption
(removal of heavy metals like Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic).
 Introduction
• Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles
from Biology, Engineering, and Computer Science to develop new
technologies and therapies for healthcare, agriculture, and the
environment.
• Current trends in Bioengineering:
• Personalized medicine
• Gene editing
• Tissue engineering
• Synthetic biology
• Neuroengineering
• Biomaterials
• Data driven bioengineering
Bioprinting techniques and
materials
 Bioprinting
● Bioprinting is a rapidly evolving field
that combines biology and 3D
printing technology to create
functional living tissues and organs.
● The 3-D printing manufacturing
process creates a solid, three-
dimensional object from a digital
model.
● The technology generally involves a
computer-controlled printer
depositing material in thin layers to
create the precise shape of the
object.
● Ultimate goal is to create functional
and viable tissues or organs that can
be transplanted into patients.
 Bioprinting Techniques
● There are several different bioprinting techniques that have been developed to
create 3D structures with living cells.
● Extrusion-based bioprinting: In this technique, a bioink containing living cells is
extruded through a nozzle to create layers that eventually form a 3D structure. The
bioink may contain cells, hydrogels, and other biomaterials that provide structural
support.
● Inkjet-based bioprinting: Similar to traditional inkjet printing, this technique uses a
print head to deposit droplets of bioink containing cells onto a substrate. These
droplets can be precisely controlled to create patterns or layers of cells.
● Laser-assisted bioprinting: In this technique, a laser is used to generate a pressure
wave that propels small droplets of bioink onto a substrate to create a 3D structure.
This technique allows for high precision and control over the deposition of cells.
● Stereolithography bioprinting: The technique uses a UV laser to selectively solidify a
photosensitive bioink material, layer by layer
● Microfluidics bioprinting: This technique uses microfluidic channels to deposit the
bioink material in a controlled manner, with high resolution.
 3D Bioprinting Workflow
● Preprocessing
○ Imaging
○ 3D Modeling
● Processing
○ Bioink Preparation
○ Bioprinting
● Post Processing
○ Cell culture and differentiation
● Application
 Bioprinting materials
● These materials should have the ability to mimic the properties of the native
tissue or organ, such as its mechanical strength, biodegradability,
biocompatibility, and cell-adhesion.
● Hydrogels: Water based materials with high water content.
○ Used to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues.
○ Made from natural materials, such as collagen, fibrin, and hyaluronic acid, or
○ Synthetic materials such as polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol.
● Extracellular matrix bioinks: Made from decellularized tissues or organs.
○ Can be used to create scaffolds that closely mimic the native tissue, providing
suitable environment for cells to grow and differentiate.
● Cell-laden bioinks: Are hydrogels or other materials that contain living cells
○ Can be used to print tissues that are populated with cells, such as skin, cartilage and
bone
● Ceramic-based materials: These materials are used to print bone-like
structures.
○ Made from natural materials, such as, calcium phosphate, or synthetic materials.
 Applications of Bioprinting
Bioprinting has the potential to revolutionize several areas of healthcare,
including:
● Tissue engineering: Bioprinting can be used to create functional tissues
and organs that can be transplanted into patients with damaged or
diseased tissues. This has the potential to address the shortage of organs
for transplantation and reduce the need for immunosuppressive drugs.
● Drug discovery and screening: Bioprinted tissues can be used for drug
testing to predict human response more accurately and reduce the
reliance on animal testing. This can accelerate the drug discovery process
and make it more efficient.
● Disease modeling: Bioprinting can be used to create disease models that
closely mimic human tissues, allowing researchers to study disease
mechanisms and develop personalized treatment approaches.
3D Printing of ear
 3D Bioprinting of ear – procedure
● Imaging and modeling: using specialized software, taking images of the ear
and converting them into a 3D digital model
● Scaffold creation: A scaffold is 3D printed using a biocompatible hydrogel
material. This will provide the structure for the cells to grow on.
● Cell preparation: Cells are extracted from the patient’s own tissues, such as
cartilage cells and then expanded in the laboratory. Seeded into the scaffold
later.
● Bioprinting: Used to deposit the cells onto the scaffold in a layer – by – layer
manner.
○ The printer uses a process called extrusion-based printing or inkjet-based printing to
place the cells onto the scaffold.
● Maturation: Cells were deposited onto the scaffold, it is placed in a
bioreactor that mimics the conditions of the human body.
○ This allows the cells to mature and develop into a functional ear over the course of
weeks.
● Transplantation: The mature ear is transplanted into the patient. There is
reduced risk or rejection.
 Stunning advance in the field of tissue engineering

● A 20-year-old woman,
from Mexico, was born
with microtia, a rare
birth defect that causes
the auricle, or external
part of the ear, to be
small and malformed (it
also can affect hearing
in the ear). She has
received a 3-D printed
ear implant made from
her own cells.
3D printing of bone
 3D printing of bone
● Is a rapidly advancing field in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine that involves
the creation of three-dimensional bone tissue using a bioprinter
● Steps:
○ Imaging and modeling: Create a digital model of the bone using specialized software. This is done by
taking images of the bone, converting them into a 3D digital model
○ Scaffold creation: Scaffold is 3D printed using a biocompatible material such as hydroxyapatite or
collagen.
■ This scaffold will provide a structure for the cells to grow on.
○ Cell preparation: Stem cells or bone-forming celled (osteoblasts) are extracted from the patient’s own
tissues or from a donor and then expanded in the lab.
■ The cells are then seeded onto the scaffold
○ Bioprinting: Bioprinter deposit the cells onto the scaffold in a layer by layer manner.
○ Maturation: Cells were deposited onto the scaffold, it is placed in a bioreactor that mimics the
conditions of the human body.
■ This allows the cells to mature and develop into a functional bone tissue over the course of weeks.
○ Transplantation: The mature ear is transplanted into the patient. There is reduced risk or rejection.
 3D bioprinting of skin
Bioink : Collagen, Gelatin, Chitosan, Fibrin
Cell Lines:
● Fibroblast : Dermal formation : Wound healing
● Mimic Natural Skin : Melanocytes
● Keratinocytes
● Hair follicles
Applications
● Treatment of Burn Injuries and Wound Healing
● Modeling of Skin Diseases (analyze the mode of
action in cancer proliferation and metastasis and
reaction to the selected drug)
● The Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industry
 Contd …
● The bioprinter uses a variety of materials – biocompatible hydrogel
● The cells are then deposited onto the scaffold using a process called
extrusion – based printing or inkjet – based printing
● These cells are derived from a patient’s own tissues, reduces the rejection.
● Cells are cultured in a bioreactor to allow them to grow and mature – cells
develop into a functional skin tissue with blood vessels, hair follicles, and
sweat glands.
3D Bioprinting of skin protocol:
● Imaging and modeling
● Scaffold creation
● Cell preparation
● Bioprinting
● Maturation
● Transplantation
3D Food Printing
CONTENTS
⚫ Introduction

⚫ Working principle

⚫ Historical development

⚫ 3D food printing

⚫ 3D food printing techniques

⚫ 3D food printing products

⚫ Benefits

⚫ Applications

⚫ Conclusion

⚫ References
INTRODUCTION
⚫ 3D printing is a process used to make a three dimensional object. In 3D
printing additive processes are used, in which successive layers of material are
laid down under computer control.

⚫ 3D printing is used for the production of objects made from both a single
type of material as well as combination of materials in which each material is
deposited, for instant by a separate print head.

(Wegrzyn et al.2012).
⚫ At the beginning 3D printing was mostly seen as a tool to shape and bring it to the
artistic or different designs, but in the last few years this technology is developing
to a point where mechanical components and some required parts can be printed.

⚫ In 1984 Charles Hull designed 3D printer while he was working for the
company .
 WORKING PRINCIPLE

⚫ The main principle 0f 3D printing is stereo-litho-graphy, outlined by Charles

Hull in 1984 patent as “a system for generating three-dimensional objects by
making a cross- sectional pattern of the object to be formed”.

⚫ 3D printing is initiated with the generation of a 3D printable model.

 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
YEAR DEVELOPMENT

1984 3D systems corporations

1992 SLA (stereolithographic apparatus)

2000 NANOTEK

2006 SLA (selective laser sintering)

2008 First person walks on a 3D printed prosthetic leg

2009 Concept of Electrolux Moleculaire

2011 First 3D printed aircraft

 3D FOOD PRINTING

⚫ 3D food printing is also known as additive manufacturing, rapid

prototyping or food layered manufacturing

(Wegrzyn et al.,2012).
⚫ It is a digitally controlled, robotic construction process which
can build up complex 3D food products layer-by-layer

(Huang et al., 2013).

• The revolutionary food manufacturing technique precisely mix, deposit, and
cook layers of ingredients, so that users can easily and rapidly experiment with
different material combinations.
⚫ With this technology , food can be designed and fabricated to meet individual
needs on health condition and physical activities through controlling the
amount of printing material and nutrition content.
3D FOOD PRINTING TECHNIQUES

Selective laser Fused Deposition

sintering modelling

3-D food
printing

BINDER JETTING INKJET PRINTING

 SELECTIVE SINTERING TECHNOLOGY
⚫ Sugars and sugar-rich powders can be selectively sintered to form complex
shapes.
• Selective sintering offers more freedom to build complex food items in short time
without post-processing. It is suitable for sugar materials with relatively low
melting points.

Deackard et al. 2008

(Sun et al. 2015)
 FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING
• Fused deposition modeling (FDM) also called hot-melt extrusion
• In this melted semi-solid thermoplastic material is extruded from a movable FDM
head and then deposited onto a substrate .

• The material is heated slightly above its melting point so that it solidifies almost
immediately after extrusion and welds to the previous layers.
• In food printing hot melt extrusion is applied to create 3D chocolate products
• The food printer designed based on FDM has a compact size, low maintenance
cost. The disadvantages such as seam line between layers, and long fabrication
time.
Fused Deposition Modeling
 BINDER JETTING
▪ In standard binder jetting technology, each powder layer is distributed evenly across
the fabrication platform, and liquid binder sprays to bind two consecutive powder
layers (Sachs et al, 1990).

▪ The powder material is usually stabilized through water mist to minimize disturbance
caused by binder dispensing.
▪ Binder jetting offers advantages such as faster fabrication and low materials cost, and
high machine cost.
Binder Jetting

(Zhou et al.2018)
INKJET PRINTING

▪ Inkjet food printing dispenses stream or droplet from syringe-type

printhead in a drop-on-demand way.

▪ 3D edible food products such as cookies, cakes, or pastries are created in a

layer structure, which involves pre- patterning food items at multiple layers
of processing.
(Zhue et al.2015)
3D FOOD PRINTING PRODUCTS
BENEFITS OF 3D FOOD PRINTING

⚫ The use of new components, which are not used or are not
popular among consumers.

⚫ Ease and simplicity of preparation of meals.

⚫ Both aesthetic and functional customization can be achieved
at the same time.
⚫ Longer shelf life.

⚫ Food personalization.
⚫ Economical and efficient technique of mass
personalization.

⚫ Novel food textures.

(Joanina Izdebska et al.,)

APPLICATIONS

1. Military and space food.

2. Elderly food.

3. Confectionery market.(like
sweets )
 CONCLUSION
▪ 3D food printing has demonstrated its capability of making
personalized chocolates or producing simple homogenous snacks.

▪ It is necessary to develop a systematic way to investigate recipes,

platform design, printing technologies, and their influences on food
fabrication.

▪ Food printing technologies apply digital technologies to manipulate food

forms and materials.

(Jie Sun et al.,)

DNA origami and Biocomputing,
Bioimaging and AI for disease
diagnosis
 DNA origami
● DNA origami technology, as a promising branch of DNA nanotechnology,
is an effective technique for bottom-up fabrication of well-defined
nanostructures ranging from tens of nanometres to sub-micrometres.
● DNA origami involves the folding of DNA to create 2D and 3D objects at
the nanoscale.
● The concept of DNA origami relies on folding a long ssDNA called the
scaffold
 Applications of DNA Origami
● Drug delivery: DNA origami structures can be used as nanocarriers to
deliver drugs or other therapeutic molecules to specific target sites in
the body.
● Nanoelectronics: DNA origami can be used to create nano-sized
electronic circuits and devices for applications in computing and data
storage.
● Sensors: DNA origami structures can be functionalized with sensors or
probes to detect specific molecules or ions, making them useful for
diagnostic or environmental monitoring applications.
● Nanomaterials: DNA origami can be used as templates to create new
materials with tailored properties, such as nanocomposites or
nanoparticle arrays.
 Biocomputing
Biocomputers are computers
made of proteins, genes, and
cells, and capable of performing
mathematical operations, IF/THEN
tests, and Boolean logic gate
operations.
 Bioimaging
● Bioimaging refers to the use of imaging techniques to visualize biological
structures and processes at various levels of resolution, from molecular
to cellular to whole organism.
● Bioimaging plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of
biology, medicine, and healthcare by providing non-invasive or minimally
invasive ways to visualize and study complex biological systems.
● Techniques such as microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and molecular imaging are
commonly used in bioimaging.
 Bioimaging Techniques
● Microscopy: Enables visualization of cellular and subcellular structures using
light microscopy, electron microscopy, or fluorescence microscopy.
● Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to
generate detailed images of internal organs, tissues, and structures in the body.
● Computed Tomography (CT): Utilizes X-rays to create cross-sectional images of
body tissues and organs, providing detailed anatomical information.
● Ultrasound: Uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal
structures in real-time, commonly used for imaging organs, blood vessels, and
developing fetuses.
● Molecular Imaging: Combines imaging techniques with targeted contrast agents
to visualize specific molecular or cellular processes, such as positron emission
tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and
optical imaging.
 Applications of Bioimaging
● Diagnostic Imaging: Bioimaging is widely used in clinical settings for the diagnosis
and monitoring of various diseases and conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular
diseases, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions.
● Research and Development: Bioimaging plays a crucial role in advancing biological
and medical research by providing insights into cellular and molecular processes,
studying disease mechanisms, and developing new therapeutic strategies.
● Drug Discovery and Development: Bioimaging techniques are used in preclinical
and clinical drug development to assess drug efficacy, safety, and
pharmacokinetics, and to monitor drug delivery and distribution in vivo.
● Image-Guided Surgery: Bioimaging assists surgeons in planning and performing
minimally invasive procedures, guiding surgical interventions, and improving
patient outcomes.
● Personalized Medicine: Bioimaging helps in tailoring medical interventions to
individual patients by providing personalized diagnostic and treatment information
based on their specific anatomical, physiological, and molecular characteristics.
AI for disease diagnosis
Workflow
 Most Popular Machine Learning Software Tools
1) Scikit-learn

2) PyTorch

3) TensorFlow

4) Weka

5) KNIME

6) Colab

7) Apache Mahout

8) Accord.Net

9) Shogun

10) Keras.io

11) Rapid Miner 55

Self healing bio concerete
 Self healing bio concrete

• Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials and has a high tendency to
form cracks.
• These cracks lead to significant reduction in concrete service life and high replacement
costs.
• Although it is not possible to prevent crack formation, various types of techniques are in
place to heal the cracks.
• It has been shown that some of the current concrete treatment methods such as the
application of chemicals and polymers are a source of health and environmental risks, and
more importantly, they are effective only in the short term.
• Thus, treatment methods that are environmentally friendly and long-lasting are in high
demand.
• A microbial self-healing approach is distinguished by its potential for long lasting, rapid and
active crack repair, while also being environmentally friendly.
• Furthermore, the microbial self-healing approach prevails the other treatment techniques
due to the efficient bonding capacity and compatibility with concrete compositions.
 What is Bio-Concrete?
• Bio-concrete is a self-healing form of concrete
designed to repair its own cracks.
• It was developed by Dutch researcher and
microbiologist Hendrik Jonkers using an extra
ingredient acting as a healing agent and requires no
human intervention to be repaired once placed.
• Bio-Concrete set to revolutionize the building
industry.
• The vision was to develop a bionic approach that
improves the tensile strength and eco-friendly
properties of concrete.
• The Dutch researcher set out to develop the bio-
concrete of the future with limestone producing
bacteria that can survive in a concrete structure for
up to 200 years, and which “awaken” when damage
occurs, enabling them to heal the cracks.
 Contd …

• Self-healing octopus tentacles or plants that create new organisms with offshoots
served as inspiration for Jonkers’ invention.
• To heal cracks in the concrete, Jonkers chose bacteria (Bacillus pseudofirmus and B.
cohnii), that are able to produce limestone on a biological basis.
• The positive side-effect of this property: the bacteria consume oxygen, which in turn
prevents the internal corrosion of reinforced concrete.
• These bacteria do not pose a risk to human health, since they can only survive under
the alkaline conditions inside the concrete.
• Based on these findings, Jonkers and his team of researchers developed three different
bacterial concrete mixtures: self-healing concrete, repair mortar, and a liquid repair
system.
• In self-healing concrete, bacterial content is integrated during construction, while the
repair mortar and liquid system only come into play when acute damage has occurred on
concrete elements.
 Contd …

• Bacterial spores are encapsulated within two to four

millimeter wide clay pellets and added to the cement
mix with separate nitrogen, phosphorous and a nutrient
agent (calcium lactate).
• This innovative approach ensures that bacteria can
remain dormant in the concrete for up to 200 years.
• Contact with nutrients occurs only if water
penetrates into a crack and not while mixing cement.
• This variant is well-suited for structures that are
exposed to weathering, as well as points that are difficult
to access for repair workers. Thus, the need for expensive
and complex manual repairs is eliminated.
Self healing bio concrete
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

● Heavy metals are defined as

metallic elements that have a
relatively high density compared to
water (>5 gm/cc)
● Various public health measures
undertaken to control, prevent and
treat metal toxicity occurring at
occupational exposure, accidents
and environmental factors.
● They replace essential elements in
our body and cause increase in free
oxygen radicals.
● Some are even cancer causing (As,
Pb, Cd) and endocrine disruptors
Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption
Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

❖ Bioremediation is a technique for the removal and recovery of HM ions

from polluted areas, and involves using living organisms to reduce
and/or recover heavy metal pollutants into less hazardous forms, using
the activities of algae, bacteria, fungi, or plants
Types of Bioremediation:
● Microbial bioremediation uses microorganisms to break down
contaminants by using them as a food source.
● Phytoremediation uses plants to bind, extract, and clean up pollutants
such as pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, and chlorinated
solvents
Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption
Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

Method of Advantages Disadvantages

removal
Chemical Addition of Large amount of
precipitation coagulant salts sludge produced

Reduction (Cr6+ to Mercury, Cd, Lead, Not cost effective

Cr 3+ ) Silver and gold for thousands of
removal by liters of water
electrodes

Liquid Liquid Easy removal Lots of solvent

extraction consumed
Membrane Highly effective Cost, sludge and
processes (RO and for immediate power
dialysis) removal requirement

Ion exchange Removes even at Competing ions

resins ppm level hinder removal
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

● Algae for bioremediation: Microalgae

(The four groups of micro-algae are
diatoms, green algae, golden algae and
blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)) and
Macroalgae (sea weeds)
● Bacteria – cell wall components such as
peptidoglycan and teichoic acid and lipid
layers cause adsorption.
● Fungi -cell wall is comprised of chitin,
cellulose, b-glucan, a-glucan, chitosans,
polyuranides, glucoproteins, lipids,
inorganic salts and pigments
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

➢ pH
➢ Temperature
➢ Biosorbent dosage
➢ Competing ions
➢ Agitation
➢ Nature of biosorbent
➢ Contact time
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

▪ Bioleaching (or biomining) is a process in mining and

biohydrometallurgy (natural processes of interactions between
microbes and minerals) that extracts valuable metals from a low-grade
ore with the help of microorganisms such as bacteria or archaea
bacteria.
What are the environmental risks of biomining?
Leakage and treatment of the acidic, metal-rich solution created by the
microbes, similar to the acid mine drainage from some abandoned mines.
Need for waste treatment protocols
Egs: Chile- Cu from ores
Europe- Fe, Co
UAE- gold mining ; Other minerals- Silver, Uranium, Nickel and Zinc
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

Direct v. Indirect Bioleaching

● Direct bioleaching uses minerals that are easily receptive to oxidation to
create a direct enzymatic strike using the microorganisms to separate
the metal and the ore.
● In indirect bioleaching, microorganisms are not in direct contact with
minerals during the process. However, leaching agents are created by
microbes, which still oxidise the ore.

Commercial metal extraction is a quicker process optimized through

humidity, potential hydrogen (pH), temperature, and chemical
elements.
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

Some advantages of bioleaching include:

● Bioleaching can stabilise sulphate toxins from the mine without
causing harm to the environment.
● Poisonous sulfur dioxide emissions harm the environment and can
cause health problems for miners, and bioleaching avoids this process
entirely.
● Bioleaching is more cost-effective than smelting processes.
● Some Bioleaching offers a different way to extract valuable metals
from low-grade ores that have already been processed.
 Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

The 3 most common commercial biomining processes are:

1. Slope Leaching: Fine ore is kept in a large, slope-shaped dump. A
solution made of inoculum is continuously sprayed over the ore. After
that, the leach liquor (or remaining liquid) is gathered at the bottom and
processed for supplemental metal recovery.
2. Heap Leaching: In this technique, the ore is arranged in large heaps.
An aqueous mixture of microorganisms is sprinkled over the leach pile.
Then, the solution is collected and processed to help recover even more
metal.
3. In-situ Leaching: The ore remains in its natural state while the
leaching process takes place. Water that contains Thiobacillus bactrerium
is pushed through drilled passageways within the ore. The leach fluid is
then stored until it is time for metal recovery.
Bioremediation and Biomining via microbial surface adsorption

● Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is a chemophilic,

moderately thermophilic bacteria which
can produce energy from oxidation of
inorganic compounds like sulfur and iron.
● Thermothrix thiopara is an extremely
thermophilic bacteria that can survive
very high temperatures between 60-75˚C
and is used in extraction of sulfur.
● Leptospirilli have a high affinity for
ferrous iron
● Bacillus lipidolobus in Gold mining in
South Africa