Researchers at the Biomedical Engineering Science and Education Center of NUST MISIS, in collaboration with specialists from the 3D Bioprinting Solutions company, have developed a shape memory material for experiments intended to be performed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station using the Organ.Avt magnetic 4D bioprinter. This development was shared with socialbites.ca through information provided by NUST MISIS.
Currently, neither Russian nor international teams have run experiments that combine a bioprinter with a shape memory material capable of altering geometry under space conditions. Scientists describe such an experiment as a major milestone on the path to future capabilities in space biology and manufacturing (attribution: NUST MISIS researchers).
Fyodor Senov, director of the REC at NUST MISIS Biomedical Engineering, explained to Gazeta that cosmonauts would perform a series of tests on a synthetic plate produced at NUST MISIS, coated with cellular material, and integrated with a shape memory mechanism. When subjected to a precise mechanical stimulus, the plate would morph into a tubular form. In his words, artificial containers could ultimately be fabricated from these materials, marking a potential leap forward in space-born bioengineering (attribution: Gazeta interview).
The materials are expected to underpin promising bioengineering structures for regenerative medicine, orthopedics, bone grafting, and related scientific fields. Their application extends beyond spaceflight, with potential benefits for medical science on Earth, including personalized tissue constructs and advanced implants.
After the space-based experiment is completed in the autumn window, the biomaterials and the resulting tissue-engineered constructs will be transferred back to Earth for comprehensive evaluation. Researchers will assess the mechanical integrity and functional performance of the created structures under terrestrial laboratory conditions (attribution: NUST MISIS communications).
The Organ.Avt magnetic 4D bioprinter from 3D Bioprinting Solutions will be the instrument of record for this study. Unlike conventional 3D devices that build structures layer by layer inside a cuvette, this system fabricates biomaterials from all directions simultaneously, a process known as magnetic biofabrication. This approach enables rapid formation of complex, three-dimensional architectures suitable for tissue engineering applications (attribution: company technical brief).
As the created object rises in microgravity, it can be fixed in space and subsequently examined to determine its behavior in near-zero gravity. Yusef Khesuani, managing partner of 3D Bioprinting Solutions, described the process to socialbites.ca, noting that the technique offers new possibilities for constructing biologically active constructs in space settings (attribution: interview summary).