Alga Morph: Algae-based bioinks for Tissue regeneration
This project aimed to investigate the effectiveness of how different algae-based bioinks perform in terms of shape retention and oxygen production, to evaluate their potential in wound healing applications. Algae were combined with three common biomaterials: Gelatine, Agar-Agar, and Xanthan Gum to determine which mixture best supports tissue growth. The hypothesis stated that Agar-Agar, due to its simple structure, would allow the algae to maintain oxygen output while preserving the scaffold shape efficiently. Stringy river algae were locally sourced and blended to form a mixture. This was mixed separately with each biomaterial to create three different bioink types. Each mixture was printed into small 5x5 cm scaffold squares and treated with a crosslinking agent to solidify the structure. Measurements of shape retention were taken using a ruler immediately after printing and after 24 hours. Oxygen production was monitored daily over five days using pH strips, with higher alkalinity indicating greater oxygen release from photosynthesis. Xanthan gum produced the highest oxygen levels and showed minimal size change, hinting at high photosynthetic stability and moisture retention. Agar-agar maintained decent structural integrity but showed slight shrinking and water separation. Gelatine created a firm and flexible scaffold but limited oxygen output. The results suggest that Xanthan Gum may offer the best conditions for algae-based wound-healing bioprinted scaffolds because of its balance of structure and oxygen support. This approach holds promising results for applications in military field care and low-resource medical settings, and future research could explore additional natural polymers or 3D printing enhancements.