Research Symposium

BIO

Kennedie Cearlock is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at the FAMU–FSU College of Engineering. Originally from a small town in Illinois, she is passionate about improving healthcare through engineering and innovation, with research interests in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Under the mentorship of Dr. Ali, her work has focused on developing patient-specific, bioresorbable tracheal scaffolds and exploring advanced materials for medical applications. Kennedie has gained hands-on experience through research and internships, including developing lithium-ion battery gel electrolytes through a competitive research program and working as a manufacturing intern at Merck. She is also actively involved in leadership and service as Outreach Chair for the Society of Women Engineers and Vice President of Tau Beta Pi. Following graduation, Kennedie plans to pursue a career in the medical device industry, where she aims to design technologies that improve patient outcomes and expand access to care.

Design and Fabrication of Patient-Specific 3D Printed Mesh for Soft Tissue Support

Abstract

Extrusion-based 3D printing offers a versatile platform to fabricate customizable scaffolds intended for use in tissue engineering applications. Among the materials suitable for this technology, polycaprolactone (PCL) offers both biocompatibility and tunable mechanical properties, suitable for a wide range of tissues . This tunability enables the design of scaffolds appropriate not only for hard tissues, like bone, but also for soft tissue support, including smooth muscle supports (e.g., vascular stents ). Moreover, additive manufacturing also enables the creation of patient-specific implants to fit precisely the individual anatomy. Despite these advantages, there is still a gap in the development of thermoplastic 3D printed scaffolds adapted to the mechanical demands of soft tissues. Additionally, these scaffolds do not allow the incorporation of therapeutic molecules, limiting their multifunctional potential. The aim of this work is to develop a customizable PCL 3D printed mesh designed to match the mechanical requirements of smooth muscle support and regeneration. The customizable mesh was designed using CAD software with variations in patterns, followed by fabrication through extrusion-based printing of PCL. Mechanical characterization was performed to evaluate the mesh’s suitability for smooth muscle support. Additionally, the incorporation of therapeutic molecules into the structure or as a surface coating will be investigated, along with an assessment of their biocompatibility.

Keywords: 3D Printing, Polycaprolactone (PCL), Tissue Engineering, Biocompatible