KeratOPrinter launched to combat corneal blindless

KeratOPrinter, an €8m EU-funded project, has been launched to tackle corneal blindness by using an advanced bioprinting suite capable of producing fully functional, biocompatible, full-thickness human corneas.

The project brought together a consortium of nine partners across five EU countries – Finland, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland – with the goal of providing a scalable, cost-effective solution to corneal transplantation.

Professor Heli Skottman, KeratOPrinter coordinator from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University, Finland, outlined the significance of the initiative:

‘The severe global shortage of donor tissue is a major barrier to effective treatment. The KeratOPrinter project presents a revolutionary solution, using cutting-edge technology to address this critical medical challenge.’