---
title: "NTU researchers develop glucose-responsive hydrogel for 3D bioprinting"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/ntu-researchers-develop-glucose-responsive-hydrogel-for-3d-bioprinting/
date: 2026-04-03
modified: 2026-04-03
lang: en
author: "Joseph Caron-Dawe"
description: "Researchers at National Taiwan University (NTU) have developed a chitosan-based hydrogel that is capable of responding to chemical signals and provides the potential for a new material approach for 3D..."
categories:
  - "Biofabrication"
  - "Bioinks"
  - "Bioprinting"
  - "Medical AM"
  - "Medical Research"
  - "Research & Education"
tags:
  - "future"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NTU-hydrogel-640x400.jpg
word_count: 278
---

# NTU researchers develop glucose-responsive hydrogel for 3D bioprinting

Researchers at [National Taiwan University (NTU)](https://www.voxelmatters.com/ntu-researchers-develop-high-precision-ceramic-3d-printing-solution/) have developed a [chitosan-based](https://www.voxelmatters.com/ole-miss-team-develops-3d-printed-bandages-to-treat-chronic-wounds/) hydrogel that is capable of responding to chemical signals and provides the potential for a new material approach for 3D bioprinting applications.

The system combines two bio-based polymers: gallol-functionalized chitosan (CG) and boronic acid-functionalized chitosan (CB). When combined, the two components form a self-healing chitosan gallol-chitosan boronic acid (CGB) hydrogel ink, which can break and reform in response to environmental conditions, including glucose concentration and redox changes.

## Structural performance at low material concentration

The hydrogel can be extruded through a 160-micrometer nozzle and was able to be stacked up to 60 layers without structural collapse by the team. “Achieving such structural stability at a solid content of only 2 wt% represents a major leap in biofabrication, as it provides a more biocompatible environment for embedded cells,” the team stated.

## Microfluidic fabrication via sacrificial printing

The CGB hydrogel also functions as a sacrificial material, meaning it can be printed as a temporary mold and later dissolved using a glucose solution to leave behind hollow structures.

![NTU researchers develop glucose-responsive hydrogel for 3D bioprinting](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NTU-hydrogel-02-340x340.jpg)

Using this method, researchers fabricated hierarchical [microfluidic channels](https://www.voxelmatters.com/purdue-researchers-3d-print-tiny-multilevel-microfluidic-devices/), including 90°-rotated H-shaped architectures designed to mimic biological vascular networks. The material recorded antimicrobial activity alongside cell viability exceeding 90%.

“With potent antimicrobial activity and over 90% cell viability, the CGB hydrogel is more than just an ink; it is a bioactive platform. This research provides scientists with a powerful tool, allowing the future of regenerative medicine to become a reality through 3D printing, one layer at a time,” said Shan-hui Hsu, Distinguished Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at National Taiwan University and the project lead.

The work was [published in the journal *Carbohydrate Polymers*](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0144861726002560?via%3Dihub).