With limited models to study human labor, researchers at the 夜色视频 School of Medicine (UNR Med) are turning to 3D bioprinting, an emerging technology that is reshaping how scientists understand pregnancy and preterm labor.
After nearly a decade of research and student collaboration, Heather Burkin, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology, Craig Ulrich, Ph.D., research assistant professor of pharmacology and their interdisciplinary team have developed a bioprinted model that mimics the uterus at the end of pregnancy, a breakthrough that allows researchers to study how labor begins and how medications may be used to stop preterm birth.
The project dates back almost ten years, when a graduate student returned from a conference after seeing a poster on bioprinted lung tissue. The technology, which allowed scientists to create functional models that behaved like human tissue, sparked an idea.
Burkin immediately saw its potential for reproductive research.
At the time, the technology was new, expensive and unfamiliar. UNR Med was the first campus to adopt bioprinted tissue therapeutics from Aspect Biosystems that the team would use, making the lab one of the earliest academic partners to work with the company behind the system.
was published in October 2025, showcasing the project’s impact in medical research.
The research required trials and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Yifei Jin, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering, studied how the bioinks — the materials used to print the tissue — flow and solidify during printing. “With an engineering background, I’m used to asking how to build something,” Jin said. “Working with medical researchers shifts the focus to whether it is safe, physiologically relevant, and clinically meaningful.”
Undergraduate students also contributed heavily to daily experimentation. Jada Okaikoi, B.S., now a Ph.D. student at Cornell University, helped fine-tune the tissue model. “I strengthened the model so it could be studied on a myograph,” Okaikoi said. “I learned to culture cells, prepare bioinks, operate the bioprinter, and test how the tissue responds to drugs.”
Okaikoi also emphasized how this experience influenced her path as a Ph.D. student.
“Working in Dr. Burkin’s lab opened my eyes to the lack of research in women’s health,” Okaikoi said. “It gave me the confidence to pursue my Ph.D.”
Another former undergraduate, Anutr Sivakoses, Ph.D., highlighted the mentorship and support he received. “Drs. Burkin and Ulrich were incredibly supportive regardless of the outcome of an experiment,” he said. “I learned advanced lab techniques, conducted experiments independently, and developed skills that were essential for my doctoral work. Their guidance inspired me to emulate that mentorship in my own career.”
The collaborative nature of the project extended beyond mentorship, reflecting the interdisciplinary approach that makes the research possible. Faculty and students from pharmacology, engineering and biochemistry worked closely together which allowed the team to combine technical innovation with real-world medical insight. This ensured that the bioprinted models not only function like human tissue but also address meaningful questions about labor and preterm birth.
Because preterm birth has many different causes, the team ultimately hopes to create multiple versions of the model to match specific risk factors. That approach could help researchers test which drugs work best for different patients, moving toward more personalized treatments.
Looking ahead, the team sees this project as part of a larger shift in biomedical research, where collaboration across disciplines and hands-on training for students can accelerate discoveries. By combining innovative technology, mentorship, and real-world issues, UNR Med is helping pave the way for safer pregnancies and better outcomes for mothers and infants.
