An Erasmus+ project has been successfully implemented on the topic of “3D Printing Technologies for Food and Medical Applications”

The Faculty of Chemical Technology (Kaunas University of Technology) has successfully implemented an international “Erasmus+” project under the Blended Intensive Programme titled “3D Printing Technologies for Food and Medical Applications”.

The project involved students and lecturers from eleven European universities: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), University of Latvia (Latvia), Artois University (France), University of Trento (Italy), Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (Latvia), Riga Technical University (Latvia), Lodz University of Technology (Poland), University of Agriculture in Krakow (Poland), University of Aveiro (Portugal), University of Almería (Spain), and Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), which coordinated and hosted the event.

One of the project’s main goals was to develop interdisciplinary competences to address current challenges in the food and medical sectors and to explore innovative solutions using 3D printing technologies. The project also aimed to enhance critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork skills in an international, multicultural environment.

To achieve this, the project included both virtual sessions and physical sessions held at Kaunas University of Technology’s Interdisciplinary Prototyping Laboratory Center and the laboratories of the Faculty of Chemical Technology.

The project began with online lectures, during which participants gained knowledge about advanced 3D printing technologies, their potential applications, and the specific challenges involved in developing innovative food products as well as both invasive and non-invasive biomedical materials.

A key highlight of the project was the practical insights shared by industry professionals, which provided students with first-hand exposure to real-world challenges and technological solutions in biomedical material development. During the project, Vidmantas Šakalys, CEO of UAB Vital 3D Technologies, shared his experience. Participants were introduced to the company’s “FemtoBrush”technology, which enables ultra-precise and rapid printing of complex structures such as vascular networks and functional tissue models.

“The company director’s shared experience was inspiring and encouraged us to look more broadly at the possibilities of 3D printing,” said Aurelija Gardžiulytė, a student in the “Biomedical Materials Industries” study programme and event participant.

Cutting-Edge Student Innovations in Food and Biomedical Fields

After attending the online lectures, the students arrived at Kaunas University of Technology for an intensive and challenging week. Working in international and interdisciplinary teams, they tackled real-world health-related issues such as obesity, diabetes, and colonic diverticulosis. Their main goal was to develop food compositions rich in fiber or protein aimed at preventing disease flare-ups and alleviating symptoms. Special attention was also given to dysphagia – a swallowing disorder that makes eating and drinking difficult and painful. To ensure appropriate food texture and safe nutrition, the students used 3D printing technologies to create products tailored to individual needs.

Other teams focused on developing in vitro models for disease diagnostics and constructs for bone tissue regeneration. To achieve this, they used various polymers and inorganic materials and studied the morphology and mechanical properties of the prototypes they created.

At the end of the event, project presentations and prototype demonstrations were held, and the work was further acknowledged through awards given to team leaders and other participants for their ability to unite the team, coordinate activities, and purposefully pursue set goals.

“International cooperation, the sharing of best practices, and interdisciplinarity are key factors driving innovation and scientific progress across various fields. These are precisely the values fostered by Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme projects, which offer opportunities to form interdisciplinary, international teams ready to tackle modern scientific and technological challenges,” say the event organizers at the Faculty of Chemical Technology of Kaunas University of Technology.