EAGER: Additive Manufacturing of Stimuli-Responsive Implants

This EArly-Concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) project investigates fundamental manufacturing principles for creating biomedical implants capable of controlled shape transformation. Minimally invasive medical procedures are central to improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare burden, yet they require implants that can be delivered in compact forms and reliably transform into functional configurations within the body. Achieving this capability using soft, biocompatible materials remains a significant scientific and engineering challenge. This project explores foundational principles for manufacturing polymer-based implants that undergo controlled shape change in response to physiological temperature. By advancing knowledge at the intersection of materials science, manufacturing, and biomedical engineering, the project contributes to the progress of science while supporting national health and welfare. The research also integrates education and workforce development by engaging undergraduate and graduate students in emerging biofabrication technologies and introducing students to advanced manufacturing concepts through outreach activities, thereby broadening participation in science and engineering. The research seeks to establish the scientific framework for fabricating temperature-responsive implants using light-based additive manufacturing of photocrosslinkable shape memory polymers. The project will examine how polymer formulation, crosslinking behavior, and printing conditions influence mechanical properties, shape programming, and recovery behavior under physiological conditions. Structurally patterned designs will be used to enable predictable and scalable shape transformations while maintaining print fidelity and functional performance. Experimental studies will be complemented by analytical and computational modeling to develop process–structure–function relationships that govern shape change behavior in printed constructs. The project will also investigate spatial control during fabrication to enable localized tuning of material response within a single implant. The anticipated outcomes include new insights into shape memory polymer behavior during high-resolution printing, design guidelines for shape-morphing constructs, and foundational manufacturing principles that support future development of deployable biomedical devices. These results are expected to open new directions in biofabrication research and establish a platform for subsequent exploration of minimally invasive therapeutic technologies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.