3D printing for the future of medicine

3D printing is an additive manufacturing method that involves successive deposition of layers of materials to create a construct from a digital model. 3D-printing technologies have widespread applications in medicine and are increasingly used for solving a wide variety of medical problems. In this review, we summarize existing 3D-printing technologies and explore recent advances in the development and characterization of bioinks and biomaterial inks. We will then explain characterization methods for determining the rheological and mechanical properties of printing inks and 3D-printed constructs using invasive and noninvasive methods. Lastly, four core uses in recent innovations in medicine, including tissue and organoid engineering, disease modeling, drug delivery, biosensing, patient-specific implants and challenges along with future prospects will be discussed.