You can now 3D print and grow hair on engineered skin tissue

In a groundbreaking development at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, scientists have successfully 3D-printed hair follicles in lab-grown human skin tissue. 

The research, published in the journal Science Advances, represents a significant stride forward in skin engineering and opens new avenues in regenerative medicine.

Led by Dr. Pankaj Karande, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering and a member of Rensselaer’s Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, the team’s work addressed the historical challenge of reconstructing hair follicles using human-derived cells. 

“Our work is a proof-of-concept that hair follicle structures can be created in a highly precise, reproducible way using 3D-bioprinting,” said Dr. Karande in a statement. “This kind of automated process is needed to make future biomanufacturing of skin possible.”