As Associate Professor of Biomaterials Engineering and Biofabrication at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Miguel Dias Castilho works where engineering meets biology. His mission: to engineer biomaterial structures that guide the human body heal itself.
“I like to tell people I literally build houses for cells,” he says. “In the lab, these structures serve as microenvironments to study and support diverse (stem) cell functions. When implanted in the body, these cell-friendly scaffolding structures can guide and adapt to the regeneration of damaged tissues and organs.”
At TU/e, his group focuses mostly on musculoskeletal applications—bones, bone marrow, skeletal muscle, and the spine. “It’s a lot like construction,” he explains. “We develop the biomaterial scaffold first, and then the cells, hopefully, can build the rest.”
Light as a tool for living structures
One of Castilho’s most recent and exciting research areas is a dual-colour light-sheet bioprinting method, called Xolography, a cutting-edge volumetric 3D printing technology. Unlike traditional additive manufacturing, which builds objects layer by layer, Xolography uses two intersecting beams of light—UV and visible—within a light-sensitive material. Where the beams meet, the biomaterial solidifies with micrometre precision.
“It’s a layer-less process,” Castilho says. “You can create complex shapes all at once, with high resolution and speed, without the surface irregularities that come from layering. And it’s scalable—both in size and in production volume – an aspect that other volumetric printing methods struggle with.”
The technology has already produced constructs ranging from a few micrometers to several centimeters, the later large enough by regenerative medicine standards. More importantly, Castilho’s team has recently advanced it to work with cell-laden biomaterials, opening the door to printing living tissues directly. The potential applications are vast: from precisely defined cell microenvironments for studying cellular responses to their environment, to, in the future, patient-specific bone grafts that heal fractures in weeks instead of months. Beyond biomedical applications, the technology is also capable to transparent smooth structures for advanced contact lenses, and even fabrication in space, since the process does not depend on gravity.
Bridging science and application
While a German company, xolo GmbH, is already commercialising Xolography for non-medical uses, Castilho’s group at TU/e has pioneered it for biomedical and biofabrication applications. This means not only working with biocompatible materials but also ensuring that living cells survive and function during and after printing.
“I’m an engineer at heart,” Castilho says, “but I’ve always worked at the crossroads of engineering and clinics. My aim is to bring our findings closer to patients—something that’s only possible through strong partnerships and by going beyond the academic environment.”
The SBMC connection
As an early member of the Smart Biomaterials Consortium, Castilho values how SBMC connects material scientists, engineers, clinicians, and companies with complementary expertise. “We are already collaborating with members and see significant opportunities with other companies in the consortium,” he says. This interdisciplinary network supports the translation of advances such as light-based biofabrication—combining scalability, precision, and speed—toward industrial partners and clinical applications.
From Lab to Life
Miguel works closely with SBMC on several fronts. Over the next 18 months, his research group will collaborate with a start-up on a new product: SBMC will focus on material optimisation, while TU/e provides manufacturing and 3D printing expertise. In September, a PhD candidate will join his group, with research outcomes feeding directly into SBMC’s work. In this way, scientific knowledge is translated into practical applications that can ultimately benefit patients.
A call for long-term vision
Brainport Eindhoven offers a unique ecosystem for biomaterials innovation, says Castilho. “We have brilliant material scientists, talented engineers, and close ties with clinicians—all within a few kilometres of each other. That proximity is a huge advantage.”
What could be improved? “We still tend to work on relatively short-term, project-based funding. Transformative breakthroughs need time and space to make mistakes without pressure of tight deliverables —programmes that run for ten years, like the NWO Gravitation initiative we’re happily part of. That’s the kind of sustained effort that allows major advances to happen.”
Looking ahead
From his “houses for cells” analogy to his work with light-powered printing, Castilho’s research embodies the spirit of applied innovation. For SBMC and its partners, his work offers not just a technological leap, but a concrete path toward faster, more effective regenerative treatments.
“We’re building the manufacturing tools and biomaterials to help the body repair itself—faster, better, and in ways that weren’t possible before,” Castilho says. “Although many unknowns and fundamental questions persist, one of the main challenges is making sure some of these innovations and new concepts are pushed all the way through the translational ladder.”
