Robot-assisted bioprinting to rebuild lost muscle and restore appearance and movement
A Novel Semi-autonomous Surgeon-in-the-loop in situ Robotic Bioprinting System for Functional and Cosmetic Restoration of Volumetric Muscle Loss Injuries
This project builds a surgeon-guided robotic bioprinter and new bioinks to rebuild large muscle injuries so affected areas can look and work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11010993 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, surgeons would scan the injured area with a high-resolution 3D camera, plan the shape to be rebuilt, and then use a semi-autonomous robotic arm to print living material directly onto your body. The team is developing new engineered bioinks and computer algorithms so the robot follows the surgeon's plan while you are in the operating room. Work will combine lab testing of the bioinks and robotic printing with stepwise safety checks before any use in people. The main goal is to restore both the function and cosmetic appearance after large volumetric muscle loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with severe traumatic or surgical volumetric muscle loss (large muscle defects) who have lost function or contour in the affected area would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with minor muscle strains, generalized neuromuscular disorders (like advanced muscular dystrophy), active infections, or medical conditions that prevent surgery may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let surgeons reconstruct large areas of lost muscle with living tissue that improves movement and appearance and reduces need for complex grafts.
How similar studies have performed: Related tissue-engineering and bioprinting work has shown promise in lab and animal studies, but in situ surgeon-guided bioprinting for large human muscle repair is a novel and early-stage approach.
Where this research is happening
Austin, United States
- University of Texas at Austin — Austin, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alambeigi, Farshid — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Alambeigi, Farshid
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.