Patent ID: 8715436

Claim:
A layered polymer scaffold comprising a plurality of synthetic biopolymer membranes of from 30 micron to 1 millimeter in thickness, wherein said membranes comprise patterned through-holes having lateral dimensions of about 300 microns, with intervening biopolymer areas having a lateral feature width of about 50 microns, wherein said patterned through holes have lateral dimensions significantly greater than the lateral feature width of the intervening biopolymer areas, wherein said scaffold is microfabricated by a process comprising: generating an elastomer mold the approximate size of a silicon wafer; directing a synthetic biopolymer into the mold using a vacuum; curing the synthetic biopolymer in the mold to form a membrane of the plurality of synthetic biopolymer membranes, wherein said membrane comprises the patterned through-holes with intervening biopolymer areas, formed from the synthetic polymer by the microfabrication process; removing said membrane from the mold; and laminating said membranes to provide the layered polymer scaffold.