The ophthalmology service at Antwerp University (UA) is currently working on a project with the KULeuven. They aim to print a 3D cornea from living cells in the next five years. Prototypes will be tested in a laboratory next month, De Tijd reported on Wednesday. The UA is developing the cornea, the transparent membrane in the eye, while the KUL is providing the printer.
The two universities have received 600,000 euros in subsidies from the Flemish Scientific Research Fund (FWO) for their research, which should be finished in April 2018.
Belgium plays a primordial role in the new domain of printing living cells, according to specialists. This is thanks to the strong presence of biotechnology in the country, but also thanks to the success of 3D printing companies.
(Source: Belga)
