IIT Hyderabad, LVPEI, and CCMB develop 3D printed human cornea

For the first time in India, researchers from IIT Hyderabad, LVPEI, and CCMB have developed a 3D-printed human cornea.

The research teams of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and LV Prasad Eye Institute have developed a 3D printed cornea from the human donor corneal tissue.

As per the researchers, the 3D printed cornea is completely indigenously developed and the product is natural and contains no synthetic components. It is also free from animal residues and safe for human use, as reported by India Times.

Dr Falguni Pati, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering at IIT-Hyderabad, said “It is a made-in-India product by an Indian clinician-scientist team and the first 3D printed human cornea that is optically and physically suitable for transplantation. The bio-ink used to make this 3D printed cornea can be sight-saving for army personnel at the site of injury to seal corneal perforation and prevent infection during war-related injuries or in a remote area with no tertiary eye care facility.”

“We used a biomimicking approach to provide an optimised micro-environment for stromal regeneration while maintaining the curvature and thickness of the bio-printed cornea to facilitate surgical implantation. We are hopeful about the positive outcome of India’s first 3D bioprinted corneal graft,” added Falguni Pati.

Dr Sayan Basu and Dr Vivken Singh, lead researchers at LVPEI said this innovation can be extremely useful for treating eye diseases such as corneal scarring or keratoconus.

This research was funded by a grant from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and the translational work leading up to clinical trials in patients will be funded through a grant from Sree Padmavathi Venkateswara Foundation, Vijayawada, as reported by Economic Times.

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