Innovative Hydrogel from BITS Pilani Paves Way for ASEAN Biomedical Advances

A Breakthrough in 3D Bioprinting for ASEAN Factories \\[A team at BITS Pilani’s K.K. Birla Goa Campus has developed a 3D printable hydrogel that could transform the way Southeast Asian factories approach tissue repair and drug delivery. This innovative material, made from pharmaceutical-grade polymers, has shown promising results in both skin tissue scaffolds and customized chewable drug tablets. The hydrogel is composed of three key ingredients: Starch 1500, maltodextrin, and sodium alginate, all of which are already widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. This makes the hydrogel not only cost-effective but also more easily regulated, as it avoids the use of specialized or animal-derived materials that can be inconsistent and expensive.\\[The hydrogel's properties make it ideal for 3D bioprinting. It has a viscosity within the printable range, thins under extrusion force, and recovers 87% of its original viscosity once deposited. These characteristics ensure consistent and reliable printing results. Using a Trivima Basic bioprinter, the team successfully printed single-layer and multi-layer grid structures, as well as spiral shapes. The printed scaffolds showed favorable porosity and degradation rates, making them suitable for skin repair. However, the tensile strength and elongation at break need further improvement to better mimic human skin.\\[For ASEAN factories, this breakthrough means a potential shift towards more advanced and cost-effective biomedical solutions. In Thailand, where the medical industry is rapidly growing, this hydrogel could be a game-changer for local manufacturers looking to produce high-quality, affordable tissue scaffolds and drug delivery systems. Similarly, in Vietnam and Indonesia, where there is a significant demand for innovative medical products, this technology could provide a competitive edge. Malaysian factories, known for their precision engineering, could leverage this hydrogel to develop cutting-edge biomedical devices.\\[The hydrogel's versatility extends beyond tissue repair. The researchers also used it to print chewable drug tablets, demonstrating its potential in personalized medicine. The tablets, containing glimepiride, an oral diabetes medication, were printed at room temperature, making the process compatible with heat-sensitive drugs. This opens up new possibilities for ASEAN factories to produce customized, on-demand medications.\\[In conclusion, the development of this 3D printable hydrogel by BITS Pilani represents a significant step forward for the biomedical industry in ASEAN. Factory buyers should consider investing in this technology to stay ahead of the curve and meet the growing demand for advanced, cost-effective, and customizable biomedical solutions.]