In this paper, we demonstrate that gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels enable robust 3D cell culture with integrated genetic manipulation. We show that HEK293T cells embedded in GelMA remain viable, can be efficiently transfected with plasmid DNA or mRNA, and are amenable to prime editing. By introducing perfusable channels, we achieve spatially confined gene expression, establishing GelMA as a platform for programmable, tissue-like cell constructs.
A. C. Jäkel, D. J. J. Truong, F. C. Simmel, Genetic Manipulation of Mammalian Cells in Microphysiological Hydrogels, Advanced Science, e05474, 2025.