3D problems require 3D solutions, but scientists in molecular biology are often left to work with 2D systems. Saraswat Basu, a UQ PhD student, is looking to change that with bioprinting.
Through his research project, Basu is creating a miniature, living model of human oral tissue that looks and acts as lifelike as possible. By doing so, he hopes to help scientists study diseases and test treatments more effectively.
“I am using 3D bioprinting to create a structured environment where key cell types – such as epithelial cells, endothelial cells, gingival fibroblasts, and immune cells – can interact within a biocompatible scaffold,” he says.
“The goal is to replicate not just the physical architecture of oral tissue, but also its biological behaviour, such as immune responses to bacterial stimuli.”
Ultimately, this model will serve as a controllable, human-relevant platform to study oral disease progression and regeneration, enabling more accurate testing of therapies and a deeper understanding of how the oral environment responds to infection and inflammation.
Building a 3D-bioprinted model, block by block
Basu has a simple (and fun) way of explaining his research.
“Imagine your favourite LEGO set… suppose you want to build the Millennium Falcon,” he says.
“You can lay out all the bricks from the packet side by side on the ground and say it’s a model of the best spaceship in the galaxy, but no one is going to believe you.”
“Only when you start assembling the bricks correctly in the right orientation, layer by layer, to create the 3D model will it be a true representation of the Falcon.”
It is much the same with studying cellular models.
“Traditionally, cells have always been cultured in a 2D plane where they can only grow in a monolayer,” says Basu.
“My research aims to provide a 3-dimensional space where the cells can grow, proliferate, and talk to each other.”
To achieve this, Basu is using 3D bioprinting, which allows him to bring his architectural design to life, one layer at a time. This process gives him precise control over the shape and space of the model.
“Recreating the 3D tissue architecture found inside the body in a lab setting allows us to observe molecular mechanisms and drug efficacy with much more ease,” he says.
“And since the model is grown inside the lab, we can easily control and manipulate the environment, allowing us to study a plethora of responses in detail.”
Basu’s collaborative PhD experience
To achieve this complex feat, Basu needs to collaborate with a wide variety of academics and professionals – dentists, molecular biologists, and bioengineers.
“Since UQ is a vast university comprising so many multidisciplinary researchers, finding people with the expertise to help with my project has been extremely easy,” he says.
These researchers include Basu’s PhD supervisory team:
- Professor Saso Ivanovski, his primary supervisor and the Head of UQ’s School of Dentistry
- Dr Pingping Han, leader of the Epigenetic Nanodiagnostics and Therapeutics Group within the Centre for Orofacial Regeneration, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation
- Dr Reuben Staples, a Research Fellow at the School of Dentistry.
Basu believes having this robust team to support him has been essential to his success as an emerging researcher.
What led Basu to studying a PhD at UQ?
Biology runs in Basu’s blood, both literally and figuratively.
“Both my parents are doctors, which means I was surrounded by the intricacies, challenges and beauty of the biological field from a young age,” he says.
“My dinner table and long car rides were always accompanied by stories from their day at the hospital… the challenges they faced and the solutions they came up with, the new research currently going on to cure a disease, or debates over a new surgical technique or the efficacy of a new drug in the market.”
“Consistently being exposed to these types of conversations – even without understanding the topic – made me see the field of biology as more of an adventure ride rather than a highly sophisticated field of study.”
Now, as a researcher, Basu sees both his parents in himself: his dad’s inquisitive side, always needing to know the ‘why’ behind everything, and his mum’s tenacity to succeed under pressure and strive towards perfection.
“They lit a fire within me that led me down the path of a researcher – this burning desire to understand how biological systems work, what influences them, and how we can influence them for the betterment of humanity and nature,” he says.
And while that path was always destined to lead to some kind of research, Basu’s specific focus today came about from a long chain of coincidences.
“My curiosity one day introduced me to the world of epigenetics… I still remember the YouTube video that completely changed how I see and interpret the world of molecular biology,” he says.
“That’s how I knew I wanted to do a master's in molecular biology, just to know a bit more about this world and dive even deeper into the field of epigenetics.”
Unfortunately, just as he was about to start his master’s degree at UQ, COVID struck, stranding Basu in India to start this academic journey online. While he found this challenging and, at times, boring, it gave him the chance to dive deeper into epigenetics on his own terms.
“The fascinating concept of how the environment plays a vital role in dictating gene expression baffled me and, to my eyes, challenged core concepts of genetics,” he says.
“While I was pondering epigenetics, I also joined a lab as an intern to learn epigenetic techniques to analyse the data.”
It was at this lab that Basu learned how cells are traditionally cultured in 2D monolayers, planting the next seed for his eventual PhD research.
“Serendipitously, right when I was studying different 3D culture systems that are available to culture cells, I got an email from UQ, where a lab was looking for a master's student to undertake a research project to optimise a 3D bioprinter to print cells,” he says.
“I immediately sent out a letter telling them I was interested, and Dr Nimal Raveendran, my supervisor at the time, got on a call with me and was quite pleased by my interest and offered me the vacancy.”
While COVID prevented Basu from joining the lab for another year, the team kept the project open for him. When he finally arrived, it immediately felt right.
“When I started working with the 3D printer and understood its capability, I fell in love with this tool and knew that I had to do a PhD on 3D bioprinting,” he says.
“I wanted to know more about this technique and develop a novel method and a tissue model using 3D bioprinting, which could be used to understand molecular mechanisms, such as epigenetics, that take place in the body in a lab setting.”
Choosing UQ
Having completed his postgrad degree at UQ, Basu didn’t hesitate to take his next step here as well.
“While doing my master’s, I applied to the School of Dentistry’s research lab for my research project and quickly fell in love with the school’s supportive environment,” he says.
“This made me stick to UQ and pursue my PhD here, as I believe you need a strong, supportive research environment for a good PhD journey.”
Basu’s advice for future PhD candidates
Basu provides 5 top tips for aspiring PhD students:
- Surround yourself with a strong support system (friends and family) before you start.
- Choose your project and supervisors wisely. They will make or break you.
- Remember to take breaks. You can’t work at your maximum potential if you’re always burnt out.
- Be confident about your research. You’re the one doing the research, so make sure your say is the final verdict for your project.
- Keep your mind open to the possibilities. Sometimes your passion will find you before you find it.
“I was just extremely inquisitive and grabbed onto concepts that were niche, interesting and difficult, with limited research in literature but an aim towards understanding the field or concept better. Not being constricted to one single spark or passion and allowing my curious mind to flutter about got me where I am today… and I am so glad it did.”
Ready to embark on your own research journey?
