Rourkela: A research team of National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (NITR), has developed a novel bio-ink that can be used in 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering. Bio-inks are materials used in 3D bioprinting to fabricate tissue-like structures.

The research team has also secured a patent titled, ‘A High Shape-Fidelity Protein-Polysaccharide Composite Bioink for 3D Bioprinting’ for the developed technology, a press release issued by NITR on Monday said.

Because of lack of bio-inks that combine mechanical strength, biological compatibility and printability, broad usage of this technology remains limited. To address this challenge, Devendra Verma, associate professor, along with his research scholar, Shreya Chrungoo and Tanmay Bharadwaj, department of biotechnology and medical engineering, NIT Rourkela, have developed a high shape-fidelity protein-polysaccharide bio-ink that can be effectively used in bone and cartilage repairing. The findings of this research have been published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.

The research team, comprising Devendra Verma and research scholar Shreya Chrungoo, have also secured a patent titled, ‘A High Shape-Fidelity Protein-Polysaccharide Composite Bioink for 3D Bioprinting’ for the developed technology. The patent was granted on March 18, 2026.

“To achieve desired results, the research team combined bovine serum albumin (BSA), sodium alginate and polyelectrolyte complexes of gelatin and chitosan (PEC-GC). The blend created a bioactive system that supported cell growth while maintaining structural fidelity during and after the printing process,” said the release.

Speaking about the unique feature of developed bioink, Devendra Verma said, “Our goal was to bridge the long-standing gap between printability and biological performance in bio-inks.

Source: ET Healthworld - April 23,2026