The fundamental concept of printed 3D tissue is public domain, but the practice is patented by Organovo.
So sure a university can construct their own 3D bio printer, (just like DYIers build their own 3d plastic printers), but they won't likely get any commercially useful IP from it, without an infringement of Organovo's patent portfolio.
That shouldn't stop the universities from using 3D bio Printing and learning from it, but there won't be any more 3D BioPrinter companies popping up without either licensing Organovo's IP, or spending time and money circumventing it, which leaves Organovo in the driver's seat either way.
And incidentally, just how fast this technology is going to advance will surprise a lot of people. Indeed now that Organovo has enough capital (cash) on hand to continue operations for 3- 5 years, they also have enough resources to do some serious R&D on the printer mechanism and processes.
With Autodesk's expertise taking care of the 3D modeling software and user interface, the bio engineers should be free to concentrate on the bio metrics of the next generations of 3D Printer systems involving much higher degrees of complexity in organ construction.
Just like the first Fords where any color you wanted, as long as it was black, and the first laser printers were only black and white, Organovo's liver constructs are simplistic first generation samples of what's to come.
More complex geometries and structures covering the full spectrum of blood vessels and organ tissues fully integrated into functional organs, bone and tissue, will eventually be produced.
Someone here recently opined about someone having a bio printer in the home. Why wouldn't Bill Gates or Warren Buffet or anyone who could afford it, own one if they could?
Just sayin.
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