Pathogen detection is essential in many industries, from healthcare to food safety. The faster harmful bacteria or other microorganisms can be detected, the better we can protect people from diseases and contamination.

Each year, millions of people worldwide fall ill due to foodborne pathogens, leading to thousands of deaths. Slow detection can result in outbreaks, product recalls, and widespread illness. That’s why improving detection methods is critical, and today, 3D printing plays a key role in making pathogen detection faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

Two recent advances highlight how 3D printing is helping scientists and researchers create innovative tools that can detect pathogens with greater precision and at lower costs. The first advance is called surface-imprinted polymers (SIPs). These materials have tiny molds on their surface that match the shape of specific bacteria, allowing them to trap and detect those bacteria. Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan have used 3D printing to create these polymers, which can be incorporated into sensors or devices for detecting harmful bacteria in various environments, such as food or water.

The second advance is a 3D printed microfluidic chip that can detect multiple types of foodborne bacteria at the same time. Created by scientists at China’s Guangdong University of Technology and Pudong New District People’s Hospital in Shanghai, the chip uses tiny channels and sensors to quickly identify harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella in food samples. This technology speeds up the detection process and increases accuracy, making it easier to guarantee food safety.

Illustration of the chip with four main domains and sketch of the shut-valve operation. Image courtesy of Feng et al.

Both breakthroughs are happening because of several key factors: technological innovation, lower costs, better accuracy, and the ability to use these tools in different settings. 3D printing makes it possible to quickly and affordably create tools and sensors that can detect harmful bacteria with accuracy. This is helping 3D printing play an increasingly important role in improving pathogen detection methods across industries.

Tech Innovation

One of the key breakthroughs comes from Japanese researchers who have developed a new way to create SIPs using 3D printing. Traditionally, making SIPs was a slow and complicated process that involved manually synthesizing the materials, often leading to inconsistencies. Now, using Formlabs’ Clear Resin V4, the scientist can quickly and reliably print these polymers, designed to capture and detect specific bacteria, such as E. coli. This 3D printing approach streamlines the process, making it faster, more accurate, and useful for various applications in industries where bacteria detection is crucial, such as healthcare and environmental monitoring.

Surface imprinted polymer. Image courtesy of Tamara Iakimova et al./Cell Reports Physical Science.

Another important development involves a 3D printed microfluidic chip designed by Chinese researchers to detect foodborne pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. The chip uses aptamer sensors—small molecules that can recognize and bind to specific pathogens. The chip’s design allows it to detect multiple pathogens at the same time, which is a big improvement over older methods that could only test for one type of bacteria at a time.

Cost-Effectiveness

One of the most significant benefits of using 3D printing for pathogen detection is the cost reduction. Traditional methods often require costly equipment, like PCR machines, which can range from $15,000 to $100,000, or flow cytometers, which can exceed $100,000. Even more advanced tools like mass spectrometers can cost between $100,000 and $500,000. On top of that, these machines require specialized materials and trained personnel to operate, making testing slow and expensive, especially when dealing with large batches of samples, like in food processing or water testing.

Instead, the new 3D printed SIPs use cheaper and widely available materials, such as the clear resin, which can be easy to purchase. The SLA 3D printers used in the process are also more affordable compared to traditional pathogen detection equipment. These printers work by using a laser to cure the liquid resin layer by layer, allowing for the creation of precise bacterial molds on the surface of the polymers. According to the researchers, since this method eliminates the need for manual polymer synthesis, which is labor-intensive and error-prone, the overall cost of production is much lower, allowing more companies and laboratories to use advanced pathogen detection techniques without breaking their budgets.

Similarly, the 3D printed chip sensor used for detecting foodborne pathogens is a cost-effective solution. The chip can be mass-produced using 3D printing, and it doesn’t need specialized equipment to operate. This makes it accessible to smaller food producers who might not have the resources to invest in complex testing systems but want to keep their products safe and protect consumers from foodborne illnesses.

Precision and Sensitivity

Both the 3D printed SIPs and the chip sensor show precision and sensitivity in detecting pathogens. The SIPs can accurately detect specific bacteria even in environments where many types of bacteria are present. This is important because it prevents false positives, which can happen when other non-harmful bacteria interfere with the results.

The SIPs do this by using a process called surface imprinting, which creates tiny cavities on the surface of the polymer that perfectly match the shape of the bacteria they are designed to detect. According to the researchers, these cavities are so precise that they can “trap” the target bacteria while ignoring others, leading to very accurate results.

A general scheme of SIP preparation using molecular imprinting via the contact imprinting method. Image courtesy of Tamara Iakimova et al./Cell Reports Physical Science.

The 3D printed chip is also very sensitive. It can detect extremely low levels of pathogens—down to just 10 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL). Scientists state that this is far below the amount of bacteria that would cause illness in humans, making the chip an excellent tool for early detection in food safety applications. Catching contamination early helps companies act quickly to prevent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses.

Versatile Applications

3D printing allows these pathogen detection tools to be used in various industries and applications. The 3D printed SIPs, for example, can be applied in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and biotechnology. Since the SIPs are designed to detect bacteria, they can be used to monitor water supplies, track bacterial contamination in soil, or even assist in industrial fermentation processes where controlling bacterial growth is important.

Similarly, the 3D printed chip sensor is quite valuable in the food safety industry, where it can be used to test for pathogens in many products, from raw meats to processed foods. Its ability to detect multiple pathogens at once makes it ideal for large-scale testing, reducing the time and cost required to ensure food products are safe for consumers.

What’s more, because 3D printing allows for rapid customization, both the SIPs and the chip can be tailored to detect different types of pathogens depending on the industry’s specific needs.

Scheme of bacteria distribution on stamp. Image courtesy of Tamara Iakimova et al./Cell Reports Physical Science.

Speed and Efficiency

Speed is crucial in pathogen detection, as delays can lead to widespread contamination and illness. Traditional methods, such as cell culture and DNA sequencing, take a long time to produce results. Instead, the 3D printed SIPs can be made in under six hours, and they need much less hands-on time than older methods.

The 3D printed chip is also much more efficient. According to the researchers, the chip can automatically move food samples to the sensors using a stop-valve system, speeding up the detection process. This system allows for quick testing of several pathogens at the same time, greatly reducing the time needed to check food safety.

These advances in pathogen detection are yet another example of how 3D printing technology is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. In fact, 3D printing continues to prove its potential, offering faster, cheaper, and more precise solutions. As the technology evolves, its ability to transform different industries becomes clearer, showing just how powerful and versatile 3D printing can be in addressing real-world challenges.