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3D Printing
Business Honor
05 March, 2025
Scientists develop a precise vaccine delivery system using 3D printing for controlled release patterns.
A group of scientists from the University of Oxford and Imperial College London has created a method that delivers vaccines. Their method creates tiny, hollow particles that can retain and distribute vaccines in accordance with precisely regulated criteria by using specialized Nano scale 3D printing. Because they are smaller than a human hair, these particles can be designed to release their contents at precise timings and rates, which could eliminate the need for additional appointments to finish a vaccination series.
The researchers describe their novel class of printing materials, which they have termed Spatiotemporal Controlled Release Inks of Biocompatible Polyesters (SCRIBE), in Advanced Materials ("Nanoscale Biodegradable Printing for Designed Tuneability of Vaccine Delivery Kinetics"). Through a printing technique known as two-photon polymerization, concentrated laser light sets off chemical reactions that solidify liquid resin into structures as small as 500 nanometers, or around 200 times thinner than a human hair.
The researchers showed three different release patterns when they tested their method using ovalbumin, a model protein. Within two weeks, fast-releasing particles delivered all of their contents. Over the course of eight weeks, medium-speed particles gradually released their contents. For up to 10 weeks, regulated distribution was maintained with slow-releasing variants.
Although there is still a lot of work to be done before single-dose vaccines may be used in clinical settings, the discovery provides a new technical basis for them. Instead of depending on just one model protein, the team needs to confirm that the strategy works with real vaccinations. To manufacture particles in amounts appropriate for general use, manufacturing techniques must be improved.
There may be uses for this printing method outside of vaccines. Over time, various medical therapies that need careful dosing may benefit from the development of microscopic containers with carefully regulated release qualities. Potential applications in cancer treatment, hormone therapies, and other fields where exact timing and dosage are essential are being investigated by the researchers.