Researchers led by Riccardo Levato at Utrecht University and its affiliated University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), both based in the Netherlands, have developed a 3D printer that integrates computer vision with volumetric printing. Published in Nature, the system, called GRACE (Generative, Adaptive, Context-Aware 3D printing), aims to improve cell survival and functionality in printed tissues.
Unlike traditional layer-by-layer printing, volumetric bioprinting forms an entire structure in one step using a light-sensitive gel activated by cell-friendly laser light—making the process faster and less stressful for cells. GRACE advances this approach by scanning the gel in real time and designing structures around the actual positions of cells, enabling functional tissues with optimized blood vessel networks and multi-layered architecture.
Principal investigator Riccardo Levato. Photo via UMC Utrecht.
Adaptive Blood Vessel Networks and Multi-Layer Printing
One of the main challenges in 3D bioprinting is creating functional blood vessels, which provide oxygen and nutrients to cells. GRACE’s real-time scanning allows it to place vessels efficiently around cells within seconds, overcoming the limitations of traditional pre-designed networks.
“In the past, printing always depended on the designer’s blueprint. Now, GRACE contributes to the design itself. The printer ‘sees’ what kind of cells are in the material, and where they are. Then, using AI tools, it creates a matching design for the object to be printed. This new printer essentially has its own ‘eyes’ – the laser-based imaging – and ‘brain’ – the new AI software. That level of customization leads to tissues that survive and function better,” said PhD student Sammy Florczak.
GRACE also supports multi-layer printing. For example, a printed bone structure can later receive a cartilage layer. Normally, this process requires precise manual alignment, but GRACE scans the existing tissue and automatically designs and prints the second layer to fit perfectly. This is done at the high speed of volumetric bioprinting, producing cubic-centimeter-scale tissues in seconds. The system can also automatically adjust for obstacles, such as shadows caused by previously printed parts, ensuring a consistent and precise final structure. Pre-made objects, like stents or drug-delivery devices, can be inserted into the gel and integrated during printing.
Image showing how with GRACE, blood vessel-like networks (blue/grey) are optimally generated and printed around the structure of cells (pink). Image via UMC Utrecht.
Future Directions
Manufacturing on Demand
Although GRACE shows potential, further work is required to translate it to clinical use. Researchers need to determine how printed cells mature into fully functional tissue.
“This first work on GRACE is just the beginning. We are now working on increasing the amount of cells that can be printed, so that other tissues like heart and liver can also be printed. Moreover, we would like to make this technique openly accessible to other labs, so other could apply it to their printing method.”
Advances in 3D Bioprinting
Progress in the wider bioprinting field is also accelerating. In June, Swiss biotech company TissueLabs introduced TissuePro, a next-generation bioprinter designed for advanced tissue applications. Building on its earlier TissueStart platform, TissuePro offers higher precision in multi-material printing, improved automation, and expanded flexibility to support work in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and even soft robotics.
Meanwhile, the EU-funded Keratoprinter project is targeting another urgent medical need: the global shortage of donor corneas. The initiative is developing a 3D bioprinting system capable of producing full-thickness, curved human corneas tailored to patients. With a 42-month timeline, the project brings together nine partners from five countries, spanning biomaterials, optics, and biofabrication expertise. Coordinated by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) and funded under Horizon Europe, it launched in January 2023 with the aim of restoring sight to millions while prioritizing sustainability and accessibility.
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Author: Paloma Duran
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