We saw all the great things 3D printers can do in 2013. Will 2014 be its breakout year? It could, because a biotech company is planning to 3D print human livers by the end of 2014.

San Diego biotech firm Organovo is promising that its "bioprinting" technology will be able to successfully print a human liver by the end of next year, the company told Computerworld's Lucas Mearian.
Like other forms of 3D printing, bio-printing lays down layer after layer of material -- in this case, live cells -- to form a solid physical entity -- in this case, human tissue. The major stumbling block in creating tissue continues to be manufacturing the vascular system needed to provide it with life-sustaining oxygen and nutrients. ... Organovo, however, said it has overcome that vascular issue to a degree.
While it won't be suitable for transplant just yet, it will be very effective for scientific research and drug testing. This is good news for both the company and the rest of the world. They hope to sell the 3D printer to drug companies to help them reduce the cost of drug testing and to push drugs out faster than they usually take.

It takes an average of $1.3 billion to develop a new drug in 2013, according to research from Deloitte and Thomson Reuters.

Check out some living tissue below:



Organovo explained how its special bioprinting technology will work in the video below. Watch it below: