Researchers Turn $450 Printer Into Bioprinter

Microbiologists at the University of Rochester modified a $450 Ender 3 printer into a bioprinter for engineered living materials. Published in August, the paper notes standard bioprinters cost over $100,000. The team used a 10 mL glass syringe and tweaked settings to a 2 mL/h flow rate, enabling affordable research into bacteria-based biomaterials like biodegradable plastics.