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Magnetic and acoustic levitation

PULSE technology stems from magnetic levitation and integrates it with acoustic levitation in a portable device, a radically new combination that will allow for unprecedented spatiotemporal control of deposition of cells.

Our innovative technology involves the use of magnetic and acoustic fields to precisely position and manipulate biological materials such as cells and hydrogels. 

In magnetic levitation, magnetic fields are used to suspend and move magnetic particles that have been attached to biological materials. By manipulating the magnetic fields, researchers can control the movement and position of biological material. 

Acoustic levitation, on the other hand, uses sound waves to create standing waves that can trap and move biological materials without physically touching them. This technique allows for non-contact manipulation of biological materials, which is important for maintaining their viability and functionality. 

The combination of magnetic and acoustic levitation in bioprinting is innovative because it enables the precise and non-contact manipulation of multiple materials, such as several types of cells and hydrogels, which can be used to generate multi-tissue constructs.

This has the potential to revolutionize tissue engineering and regenerative medicine by allowing researchers to create more complex and functional tissue constructs that more closely mimic the architecture and structure of natural tissues and organs.

Precise and complex heart model

Organoids that can faithfully replicate the complexity of human organs are poised to revolutionize the field of medicine. Not only do they offer unprecedented insights into organ function and disease pathology, but they can also accelerate the translation of research from bench to bedside by reducing the reliance on animal testing. 

The PULSE bioprinting technology is capable of generating a 3D bioprinted cardiac model that mimics the complex physiology of the heart with unprecedent precision and which includes key interactions among different cell types.

Cells within an organ communicate with each other and with the extracellular matrix, a complex network of proteins and other molecules that provide structural support.

By investigating these interactions in organoids, researchers can gain valuable insights into how cells organize themselves, how they communicate, and how they respond to different environmental cues.

Understanding these intricate cellular dynamics is crucial for unraveling the mechanisms underlying normal organ function as well as the development and progression of diseases.  

By delving into the cell-matrix interactions and cell-to-cell communications on a microscopic level in our heart model, we will be able to model key pathological conditions in the heart, improve our understanding of heart physiology and pathology, leading to the development of timely prophylactic or therapeutic solutions for heart disease.  

Radiation risks in space and the heart

PULSE technology offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of the space environment and radiation on on the heart. This is crucial for the development of safe and effective countermeasures to mitigate the harmful effects of radiation on:

  • Astronauts during long-term manned missions
  • Cancer patients during radiotherapy

Managing health risks is a critical aspect of space mission planning and requires ongoing research and development of countermeasures to make long-term space exploration safer.  

Exposure to space radiation and lack of gravity can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases such as cardiovascular deconditioning. This is a major concern for astronauts on long-duration space missions, as they are exposed to a unique environment. 

Radiotherapy, which uses ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells, can be an issue for the heart if the heart is in the treatment field or if it receives a high dose of radiation. The heart is in the chest, which is often a target for radiation therapy for cancers such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and lymphoma. Exposure to radiation can damage the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.  

In the long-run, our technology can enable the identification of novel molecular targets regulating cardiotoxicity-related processes, and to serve as the first step towards the development of novel drugs.