22/04/2026
What if in vitro liver models could actually predict human drug response?
Researchers from Shaochen Chen Lab at UC San Diego, in collaboration with CELLINK, have taken a major step forward by developing a highly reproducible, multicellular 3D in vitro liver model using the BIONOVA X bioprinter.
By leveraging multi-material bioprinting, the team created a physiologically relevant construct combining hepatocytes and endothelial cells, enabling patient-specific tissue production and more predictive drug screening. At the core is a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-degradable, YISGR-functionalized PEG-norbornene (NB) hydrogel, engineered for controlled degradation and dynamic matrix remodeling.
Cultured in a microfluidic perfusion system, the resulting tissues replicate key aspects of liver architecture, exhibiting a liver lobule–mimetic structure and enhanced metabolic function.
Importantly, the multicellular model showed clinically relevant drug responses and improved predictive sensitivity for drug-induced liver injury (DILI), highlighting its potential as a powerful platform for preclinical drug evaluation and personalized medicine.
This work highlights the power of the BIONOVA X to enable rapid, reproducible biofabrication of advanced tissue models for drug screening, disease modeling, and cancer research.
Read the publication: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0tLFsH0
Big thanks to the entire team at UC San Diego for a great collaboration, and congratulations on an outstanding publication.