A new, easily adopted, 3D-printed device will enable scientists to create lab models of human tissue with even greater control and complexity. The tiny device allows more precision in the composition and special arrangement of tissues in order to study multiple tissue types together.  This capabilty would assist in modeling complex diseases, such as neuromuscular disorders, heart damage, and gum inflammation.

A collaborative team of researchers led by vision scientists from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have developed new tools to improve gene therapy in advanced stages of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) such as retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis. “This study addresses one of the biggest hurdles in IRD treatment: how to deliver effective gene therapy after a large portion of the retina has already degenerated,” says Raghavi Sudharsan of Penn Vet.