Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a remarkable new 3D-printable material that behaves much like human tissue.
The material can sort and filter different molecules, allowing some to pass through while blocking others, similar to the way organs such as the kidneys and intestines work.
The breakthrough, published in the journal Nature Materials, could open the door to major advances in medicine, robotics, brain-inspired computing, and wastewater treatment.
One of the biggest challenges in creating artificial tissues has been making them large enough and stable enough for real-world use.
Existing methods are often slow and difficult to scale up, limiting their practical applications.
The research team solved this problem by using a surprisingly simple process.
They created billions of tiny water droplets and packed them tightly together using mixing and centrifuge techniques. The entire process takes only a few minutes.
Each tiny droplet is surrounded by a thin membrane, and when the droplets are pressed together, the membranes connect in a way that closely resembles how cells are organized inside living tissue.
According to lead researcher Professor Manish Kumar, human tissues naturally control which ions and molecules can move through them.
This selective transport is essential for organs like the kidneys, which remove waste while keeping important nutrients in the body. The new material copies this natural ability, making it useful for many different purposes.
Because the material closely resembles real tissue and can be printed using biocompatible materials, it could serve as a scaffold that helps grow replacement tissues or even future artificial organs. Researchers believe it may one day support regenerative medicine by providing a structure where living cells can grow and develop.
The material could also help create a new generation of soft robots. Unlike traditional rigid machines, soft robots are flexible and can safely move through tight or delicate spaces. These robots could eventually assist doctors during surgery, help locate survivors after natural disasters, or operate safely in dangerous environments where conventional machines struggle.
The researchers also demonstrated that the material can be customized for specialized tasks. By adding specific proteins, they enabled it to carry ion signals similar to nerve tissue. This could eventually contribute to computing systems inspired by the human brain.
In another experiment, they added a protein that allowed the material to selectively capture ammonium from wastewater while ignoring other ions. This ability could improve the recovery of valuable minerals and nutrients from municipal wastewater and water produced during oil and gas extraction, making recycling processes more efficient and environmentally friendly.
The breakthrough builds on more than a decade of research. Graduate researcher Aida Fica played a key role in solving the long-standing problem of producing stable, tissue-like materials quickly. After hearing a new idea at a scientific conference, she helped develop the method by combining two oils with different properties to create tiny droplets before compressing them together with a centrifuge.
The researchers say the technique is simple enough that many laboratories could adopt it using standard equipment. They hope other scientists will build on this work, leading to new discoveries and practical technologies that improve healthcare, environmental protection, and advanced engineering.
