--- title: "Beyond the Buzz: 3D bioprinting" description: What is 3D Bioprinting? image: https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-03%20at%2010.20.22%20am.png --- [![Cicada-Logo-Large](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/Cicada-Logo-Large.png?width=200&height=273&name=Cicada-Logo-Large.png "Cicada-Logo-Large")](https://www.cicadainnovations.com) Open main menu Close main menu - [Cicada Innovations Blog](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog) [R&D](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/rd) [Medtech](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/medtech) [Cicada Buzz](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/cicada-buzz) # Beyond the Buzz: 3D bioprinting ![Ishita Gupta](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed-1.jpeg?width=45&name=unnamed-1.jpeg) [Ishita Gupta](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/author/ishita-gupta) [Share this blog post on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/beyond-the-buzz-3d-bioprinting) [Share this blog post on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/beyond-the-buzz-3d-bioprinting) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/beyond-the-buzz-3d-bioprinting) ![](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-03%20at%2010.20.22%20am.png) Imagine a world where we could 3D print replacement skin, bone, muscle, and even organs. What sounds like a Science Fiction Fantasy is now a real technology that can change the course of recovery and treatment. At our August Cicada Buzz, Sally-Ann Williams, CEO of Cicada Innovations talked to three 3D bioprinting experts and innovators, Cameron Ferris, Gordon Wallace, and Payal Mukherjee to get their takes on the future of this technology.  > ##### *“It’s not science fiction from the future, it is really happening now” - Gordon Wallace*     ## **Let’s start with the BBQ test. What is 3D bioprinting? ** If you’re explaining 3D bioprinting to your family at a BBQ, it refers to printing living structures layer by layer out of biological materials. Bioprinters work just like 3D printers, with one key difference. Instead of using materials like plastic, ceramic, metal or food, they deposit layers of biomaterial, that may include living cells, to build complex structures like skin tissue or blood vessels.   # **What are the opportunities in health?** There’s a common misconception that 3D bioprinting is about printing organs. Whilst this application is potentially decades away, the technology is being applied now to many problems. > This printing of scaffolds to facilitate organ generation is already happening, Payal Mukherjee indicated why — > > ##### *“The more you try to recreate the body, the more you appreciate how amazing the human body is. The best you can do is harness the human body’s skills to do what it does best: heal itself”.*     # **What are the challenges to make this breakthrough technology a reality? ** Deep tech as a whole is never easy to commercialise, but medtech and hardware innovations (bioprinting straddles both) come with their own unique set of challenges.  # What does the future look like?  At the event, Payal indicated widespread use of organ bioprinting was “something in the near future, not decades away”, so what exactly does the future look like? - - **The convergence of interdisciplinary networks:** Bringing together diverse networks, researchers, innovators, and government is paving the way for 3D bioprinting to be adopted more widely. This tech relies on material scientists for “bioinks”, engineers for hardware, as well as clinical networks and government to regulate and shape how this tech is used. As these interdisciplinary networks grow, so do the opportunities for bioprinting to be widely adopted. - **Investment interest:** Australia has a growing and maturing VC and investment sector that is starting to appreciate the long-term value of hard tech like bioprinting. Now more than ever, there's a willingness to support people with big visions in ideas rooted deeply in science.   We have a really rich bioprinting ecosystem in Australia, and in New South Wales particularly. There's never been a better time to commercialize ideas in this space. # **Want to learn more? ** - Learn more about [Inventia Life Sciences](https://inventia.life/)’ bioprinting tech to accelerate drug discovery - Take a virtual lab tour of the [Translational Research Initiative for Cellular Engineering and Printing](https://www.anffmaterials.org/bioprinting) - Learn how to turn your biotech ideas into a business with the [NSW Health Commercialisation Training Program](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/nswhealthctp)   ## Related Articles [![](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hubfs/%5BEvent%20Slides%5D%20Health%20Tech%20Connect.png)](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/cxt23) [Deep Tech](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/deep-tech) [CEO Update](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/ceo-update) ### [What role will you play in Australia’s biggest deep tech event?](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/cxt23) It’s been a busy month at Cicada, with momentum building around what will be Australia’s biggest and boldest deep tech festival,[Cicada x Tech23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz7UbOdxpEw). Here’s how you can get... ![Sally-Ann Williams](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Canva%20images/Monthly%20Buzz%20-%20Square-1.jpg?width=45&name=Monthly%20Buzz%20-%20Square-1.jpg) [Sally-Ann Williams](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/author/sally-ann-williams) [Read More](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/cxt23) [![](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/hubfs/CCA02631.jpg)](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/stride-graduation-2025-building-capability.-backing-conviction.-scaling-deep-tech) [Deep Tech](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/deep-tech) [Space](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/space) [Robotics](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/robotics) [Agtech](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/tag/agtech) ### [Stride Graduation 2025: Building Capability. Backing Conviction. Scaling Deep Tech.](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/stride-graduation-2025-building-capability.-backing-conviction.-scaling-deep-tech) Last week, 17 deep tech companies stood on stage to mark the end of time in [Cicada Stride](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/stride). The room was filled with investors, industry leaders, ecosystem partners,... [Alex Shapilsky](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/author/alex-shapilsky) [Read More](https://info.cicadainnovations.com/blog/stride-graduation-2025-building-capability.-backing-conviction.-scaling-deep-tech) #### About - [About Us](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/about) - [Opportunities](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/whats-on) - [Our Team](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/about/our-team) #### What We Do - [Incubator](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/incubator) - [Current Programs](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/whats-on) - [Partner With Us](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/partner-with-us) #### Insights - [Report: Australia’s Deep Tech Opportunity](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/australias-deep-tech-opportunity) - [Latest News](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/insights) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cicadainnovations/) [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/CicadaInnov) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/cicadainnovations/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.cicadainnovations.com/)