The work centers on a 3D printing method called stereolithography and jelly-like materials known as hydrogels, used to create, among things, diapers, contact lenses, and scaffolds in tissue engineering. The latter application is particularly useful in 3D printing, and it’s something the research team spent a major part of its effort optimizing to achieve its incredibly fast and accurate 3D printing technique. Researchers also 3D-printed a human liver model that includes a vascular network. (Credit: U. Buffalo) “Our method allows for the rapid printing of centimeter-sized hydrogel models. It significantly reduces part deformation and cellular injuries caused by the prolonged exposure to the environmental stresses you commonly see in conventional 3D printing methods,” says co-lead author, Chi Zhou, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering.