Empa Develops 3D-Printed Fish Gelatin Hydrogel to Engineer Living Skin Models

Empa Develops 3D-Printed Fish Gelatin Hydrogel to Engineer Living Skin Models

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed a printable, non-swelling hydrogel made from cold-water fish gelatin, enabling the creation of 3D living skin models. Designed to replicate the full complexity of human skin, including its layered architecture and cellular composition, the material opens new possibilities for studying skin diseases and developing tailored wound healing therapies. The research is part of the SKINTEGRITY.CH initiative and emphasizes sustainability, biocompatibility, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 15-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Researchers at Empa have created a novel fish gelatin-based hydrogel designed to simulate human skin in three dimensions, offering new insights into skin diseases and wound healing. Unlike typical hydrogels, which swell and lose structural fidelity upon hydration, this new material maintains its shape, making it highly suitable for 3D bioprinting applications. The project is part of the Swiss SKINTEGRITY.CH research initiative and involves close collaboration with clinical partners.

Skin diseases such as chronic wounds, skin cancer, and autoimmune disorders remain insufficiently understood due to the complexity of the skin’s layered structure. The Empa team aims to solve this by creating a living artificial skin containing human cells. Their innovative hydrogel is derived from cold-water fish gelatin—such as cod and haddock—and can be 3D printed to emulate skin’s structure, including the dermis, epidermis, and the basal membrane between them.

The non-swelling hydrogel is easy to produce and biocompatible, with added benefits over mammalian gelatin, such as reduced immune reaction and lower disease transmission risk. It can also serve as a printable, customizable wound dressing material, even capable of incorporating medications. Patent protection has been filed, and the hydrogel is expected to become a key platform for research into skin disease mechanisms and treatments.

SKINTEGRITY.CH

SKINTEGRITY.CH is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research network that aims to better understand what happens in the skin at a molecular level in case of injury and healing or disease. It also aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients and offers interdisciplinary training to young skin researchers and clinicians. It was launched in 2016 and expanded to the whole of Switzerland in 2020. The initiative is supported by University Medicine Zurich (UMZH) and various universities, including the Empa. The Empa laboratories Biointerfaces and Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles are part of the SKINTEGRITY.CH consortium.

www.skintegrity.ch

Media Contacts:

Dr. Kongchang Wei
Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles / Biointerfaces
Phone +41 58 765 75 09
kongchang.wei@empa.ch

Anna Ettlin
Communications
Phone +41 58 765 47 33
redaktion@empa.ch

SOURCE: EMPA