Repurposing Biomaterials and Its Applications

Hojae Bae

Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea

Repurposing Biomaterials and Its Applications

In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on cultured meat; however, the production of large-sized cultured meat continues to present a challenge. In this regard, 3D bioprinting emerges as a promising approach for generating large cell aggregates to facilitate cultured meat production. Utilizing digital light processing-based (DLP) printing, a hydrogel scaffold is created at the centimeter scale, offering high printing accuracy and the ability to construct complex geometric structures. Successful fabrication of scaffolds incorporating living cells and large microchannels has been achieved. Notably, the cooked cultured meat retains its original size and shape even after being cut, with overall dimensions measuring 3.43 cm x 5.53 cm x 0.96 cm. This study demonstrates the proof-of-concept for utilizing bioinks in the production of 3D cultured meat. Nevertheless, due to substantial disparities between the objectives of muscle tissue engineering for biomedical purposes and food applications, conventional strategies may prove unfeasible or socially unacceptable. Consequently, the pursuit of non-animal materials to foster muscle cell proliferation and alignment, without resorting to potentially toxic chemical modifications, represents an ongoing challenge. To address this, recent studies focusing on culturing and aligning muscle cells solely through plant-based materials will be presented as a potential solution for cultured meat production.

Figure 1. Schematic illustration showcasing the (A) efficient transdifferentiation of bovine fibroblasts into myogenic and adipogenic lineages within a 3D bioprinting system, facilitating the production of steak-like cultured meat. Additionally, we explore the (B) development of a cultured meat production system for large-scale manufacturing employing the wet-spinning technique.

1. Jeong, J. W. Seo, H. Lee, W. K. Jung, Y. H. Park, and H. Bae, Advanced Science, 2022, 9(31), 2202877
2. Jeong, G. Jang, W. K. Jung, Y. H. Park, and Hojae Bae*, Stretchable zein-coated alginate fiber for aligning muscle cells to artificially produce cultivated meat, npj science of food, 8(13) doi.org/10.1038/s41538-024-00257-y .

About Speaker

Prof. Bae is a Professor at Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea, specializing in engineered biomaterial technologies for translational applications.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Genetic Engineering and a Master’s degree in Bioengineering from Korea University, as well as a Ph.D. in Food Technology from Clemson University. His doctoral dissertation on Gelatin-nanoclay composite material has been published in several major scientific journals holds an International Patent (World Intellectual Property Organization). He has presented results from his studies related to Ph.D. training at major national conferences.

With expertise in natural polymers, Prof. Bae focuses on developing controlled micro- and nano-architectures for engineered tissue, aiming to guide tissue morphogenesis and cell behavior in tissue engineering applications. He has also pioneered various high-performance biomaterials for medical applications, currently undergoing translational studies. Prof. Bae’s extensive knowledge of biopolymer-based hydrogels has led him to explore interdisciplinary applications and modifications of these materials. He is committed to translating his research findings into commercially viable products. For instance, his recent work on centimeter-scale 3D printed hydrogel constructs for tissue engineering has demonstrated the potential for producing steak-type cultured meat.

Prof. Bae has edited multiple books/journal special issues and is an author of over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, editorials, and review papers, as well as more than 20 book chapters/edited books and >10 patent/disclosure applications. His work has been published in leading journals and routinely highlighted in international media. He has been cited approximately 16,000 times and has an H-index of 60.