Roman Grasy
17.10.2017
The International Design Center Berlin confers Organ as a Service with the UX Design Award Gold
Digitally constructed and 3D-printed tissue structures will fundamentally change laboratory work. Biologists and pharmacists find themselves confronted with a new technology whose application possibilities are still largely unexplored. Whether skin, liver, kidney, or lung models – 3D-printed tissue from a biological printing matrix and human cells are already making initial steps to replace animal testing and make drugs safer. Together with the startup Cellbricks, we are developing the ecosystem “Cellbricks – Organ as a Service.” The bioprinter and the software “Bloodline” form the basis of an intuitive workflow for the parametric construction and additive production of 3D mini-organs.
We are very proud to have received this recognition, and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who shares, follows, and supports our idea of printed biology. There is still a long way to go ahead of us, and we are very much looking forward to the next development towards the bioprinting ecosystem.
Jury Statement
“Organ as a Service impressed the jury of this year’s UX Design Awards as an outstanding example of a successful synergy of new technology and convincing digital software design. This interplay opens up the possibility of a radically new business model in the field of bioprinting. Indeed, Organ as a Service is spearheading a fundamental shift in biotechnology research. Here, a generative system – straightforwardly applicable for external users – is used to produce specific living tissues and unique copies of organs, which can then serve as a substitute for animal experiments in biological and pharmaceutical research. An open approach to high-tech and intuitive software is helping to bring about exponential growth, and bridges the gap between the current state of the art and an ideal technology. A striking reminder of the potential of design as an integral facet of innovation, Organ as a Service is the recipient of this year’s Gold Award.”