3D Bioprinted Skin: Breakthroughs in Regenerative Medicine | Tomorrow's Cure Season 4 Episode 1

Skin is the body’s largest organ, and its health can reveal far more about aging and disease than what shows up in the mirror. In this episode of Tomorrow’s Cure from Mayo Clinic, host Cathy Wurzer talks with dermatologist and regenerative medicine expert Dr. Saranya Wyles of Mayo Clinic and biomedical engineer Dr. Adam Feinberg of Carnegie Mellon University about “SkinSpan” and the fast-moving world of 3D bioprinted skin. They explore how layered, living skin models built from human cells and collagen are helping researchers study conditions like eczema, chronic wounds, burns, and age-related changes in skin structure and pigment. The conversation dives into “zombie cells” (senescent cells), what they reveal about skin aging and inflammation, and how skin changes may influence whole-body health. 0:00 Modeling skin’s “cake layer” structure 0:25 Why skin matters in health 0:39 Breakthrough: Fully humanized 3D skin 1:01 Show intro and guest lineup 1:43 What “skin span” really means 2:40 Skin as a mirror of health 3:21 Why bioprinting can rebuild tissue 4:49 Printing with real human materials 6:21 Building skin layer-by-layer 8:17 Replacing animal testing with models 9:13 Why collagen matters for printing 11:18 Creating blood vessels for tissues 12:21 Next steps: nerves and vascularization 13:57 How bioprinting could help burns 17:03 Zombie cells and aging explained 19:43 Senescence links skin to systemic health 21:53 Validating models for FDA use 24:38 Ethics: inclusivity, access, rare diseases 27:41 Open-source bioprinters and workshops 32:34 Barriers to clinical adoption 36:01 What motivates the innovators 39:01 Closing thanks and credits Visit https://tomorrowscure.com for more information. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as professional, medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified health care provider for any medical advice. The appearance of any guest does not imply an endorsement of them, their employer, or any entity they represent. The views and opinions are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mayo Clinic. Reference to any product, service or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Mayo Clinic. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox, sign-up for free: https://mayocl.in/3e71zfi Visit Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/appointmen... Like Mayo Clinic on Facebook:   / mayoclinic   Follow Mayo Clinic on Instagram:   / mayoclinic   Follow Mayo Clinic on X, formerly Twitter: https://x.com/MayoClinic Follow Mayo Clinic on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mayoclinic