February 2018

Interview: Shannon Walters, Executive Manager @ Stanford 3D and Quantitative Imaging Lab

February 6, 2018 | 0 Comments

Shannon Walters is an innovation enabler and workflow optimization enthusiast. At Stanford 3D and Quantitative Imaging Lab, Shannon works closely with healthcare providers, researchers, and educators to enable effective health visualization. Recent innovations are of particular interest to Shannon such as 3D Printing, immersive volumetric visualization, and concise reporting of changes over time. Mr. Walters will be a speaker at the upcoming 3DHEALS2020.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Shannon: The first encounter I remember is coaching a college intern through the requirements we might have in healthcare for 3D Printing. At that point, I was unaware that other hospitals were systematically providing 3D Prints, and the process to convert DICOM images to STL was not well defined. This intern was able to help determine a pathway and we used the process about 8 months later for our first 3D Print.
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/company/career/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Shannon: Our medical director saw this trend coming down the pipeline and he mentioned that we need to basically catch that wave before it passes. Since then I have been evaluating the landscape and determining which elements are critical, optional, unnecessary and have been iterating toward an ever-more-efficient 3D printing process for medical models.
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Shannon: Dominik Fleischmann, Medical Director at Stanford 3DQ Lab.

3D Printed Brain & Electrodes
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Shannon: The ability to help make things better for the most amount of people.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Shannon: The current obstacles are staffing and space requirements. In the past, I have conquered these by demonstrating the trajectory of 3DP volume growth and demonstrating the amount of space and staff I would need to meet future demands. This problem will continue to present itself until there are cyclic funding and justification to feel secure in larger investments.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Shannon: The costs will remain high if physicians continue to drive the majority of the efforts. I think the challenge is to define efficient workflows and offload these to professionals with lower salaries than physicians (technologists, biomedical engineers, etc..). This is a control and paradigm shift that might be difficult to accept, which is why I think it’s the biggest challenge. Failure to do this will keep the costs of 3DP high, and reduce the chances that insurance or patients will pay for the service.
Jenny: If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Shannon: In regards to 3D Printing…
1. Clear flexible resin with multiple colors and other rigidities.
2. A software that can truly send a DICOM segmentation object to a printer and colorize it based on intensities
3. Swift completion and validation of all the official 3DP research so that Medicare, FDA, and insurance companies will all be onboard with the new technology.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Shannon: Focus on what you provide to other people rather than how well you perform the job description. Many others around you are also doing well, usually in a different way than you, but depending on the situation it may be more valuable. Constantly seeking how your abilities can positively impact others will promote success and become your safety net in case of failure.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Shannon: It starts with the imaging, high-quality 3D printing or any derivation thereof, requires quality input. Ensure CT and MR scans are generating quality data, reduce motion and other artifacts, plan to image with 3D Printing in mind.

Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Shannon: Steadily increasing my personal time with exercise, spending time as a Scout volunteer with my children, camping, and hiking or other outdoor activities.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you?
Shannon: To me it represents my life, I have been working in 3D/Advanced visualization since 2007 and it’s an honor to analyze patient information to provide a complete dataset to those interested in providing care. Many people likely think 3D Heals is an overstatement, but I see it completely the other way. Rather than the 3-5 minutes per CT or MR scan, providing 3D analysis give patients individualized attention and the data is scrutinized much more carefully for details that can ultimately lead to a better plan, improved, surgery, or even reversal of diagnosis at times.

Interview: Dr. Jesse Courtier, Improving Healthcare with 3D Printing and Augmented Reality

February 3, 2018 | 0 Comments

Dr. Jesse Courtier is an Associate Professor of pediatric radiology at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and founder of HoloSurg3D. He has co-developed the medical imaging augmented radiology application RadHA for the Microsoft HoloLens. His interests lie in use of imaging technology for medical education and improved patient care. Dr. Courtier will be a speaker at the #3DHEALS2018 conference on April 20-21st, 2018.
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Jesse: I’d heard buzz about the potential of 3D printing from news articles, but I first really encountered 3D printing at the Radiologic Society of North America national meeting two years ago. I was really excited and immediately saw the value of using 3D imaging to bridge the “2D-3D gap” in communication between radiologists and surgeons that I’d noted in my day to day work as a pediatric radiologist.
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/company/career/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Jesse: My earlier research involved diffusion tensor imaging of renal transplants, and from that research, I generated some beautiful tractography images. After RSNA, I was wondering if I could 3D print these fiber tracts. I learned a lot through the process of trying to print these, which I was able to do successfully using the Carbon printer working together with Sculpteo here in the Bay Area. (below is my first 3d print of renal medullary pyramids derived from an MR diffusion tensor imaging scan).

As I progressed making other models, I started looking further into other 3D display methods and began my journey into the field of Augmented Reality. I found many of the skills I’d acquired in my 3D printing experience directly translated to creating these Augmented Reality models. I further explored the idea of commercialization of this concept through our UCSF Startup 101 course and the idea for HoloSurg3D was born! My co-founder Ben Laguna (a senior radiology resident at UCSF and UPenn Medicine graduate) were fortunate to be supported in our endeavors with excellent advice through UCSF QB3 and a UCSF Catalyst consultation award. We were also fortunate to be selected for the UC Hastings Startup Legal Garage which paired us with the law firm Kilpatrick and Townsend and allowed us to incorporate.

Our overall goal with HoloSurg3D is to improve pre-surgical planning by making patient-specific Augmented Reality models to allow surgeons think through a case 3-dimensionally before it ever happens. We’re effectively bridging the gap between the 2D world of radiology and the 3D real world of surgery.

Our application RadHA (Radiology with Holographic Augmentation) allows users to load 3D Augmented Reality models via the cloud, view and manipulate them using the Microsoft HoloLens platform. We offer an A.R. model creation service tailor-made for our software. We believe the use of this platform will reduce complications and decrease operating room time, letting surgeons plan more realistically and better anticipate potential problems. We’ve been making our A.R. models here at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital for our pediatric surgeons and pediatric neurosurgeons and plan to expand to adult services by the second quarter.

The portability of this solution allows users to use our solution in the reading room, in clinic, at or projected in a surgical planning conference room…really anywhere needed.

Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Jesse: Really the inspiration was from the reactions of the clinicians I work with when I demonstrated these 3-dimensional models to them. I’d often noted that it wasn’t until I’d shown a 3D image of the anatomy that I would see the lightbulb go off. The “wow” reactions from surgeons when they immediately see the value of these models is very exciting and inspirational.
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Jesse: For one, I find a certain beauty in the anatomic structures and in creating these 3-dimensional models. I also, however, feel a sense of accomplishment when I can help to make difficult to understand anatomy clearer to those who need to have a strong grasp of it. Having a perfect 3-dimensional understanding of the anatomy in my head is only useful in as far as I’m able to convey that accurately to the surgeon. As a radiologist, 3D images be they 3d printed or Holographic Augmented Reality models are tools to help me do one of the most important things a radiologist needs to do and that communicates with clinicians
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Jesse: In my area, it is finding the time and resources to fully develop my idea. I was fortunate to have great resources and advice from within my University here at UCSF including our QB3, Catalyst program, and Entrepreneurship Center to help take my idea from beyond the “idea stage” into reality.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Jesse: I think for 3D printing the challenge lies in overall scalability and the need to simplify the segmentation/post-processing of the models. This can be addressed as technology evolves to make these solutions cheaper, easier to use, and more widely available. It is also for this reason that I have pursued Augmented reality solutions as an extension of 3D printing that allows for a wider audience to have access to 3-dimensional models.
Jenny: If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Jesse: Hmm…tough question. World peace, end to poverty, and an infinite number of additional wishes?
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Jesse: Would say pursue opportunities that are interesting to you and not overcommit to other things that are less interesting out of a sense of obligation. I think inspiration and motivation come from questions that arise from your own experiences. It is far less interesting and motivating to simply work on a project someone has given you because they think you’d be a good fit for it.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Jesse: Continue to innovate, don’t be deterred by those who say you shouldn’t pursue your goals because it will be too difficult (aka naysayers).
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing?
Jesse: Probably the grant money I used to create my first 3D printed renal tubule model as it led me on my wonderful journey through 3D printing and Augmented Reality.
Jenny: What were/was the worst investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Jesse: Hard to say, haven’t found a regrettable decision yet along this path, but will keep you updated!
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Jesse: Departing from the usual academic path of pursuing research in a very small/obscure niche to instead explore what I truly found interesting and exciting.
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Jesse: I love to spend time with my wife and 5-year-old daughter and enjoying all the SF Bay Area has to offer. I have another soon-to-be-born daughter on the way at the end of this February! When I’m not spending time with them I enjoy practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It’s fun and a great way to exercise!
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Jesse:
“If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;” from Rudyard Kipling’s “If”.
I sometimes think of that when I have to make a tough call on a challenging radiology case, specifically if the clinicians aren’t completely convinced. It’s a gratifying feeling though when you get that call from the surgeon saying, “you were right, it was exactly like you said it would be”. In some ways, I’m hoping with 3D printing and Augmented Reality technologies we’ll be able to much more easily demonstrate what’s in our heads as radiologists so the convincing will be much more effortless!
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Jesse: I think it can mean a number of things but really for me, I think it’s about using 3-dimensional imaging for the better care of our patients. These technologies can help us to better do what we entered medicine to do and that is to help heal the sick.

Interview: Jeff Huber, Co-Founder and CEO of Standard Cyborg

February 2, 2018 | 0 Comments

Jeff Huber is Co-Founder and CEO of Standard Cyborg. He studied Economics and Industrial Engineering at N.C. State before dropping out to launch a startup. He most recently worked as a software engineer and Head of Product for another venture-backed startup. Jeff was born with Fibular Hemimelia and has been a below-knee amputee his whole life. Mr. Huber will be a speaker at the #3DHEALS2018 conference on April 20-21st, 2018.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Jeff: In 2008 – I was taking an industrial engineering class at NC State. The class was on manufacturing methods and we were learning about 3D printers. In that moment it clicked: prosthetics and orthotics is the perfect use case! I learned later that NC State had done a bunch of early work on medical metal 3D printing and osseointegration. I believe they had one of the first Arcam systems in the US.

Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Jeff: Leaving the world better than I found it
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Jeff: It’s very hard to build a great engineering team in Silicon Valley. I’m happy to say we’ve done it and are doing it, but it definitely takes longer than you would want!
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Jeff: By far, ease of use. 3D printers are at least 100x more difficult than 2D printers. I think for them to go mainstream, that has to be overcome.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Jeff: Don’t copy other people – find what you uniquely can offer the world and go hard after that. You should ignore “follow” your passions. Passion is by nature ephemeral; instead, find the work that is meaningful to you. It’s an important nuance. Once you find it, become the best at it in the world. Then be ok moving the target 2 years later. You will never regret focusing very hard on something for 2 years. The “marshmallow test” is real.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Jeff: Don’t forget the patient.
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Jeff: I’m an avid reader – reading at length about the philosophy of technology.
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Jeff: “Look for surprises” – Unknown

Interview: Dr. Valerie Cooper, "Denture Queen"

February 1, 2018 | 0 Comments

Dr. Cooper is a private practice prosthodontist with a passion for dentures. Called the “Denture Queen” by her prosthodontics co-residents, the name stuck, and her love for removable prosthodontics grew with time. Dr. Cooper presents a systematic approach to digital denture treatment which she has been refining since she switched to all-digital denture fabrication in 2015. Digital dentures started as a subtractive manufacturing process, but Dr. Cooper has been working on protocols for additive manufacturing more recently. Her mission is to help bring low-cost quality dentures to the world’s people using this technology. Dr. Cooper’s prosthodontics training and Master of Science in Dentistry was completed at The Ohio State University in 2009. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at The Ohio State University in 2006. Dr. Cooper was selected for Omicron Kappa Upsilon dental honor society, as well as received several awards for general clinical and academic excellence. Her undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Science in Biology, also from The Ohio State University, 2002. Research also has been an interest of Dr. Cooper. She began as a student research assistant in a lab which studied the genetics of cleft lip and palate. As a prosthodontics student, she completed a human research study in the dietary and microbial analysis of adults with rampant caries. Currently, she is a member of the American College of Prosthodontics, American Dental Association, and serves on the board of directors for the Dayton Dental Society. Dr. Cooper will be speaker and hands-on digital denture workshop instructor at #3DHEALS2018.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?

Valerie: First, I am passionate about dentures. I want to make excellent dentures and have been working toward that challenging goal for years. To make beautiful dentures conventionally, one needs to be talented and take a lot of time, you need to be a true artisan. However, I wanted to make beautiful dentures easily, quickly and using techniques and materials that are accessible to most providers. In other words, I wasn’t concerned with making the most amazing dentures possible if others couldn’t do it also. My goal is to help make great dentures for everyone, not just the people who can see me and afford my fees. So years ago my practice transitioned to making digital dentures, using CAD/CAM techniques and subtractive/milling manufacturing. A major change compared to conventional processing and a change that I believe will make dentures easier and therefore more accessible to the world’s people.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?

Valerie: Now that the intro is out of the way we can talk printing! I knew that progress was being made in printing materials for denture fabrication, but the materials weren’t quite ready. I first really contemplated printing when I was introduced to Jenny!! Over a drink, we chatted about the digital manufacturing of dentures. As I told her the process and my goals for dentures, how I wanted to make dentures easier, faster, and more affordable I started listening to my own words. What technology is possibly faster, more forgiving, less costly, and spreading like fire? I decided to learn more about (3D) printing and how it was developing in my world….of dentures.

Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.

Valerie: Patients without any teeth truly have a disability. It is very hard to wear dentures, but often dentures are the only treatment they can afford. As a specialist in making dentures I can often help those with the worst conditions, but I have higher fees than most. My inspiration comes from the many patients I regularly encounter referred to me who simply cannot afford the dentures I offer. For years I have held an annual event making dentures for free in my community. The first two years we conventionally processed dentures, for two more years we digital manufactured them, and this year I HOPE to print them.

Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?

Valerie: My main motivation in the denture journey is my own insane curiosity, stubbornness, and dedication. When I am fascinated with a topic I must think about it, express it as art, write about it, pursue new methods, talk endlessly to people about it, and try every tool for it. This is just who I am.

Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?

Valerie: The biggest obstacle for what I do is actually working with denture patients. Unlike many other types of dentistry, patients needing dentures can be challenging. Everyone in dentistry can recall the denture patients who have made them miserable. Many have vowed to never make dentures again after a bad experience. The problem is that dentures are hard to wear and not very functional and patients often have too high of expectations no matter what you do. I do not claim to have solved this problem and still struggle sometimes. I am not gifted with “people skills” but have found a way to make dentures without the stress and heartache caused by denture failures. My solution is two parts. The first part relates greatly to 3D printing. When making dentures conventionally, the typical process takes possibly five or six appointments, with a high lab fee, with many tedious steps that cannot be easily corrected. Can you see the benefit of being able to make dentures faster, easier, and less costly? This means that if you have a difficult denture patient the very worst outcome is you can simply return their money and move on, so much easier than when heavily invested. Less stress and less fear. The second part of my solution was a mind shift change. I lived with my grandmother who had dementia during the last year of her life. That experience taught me many things, but importantly, I discovered that many of the personality changes I saw in her, many of her frustrating behaviors were exactly what I saw in my difficult denture patients. While not all difficult denture patients have dementia, it is interesting how much we are learning about the connection with edentulism. What I learned is that patients behave the way they do because that is just what their brain makes them do. It opened my eyes to the behaviors that I used to be so offended by. That is just how some people’s brains are and I am there to try to help if I can. Thank you to my dear grandmother for that lesson.

Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?

Valerie: Currently, we are sitting on the edge of a radical transformation of the denture process from handmade products to engineered machine made devices. Despite having had digital methods for denture fabrication for years, few dentures are actually made with the technology today. I feel that is because the current methods rely on relatively costly services and are poorly understood and accepted. The good news is that the leaders in manufacturing digital dentures are already incorporating printing into their existing product offerings making a seamless transition. The challenge here is that I do not simply want to make cheaper, easier, and faster dentures. I want to make excellent dentures better than ever before, cheaper, easier, and faster. I want to merge the best of the classic techniques and knowledge into easily printed devices. This is the challenge. Most dental providers do not feel comfortable with their denture skills, many experienced denture technicians are retiring and not being replaced, many dental schools are reducing the hours of denture education. So if I want to bring up the level of quality with these new dentures I need a solution. To me, the solution is (surprise) technology. I have always been a collector of data and I think using data collection is a solution. For example, we could use algorithms to assist in denture tooth placement based on computer analysis of patient files. We could load facial scans into software and show the provider several proposed designs generated for ideal esthetics. We could use tracking of the patients’ jaw movements to shape the teeth for ideal function. The best news is that all of these solutions are already starting. We have the technology to do this.

Dental 3D Printing: Pioneers and Rulebreakers (On Demand, August 11th, 2022)

Dental 3D Printing: Latest in Digital Dentistry (On Demand, October 21, 2021)

Interview with Rick Ferguson: Teaching Dental 3D Printing

What Matters When Enabling Your Dental Practice with 3D Printing and 3D Scanning

From Esthetic to Functionality – Perspectives of Anodized 3D Printed Titanium Dental Restorations

Interview with CEO of Arfona Printing, Justin Marks

3D Printing Implants for Atrophic Jaws

Interview: Dr. Mayasari Lim, founder and CEO of SE3D, a startup focused on next generation 3D bioprinters

February 1, 2018 | 0 Comments

Dr. Mayasari Lim is founder and CEO of SE3D, a startup focused on next-generation 3D bioprinters and its applications in research and education. Previously, she was a professor in Bioengineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), a top engineering university in Singapore. Her research expertise included stem cell engineering, bioprocess design, bioprinting and tissue engineering. Dr. Lim is an active woman entrepreneur among the Indonesian professionals and women engineering community in the Bay Area, she is also currently teaching courses at the Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership in UC Berkeley. Dr. Lim obtained her Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London and her B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley. Dr. Lim will be a speaker at the #3DHEALS2018 conference on April 20-21st, 2018.
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Maya: My first encounter was in 2010 while I was teaching at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, we got a couple 3D printers into the lab for our undergraduate program. I couldn’t get over how cool this technology is, the many possible things we can do with it and my mind kept going back to … “if only I had this when I was a kid growing up, imagine the things I could have created with it”. I have always liked to tinker and build things when I was a kid.
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Maya: My students inspired me most during this journey in 3D printing and bioprinting. Just seeing the ideas and things they were able to come up with, how interested they become with bioprinting and discussing with them the many possible projects we could do with the technology really excited us as a team.

The r3bEL X is a desktop bioprinter for advancing research and discoveries in bioscience and biomedicine.

The r3bEL mini is a compact desktop bioprinter for classrooms and teaching labs.

Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Maya: What motivates me now is the possibilities we can do with bioprinting and the challenges that we still need to overcome to achieve some of these goals. In order for us as a community to reap the benefits of these technologies, we really need a cohesive effort to make things happen.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Maya: Being a startup in a relatively young field, the biggest obstacle we face is not knowing. There is so much for us to learn as a small company and a lot of times nobody has the answers to these questions. And personally, as a CEO, I need to take risks, make assumptions to make decisions that I think would be best for the company.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Maya: The biggest challenge right now in bioprinting to create replacement tissues/organ I believe is the need to combine multiple techniques to achieve the complex architecture necessary. There is also still a lot for us to learn in the biology and integration of tissues that would be important to achieve this goal.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Maya: My advice to students is to discover and explore as much as possible at this stage of their lives. Keep an open mind because you never know what opportunities might lie ahead of you but in order for you to capture these opportunities you need to work hard to best prepare yourselves for the “real world”.
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Maya: My favorite quote in Mandarin translates to “when there is a problem, there is a solution, and there is hope” My mom shared this quote with me as I left home and went off to college. Being 8000 miles away, those words always reminded me of her own strength and resilience in solving any problem that came to her.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Maya: It means hope and our future.

Interview: Rik Jacobs

February 1, 2018 | 0 Comments

Rik Jacobs is a founder and the former CEO of NextDent B.V. The company was founded in 2012 in the Netherlands as an independent subsidiary of Vertex Global Holding to complement the dental materials portfolio of its affiliate Vertex-Dental B.V., which has a 77-year track record in developing and producing traditional denture materials and products. Within four years, NextDent became the leading developer and manufacturer of biocompatible dental 3D printing materials. In January 2017, Vertex Global Holding merged with 3D Systems, a company that provides comprehensive Additive Manufacturing products and services, including 3D printers specifically designed for dental applications, print materials, on-demand parts services and digital design tools. Upon this merger, Rik became the General Manager of the Dental business. He holds a degree in International Marketing Management from NHL University of Applied Science. Mr. Jacobs will be a speaker at 3DHEALS2018.
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Rik: This was in 2008 when I visited a hearing aid production lab using a Viper SLA printer and 3Shape software. I thought I have to be the first in Dental!
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/company/career/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Rik:

Freedom in Geometrics
New biocompatible formulations can be used
Sustainable solution
Improves oral care
Speed
Productivity

Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Rik: Prof. Dr. Daniel Wismeijer (ACTA University Amsterdam).
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Rik: To be innovative.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Rik: Regulatory aspects in relation to getting these materials registered.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Rik: Mass adaption in a conservative niche.
Jenny: If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Rik: Mass adaption.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advices you heard should they ignore?
Rik:
Think out of the box!
Stick to the rules!

Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Rik: Always think in solutions and create partnerships.
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Rik: R&D and Regulatory.
Jenny: What were/was the worst investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Rik: None.
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Rik: Investing all my money in it!
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Rik: Sports.
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Rik: “It takes effort to win a game but it takes courage to change a game”- Michael Jordan.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Rik: The Future.

Interview: Professor AJ Boydston, Will Chemists rule the world? On 3D printing, Materials, and more

February 1, 2018 | 0 Comments

Dr. Boydston began studying chemistry as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon under the guidance of Professor Michael M. Haley. His research focused on the synthesis and study of dehydrobenzoannulenes. After completing BS and MS degrees, he began doctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2005, Dr. Boydston joined the group of Professor Christopher W. Bielawski and was co-advised by Professor C. Grant Willson. Dr. Boydston completed his thesis research focused on the synthesis and applications of annulated bis(imidazolium) chromophores in 2007. After graduating, he moved to Pasadena, California to take an NIH postdoctoral position at the California Institute of Technology. There, he worked under the mentorship of Professor Robert H. Grubbs to develop new catalysts and methods for the synthesis and characterization of functionalized cyclic polymers. He returned to the Pacific Northwest as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Washington in the summer of 2010. His research group currently focuses on developments in the areas of electro-organic synthesis, polymer synthesis, mechanochemical transduction, triggered depolymerization, polymers for therapeutic applications, and additive manufacturing (3D printing). His research and teaching efforts have been recognized through the NSF CAREER Award, Army Research Office Young Investigator Award, Cottrell Scholar Award, Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award. Professor Boydston will be a speaker at #3DHEALS2018.

Molecules that glow under UV light after being stretched
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
AJ: I attended a 5-minute presentation at a Seattle Short Takes event. The focus of the event was on plastics (production, end of life, environmental impact, applications, etc.). One presenter described their team’s use of 3D printing to convert plastic debris into composting toilets and other useful devices for 3^rd-world countries and disaster relief efforts.
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/company/career/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
AJ: I can’t help getting exciting about opportunities to invent new chemistry, or apply chemistry in new areas. Materials development seems to be a central theme in 3DP, so it is an inspiring arena for those interested in applications-oriented discovery.
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
AJ: My students love the projects.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
AJ: Understanding what my students want, what they should want, and what they need to achieve those goals.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advices you heard should they ignore?
AJ: Don’t be afraid to obsess over a passion you have. Being well-rounded, when defined by someone else’s standard/rubric, is over-rated. You get 24 hours per day, be in command of every one of them.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
AJ: Imagine first, then create the reality you need.
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
AJ: To commit my time and my student/researcher resources toward it.
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
AJ: Spending time with my wife, kids, and dog.

Interview: Justin Ryan, 500+ Heart Models later…

February 1, 2018 | 0 Comments

Justin Ryan, PhD is a Science Foundation Arizona fellow and a research scientist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Justin earned his BA in Digital Art in 2010 at ASU, an MS and PhD in Biomedical Engineering (ASU) in 2016. Justin’s background in 3D computer imaging and animation has informed his current research initiatives in the physical and virtual modeling of biological systems. He currently runs the operations of the Cardiac 3D Print Lab at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he produces 3D printed models for surgical planning and medical education. In the last four years, he has printed over three hundred hearts and has expanded the lab while utilizing three 3D printers. Dr. Ryan will be a speaker at #3DHEALS2018.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Justin: I first encountered 3D printing in art school, in a class specializing exploring ways to visualize data through novel means – with an emphasis on 3D printing. Students were discovering amazing pathways to visualize traffic patterns, ballet performances, animal migrations, deaths of languages, and so many more things. I found myself exploring 3D printing as a means to engage with anatomy. Engineering professor, David Frakes, Ph.D., gave me a pathway for meaningful use of this art – which we can now say has translated well into the medical science domain.
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Justin: It is hard to say what has inspired me, but I can certainly say what (or specifically “who”) has enabled me to start this journey in medical research. Dr. David Frakes, a biomedical engineering professor, and Dr. Dan Collins, art professor, and Dr. Stephen Pophal, cardiologist, enabled me to succeed. As a soon-to-be graduate of art, I had an opportunity to repurpose my art-making skills to do something, not just novel, but also potentially life-saving. Two graduate degrees and 8 years later, we have a small, but efficient hospital-based 3D print lab (starting in 2012) which has produced over 500 3D printed heart models.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Justin:
-Insurance reimbursement.
-Getting a multi-center clinical trial through different hospitals IRB with very little funds.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Justin: Insurance reimbursement… again.

3D Printed Congenital Heart Disease model photo by Phoenix Children Hospital

Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Justin: Find the overlap between your work and passion. It makes the long nights, failures, and frustrations all worth it.
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Justin: My student loan debt.
Jenny: What were/was the worst investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Justin: Failures can be an investment – always a learning experience.
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Justin: Taking a leap of faith 8 years ago and start on a path of developing medical 3D printing into a career was my biggest risk. Along the way, I have met some incredible medical doctors as well as families who have pushed me to create and build.
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Justin: While I may be in a landlocked state, I do love surfing when I get to a beach.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Justin: A community of like-mind trying to build awareness, adoption, and advancement of a life-saving technology.

Interview: Hannah Riedle, When technologies can actually catch up with our ideas

February 1, 2018 | 0 Comments

Hannah is a research associate at the Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems of the FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg. She lives in Munich, where she also studied medical technologies at the faculty of mechanical engineering at the TU Munich. Her research concentrates on 3D printing of medical models and devices based on anatomical image data. Ms Riedle is our current Munich 3DHEALS Community Manager and will be a speaker as well as a hands-on instructor for our workshop at #3DHEALS2018.
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Hannah: My first encounter with 3D printing was in a university, where at that time it was still called rapid prototyping. We all were very impressed with the sample, a little ball within another, brought to the lecture.
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Hannah: 3D printing is a field with a lot of opportunities, a lot of new challenges and a lot to learn. It is exciting to work in a field, which is constantly growing, and changing.
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Hannah: The fact that a simple idea can still go a long way in 3D printing. We are sort of still at beginning of the technology, so there is still a wide range of new ideas out there when compared to traditional production processes.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Hannah: I think the biggest challenges are to get software and hardware up to the level, that they allow us to realize the ideas that we already have now and for which we are only waiting for technology to catch up. But also to start thinking about the new ideas, we could already realize now, but have not thought about yet, because we were all surrounded by an educated for designs for conventional production processes.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Hannah: The best time to learn a new skill/software/… is during a college project, because later on you, unfortunately, will not have as much time to focus as much on just a single task. So do not be afraid of choosing something new, because that is where you can still learn the most.
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Hannah: I started a job in a different city to work on my first project on 3D printing in healthcare.