Magnetically Driven Biofabrication for Tissue Engineering: From Nanoparticle Design to Mag-ATMP Translation

Magnetically driven biofabrication is emerging as a materials-enabled extension of tissue engineering, integrating advances in magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) design with cells, spheroids, and biomaterial scaffolds to engineer responsive and remotely controllable living systems. Progress in nanoparticle engineering has yielded biocompatible and tunable MNP formulations that can be incorporated into hydrogels, spheroids, organoids, and scaffolds, where they influence cellular behavior, extracellular matrix organization, and mechanotransduction. Externally applied magnetic fields further enable non-contact control over cell positioning, microtissue assembly, matrix alignment, and dynamic mechanical stimulation, expanding the design space of 3D and 4D biofabrication. This Review critically maps and unifies the multiscale design principles underlying magnetically driven biofabrication, spanning nanoparticle design, magnetic actuation strategies, and biological responses. We compare approaches ranging from single-cell manipulation and magnetoactive bioinks to spheroid fusion and microfluidic systems with embedded magnetic actuation. We further discuss how physics-based modeling, data-informed optimization, and emerging digital twin concepts may help connect material properties, magnetic field design, and biological response. Finally, we examine translational considerations, including Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compatible nanoparticle formulations, mechanistic clarity, long-term safety evaluation, and regulatory alignment, converging toward magnetically enabled tissue-engineered advanced therapy medicinal products (Mag-TE ATMPs).