Bone grafting is one of the most common surgical procedures globally, with more than two million operations performed each year. Yet current solutions, whether sourced from the patient or a donor, remain constrained by availability, recovery time, and the risk of complications. A new research milestone from Tampere University is pointing toward a different future.
Led by postdoctoral research fellow Antonia Ressler, the team has developed 3D printed ceramic scaffolds made from hydroxyapatite, the mineral compound that forms natural bone tissue.
Using ceramic vat photopolymerization, the researchers were able to engineer the internal architecture of the implants with precision, including pore sizes of around 400 micrometres and approximately 45% porosity, a balance that proved optimal for both mechanical strength and biological performance.
Critically, the implants support the body’s own regenerative capacity without relying on drugs or growth factors. Ressler is clear about the horizon: “We believe these types of implants could be used in routine bone regeneration treatments within the next decade.”
The landscape of 3D printing for bone repair has been building for years, across multiple technologies and materials. As early as 2018, we reported on Northwestern University’s “Hyperelastic Bone”, a synthetic alternative designed for bone grafts using extrusion-based AM. In 2021, researchers took the concept further still, demonstrating 3D printing of bone-like material directly inside a patient’s body. More recently, the University of Waterloo explored a biopolymer nanocomposite approach for skeletal repair, while Yale completed its first in-house custom 3D surgical case in 2024.
What distinguishes the Tampere work is its systematic approach to ceramic AM specifically, and its attention to surface properties as a critical factor in cell behavior. The research, funded through the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie program, also lays the groundwork for the ongoing GlassBoneS project, focused on affordable scaffold development.
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