On 17 September 2025, Miguel Ferreira from Space Application Services represented the PULSE project at the International Conference on Biofabrication in Warsaw, Poland. The annual conference, held this year at the iconic Palace of Culture and Science, brought together leading researchers and innovators to explore the latest advances in biofabrication and their potential to transform healthcare.

Miguel presented PULSE’s novel approach to 3D bioprinting cardiac tissue in space — combining magnetic and acoustic levitation to assemble cellular structures under microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station. Free from gravitational constraints such as sedimentation and buoyancy, the microgravity environment allows the bioprinter to produce more complex and realistic heart models than is currently possible on Earth.

These models aim to support research into the effects of spaceflight on the human heart, accelerate the development of new drugs — including treatments for cancer — and help make long-duration space exploration safer. A mission to the ISS is planned for 2027.

Miguel also introduced the PULSE consortium, showcasing the broad interdisciplinary collaboration underpinning the project, from biomedical science to aerospace engineering.