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This programme has the ambitious goal of realising highly functional, smart products with the potential to transform key UK industries - (bio)pharma, cell therapy and regenerative medicine and (bio)catalysis and beyond.

Our vision is to create a toolkit and workflow for the rapid formulation of 3D printable materials with automated selection and dial up of bespoke properties. Industry across multiple sectors has identified that whilst it needs personalised / tailored devices, the materials are not available, product development is arduous and the route to market is long. We will address this by creating a toolkit-platform by which industry can deliver, on demand, the materials and processes necessary for functional products.

 The project is considering four Research Challenges (RCs):

Our aim is to deliver the tools that will shorten the development time and production of functional 3D printed products, thereby enabling widespread uptake and competitive advantage within sectors key to the UK. To deliver this, the PG will meet the following key objectives:

1. Demonstrate 3D printing capability to deliver advanced functional products to key, high value sectors of the UK, in particular the pharma and biotechnology sectors.
2. Develop libraries of materials that extend the current functional capability of 3D printing 'inks'.
3. Bring to bear algorithmic approaches to speed up screening materials for suitability for 3DP.
4. Develop a toolkit of connected synthesis, formulation, screening and deposition systems that allow for the rapid assessment and deployment of 3D printable functional materials.