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Bioprinting in Russia
2017 and introduced a training program called (Hannover, Germany) is the best evidence. In
“Tissue Engineer,” first of its kind in Russia, addition, Vladimir Mironov, one of the authors
for the final year students majoring in General of this paper, was awarded the prestigious
Medicine and Pharmacy in 2018. The first Russian Senior Investigator Award from the International
textbook “3D Printing in Medicine” has recently Society of Biofabrication for his pioneering
been published . contribution to the development of bioprinting
[10]
To date, there is an increasing number of technology in 2018.
both national and international student exchange The bioprinting success in Russia depends on
programs supported by the government, not only the scientist per se but also many other
universities, and national and international factors. We believe that to guarantee success and
foundations. Most of such programs are developed optimize competitiveness of Russian bioprintists
to increase international academic mobility and community, several highly desirable aspects
cover almost all expenses, giving a unique chance require our utmost attention; they include: (i)
for students to broad their background in top Organization of center(s) of excellence and/
research teams from all around the world. Since the or National Bioprinting Research Center or
frequencies of international student exchanges are Institute; (ii) training of young scientists in the
constantly increasing, young Russian researchers best bioprinting research centers around the
can also attend established training courses on world; (iii) recruitment of foreign scientists to
bioprinting and biofabrication in the USA, The work in Russia; (iv) increasing collaborations
Netherlands, Australia, etc. with the world’s best bioprinting research
Moreover, 3D Bioprinting Solutions, a private scientists, research groups, and bioprinting
Russian company, offers 3-week training courses research centers; (v) increasing publications in top
on bioprinting for young Russian students and journals; (vi) increasing application for patents;
researchers. Comics “Adventure in Bioprinting (vii) developing start-up companies in bioprinting;
Laboratory” has also been developed. and (viii) clinical translation.
Thus, there are real possibilities to get Today, Russia’s successes are also proven
education and training in bioprinting in Russia. by the increase in bioprinting activity and the
There are also certain undeniable advantages establishment of the society on regenerative
of carrying out research in Russia on which the medicine in 2013 (President Prof. Vsevolod
emerging community of Russian bioprintists can Tkachuk; Honorary President Prof. Gennadiy
capitalize: (i) There are new grant schemes and Sukhikh). It is also noteworthy that Russia was
funding organizations; (ii) Russian scientists can invited by the International Society on Tissue
participate in conferences, workshops, meetings, Engineering and Regenerative Medicine to be
and congresses abroad without any restrictions; a Guest Nation on TERMIS-EU Chapter 2019
(iii) young Russian researchers can now receive (May 27–31, 2019). The increasing visibility
training in foreign countries; (iv) access to of Russia on the world TERM map is also due
foreign literature and patent databases is not a to the organization of world class events such
problem anymore; and (v) foreign researchers as Sechenov International Biomedical Summit
(https://sechenov-sibs.confreg.org/) and National
are welcomed to Russia to build a research Congress on Regenerative Medicine (https://
laboratory. congress.regenerative-med.ru/) where leading

4 Can Russian bioprintists compete? scientists (Anthony Atala, James Yoo, William
Wagner, etc.) from the USA, Italy, Germany,
Russian scientists can indeed compete and France, Iran, the Netherlands, China, Ireland, etc.,
be very successful. Breakthrough pioneering present their recent achievements.
works of Prof. Boris Chichkov who is a Russian In view of the bioprinting success stories such
scientist in laser-based bioprinting technologies as the creation of the world’s first animal organ

4 International Journal of Bioprinting (2020)–Volume 6, Issue 3