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EDITORIAL

Cell powered biobots and more perspectives for IJB

Editor–in-Chief: Chee Kai CHUA

Executive Director and Professor, Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering,
College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

http://dx.doi.org/10.18063/IJB.2017.01.003.

At the end of 2016, International Journal of Bioprint- articles and 1 perspective. Liew and Zhang review in
ing (IJB) is able to estimate its first mock impact fac- vitro pre-vascularization strategies for tissue engi-
[1]
tor. Based on one issue published in 2015, the 2016 neered constructs . Whitford and Hoying review re-
mock impact factor for IJB is calculated to be 6, ex- cent development in bioinks that support vasculariza-
[2]
cluding self-citations! This result is surprising, im- tion . Lee et al. review recent bioprinter modifica-
[3]
pressive and encouraging. However, this is just a be- tions for developing new cell printing systems .
ginning and more and more quality articles and re- Koch et al. present a parametric study of laser for la-
[4]
views are needed in order to maintain it. ser-assisted bioprinting . Murphy et al. report a sol-
Tissue transplants and in vitro tissue models are vent evaporation method to print polymer/bioactive
common applications of bioprinting. Recently, a new glass composite scaffolds with stem cells incorpo-
[5]
application of bioprinting is emerging, namely cell rated . Sing et al. investigate titanium/tantalum/ col-
powered biobots. Cell powered biobots are biohy- lagen-based biphasic implants for repairing osteo-
[6]
bridmotile microsystems that are made from freeform chondral defects . Liu et al. study the morphology of
deposition of living cells and other materials. Cells are polycaprolactone scaffold made by electrohydrody-
[7]
used to power the motility of the microsystem such as namic jetting . Suntornnond provides a perspective
[8]
walking, swimming or flying, depending on design on the role of support materials in bioprinting .
intent. Cells can also be genetically engineered for re-
mote control. These battery-free dynamic microsys- References
tems may have unimaginable applications in biomed- 1. Liew A W L and Zhang Y, 2017, In vitro pre-vascu-
ical science and engineering in future. We do welcome larization strategies for t issue engineered constructs
submissions from this interesting research area as — bioprinting and others. International Journal of Bio-
well. printing, vol.3(1): 3–17.
We would also like to take this opportunity to invite http://dx.doi.org/10.18063/IJB.2017.01.008
any person or organization to express their honest 2. Whitford W and Hoying J B, 2017, Digital biomanufac-
views on bioprinting, to share what they think are the turing supporting vascularization in 3D bioprinting. In-
crucial questions in bioprinting. These perspective or ternational Journal of Bioprinting, vol.3(1): 18–26.
commentary papers can be shorter than a s tandard http://dx.doi.org/10.18063/IJB.2017.01.002
article but must convey a clearly outlined point of 3. Lee H, Koo Y, Yeo M, et al., 2017, Recent cell printing
view. Bioprinting is a super exciting topic all over the systems for tissue engineering. International Journal of
world now. Many approaches and diverse focuses Bioprinting, vol.3(1): 27–41.
co-exist with one another. Some views are even op- http://dx.doi.org/10.18063/IJB.2017.01.004
posing. Advancement in bioprinting is certainly im- 4. Koch L, Brandt O, Deiwick A, et al., 2017, Laser as-
portant, but perspectives from other professions are sisted bioprinting at different wavelengths and pulse du-
equally important. rations with a metal dynamic release layer: a parametric
In this issue, there are 3 reviews, 4 original research study. International Journal of Bioprinting, vol.3(1):

Cell powered biobots and more perspectives for IJB. © 2017 Chee Kai CHUA. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Crea-
tive Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), permitting all non-commercial
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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