Winner: Health Innovation Award
The 3D Bioprinting Skin project aims to transform wound care by developing a patient-specific, automated approach to skin regeneration.
A world-first, Phase I clinical trial was conducted on 9 patients undergoing skin graft surgery, with the bioprinted skin applied to donor site wounds—a common source of pain after surgery.
This was done by printing a construct of the patient's own skin cells directly onto the wound during surgery. This technique uses integrated imaging and robotic precision to replicate natural skin structure.
No adverse events were recorded, highlighting this approach is safe and usable. Importantly, all patients reported less pain at the bioprinted donor site compared to the traditionally treated donor site.
This technique shows the potential in reproducibility and precision beyond manual techniques, allowing consistent delivery tailored to individual wound type.
This initiative is an important shift in regenerative medicine and is supported by NSW Health Medical Devices Fund.
Meet the other finalists for the Health Innovation Award.
