Australia is well-positioned to play an important role in the global healthcare 3D printing and bioprinting industry and is making significant contributions to the development of the Asia-Pacific markets. This guide seeks to provide an introduction to Australia’s Healthcare 3D Printing Ecosystems including past innovation milestones, major players in academia, private and public sectors.  We seek to provide a reference point of information on healthcare 3D printing in Australia and will be updated further to update regularly any notable organizational changes or initiatives that haven’t been reported here.

Outline of this Guide: 

1. History, People, Culture
2. MedTech and 3D Printing  Innovation in Australia
3. Public Sector
4. Academic Sector
5. Private Sector

History, Culture, People

Australia is the smallest continent on earth but is the largest country in the Oceania region and 6th largest overall by total area with a population of just over 25 million. Canberra is the capital, with Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane the largest cities that house the majority of the population across the eastern states. Indigenous Australians are the traditional custodians of the land and have inhabited the continent for around 65,000 years prior to European settlement in 1788 by Great Britain. The most distinctive characteristics of this vast country are its global isolation, its low relief, and the aridity that covers much of its surface. The sheer size of Australia gives rise to a wide variety of unique landscapes, wildlife, and climates with deserts encompassing the centre, tropical rainforests in the north-east and mountain ranges in the south-east. 

A significant feature of modern Australian society is the representation of a broad spectrum of cultures drawn from many countries all over the world. This rich cultural diversity is one of Australia’s greatest strengths and is central to our national identity. A common national narrative hails Australia as the ‘lucky country’ for the comfortable quality of life its population enjoys and a common belief among Aussies is that an easy-going lifestyle is key. 

MedTech and 3D Printing Innovation in Australia: 

The healthcare industry in Australia is known to be at the cutting edge of technological advancements with a strong track record of medical innovation including pioneering the first ultrasound scanner in 1961 by David Robinson and George Kossoff, to developing the first cochlear implant by Professor Graeme Clark in 1978 and inventing spray on skin for burns victims in 2005 by Dr. Fiona Wood. 3D printing has also been at the forefront of medical innovation in Australia, and in 1993, Anatomics 3D printed two stereolithographic BioModels of a child with hypertelorism for Dr Michael Lanigan who was a pioneering Craniofacial Surgeon from the Mater Children’s Hospital. One of these models were used to simulate surgery and the other one as a reference.

Australia’s adoption of 3D printing in healthcare is making it possible for medical professionals to provide patients with a new form of treatment in a number of different ways including the development of surgical cutting guides, prosthetics as well as the creation of patient-specific replicas of bones, organs, and blood vessels for surgical planning to help reduce time spent in the operating theatre and improve patient outcomes. Recent advances of 3D printing in healthcare have led to lighter, stronger and safer products, reduced lead times and lower costs. Custom parts can be tailored to each individual, improving the understanding of patients by medical professionals and improving patient comfort levels by allowing interaction with products that are designed especially for their anatomy.

In a 2019 market analysis report by AMFG and ThyssenKrupp, as a consumer, Australia’s additive manufacturing (AM) market made up only around 3-5% of the total AM market in the Asia-Pacific region. 

However, in recent years, the Australian government has been playing a positive role in accelerating the adoption of AM in the country, ranking Australia a leading innovator in the space despite a small consumer market. 

Public Sector

There are four main government-funded initiatives, including the MTPConnect growth centre for medical technologies, the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, and the Additive Manufacturing Hub. These have supported not only the broader transition of Australia’s manufacturing industry towards higher value AM technologies, but also  an epicenter for healthcare 3D printing. We can undoubtedly expect further collaborative efforts across users, suppliers and supporters that will ultimately spread the adoption of these promising technologies to help shape the future of personalized patient care.

MTPConnect 

MTPConnect is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to accelerate the rate of growth of the medical technologies, biotechnologies and pharmaceuticals sector to increase commercialisation, collaboration and establish Australia as an Asia-Pacific hub for MTP companies. Formed in December 2015 as part of the Federal Government’s Industry Growth Centres Initiative, MTPConnect is an independent and trusted voice, calling for change to support the sector. MTPConnect raises awareness, fosters collaboration and competition, aggregates existing knowledge and shares it with the broader sector. It also jointly funds projects that address the Sector Growth Priorities and the constraints and gaps identified in the sector.

MTPConnect’s mandate as an Industry Growth Centre is focused on four key areas:

• Increasing collaboration and commercialisation across the sector
• Improving management and workforce skills
• Improving access to global supply chains and international markets
• Optimising the regulatory environment

Australian Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC)

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) was established in 2015 as a key plank of the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Centre Initiative. Its goal is to drive innovation, productivity and competitiveness across Australia’s manufacturing industry.

AMGC is an industry-led, not-for-profit organisation and is run by a board and management team of industry experts. It is connected with a nationwide network of manufacturers, universities and research institutions, and export hubs. The Centre’s role is to share its respected research on how the industry can transform to become more advanced. AMGC puts its research into action by engaging with manufacturers and universities in high-impact projects and export hub opportunities. AMGC membership is growing rapidly and currently consists of 2600+ organisations and research institutions and represents over 50,000 employees. 

Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC)

IMCRC is a not-for-profit cooperative research center that helps Australian companies increase their global competitiveness through research-led innovation in manufacturing products, processes and services. IMCRC operates until mid-2022 with up to $30 million  EXPRESSION OF INTERESTS AND PROJECT APPLICATIONS in funding available to co-fund industry-led research projects. Industry cash is matched on a dollar for dollar basis, where eligible research is conducted by IMCRC participant universities and/or CSIRO.  
The Center welcomes collaborative research projects that can be completed within a 6 to 12 month period, investing in new innovative manufacturing technologies and business models, including Industry 4.0. Projects that deliver outcomes aligned with Australia’s national/sovereign priorities, including COVID-19, and/ or provide environmental and sustainability solutions, are also encouraged. More information on project criteria at IMCRC can be found here.

Additive Manufacturing Hub

The vision of the Additive Manufacturing Hub is to provide an industry driven collaborative network of AM users, suppliers and supporters that will foster and grow the adoption of additive manufacturing technology. Led by AMTIL (Australia Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited), and supported by the Victorian Government, the Additive Manufacturing Hub has been established to grow and develop Additive Manufacturing capability. The AM Hub will be the first port of call for any companies looking to explore the potential of additive manufacturing, or further expand their use of the technology.

Academic Sector

3D Printing in Hospitals

Austin Health – University of Melbourne 3D Medical Printing Laboratory

The Austin Health – University of Melbourne 3D Medical Printing Laboratory is spearheaded by A/Prof. Jason Chuen and Dr. Jasamine Coles-Black. It is dedicated to the development and dissemination of 3D visualization, 3D modelling and 3D printing technologies to enhance patient care. 

3D Med Lab’s core goals are to improve healthcare professional and patient education, surgical preparation and planning of complex cases, medical devices and prosthesis development whilst understanding the social and legal impacts of 3D printing technologies. 

Pictured above (top left) is a 3D printed kidney with a tumour in blue and blood vessels in pink and purple, facilitating surgeons at Austin Health to rehearse their surgery plan for the removal of kidney tumours. (image credit: 3D Med Lab)

EPIC Lab

EPIC Lab for developing Engineering and Prototyping Implants for Children was launched in January 2016 by orthopaedic surgeon Prof. David Little in collaboration with the University of Sydney and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. 
The focus of the EPIC Lab is to use 3D technologies to develop paediatric medical devices with the goal of improving children’s lives with two main research programs including the prototyping and commercialization of orthopaedic implants for children and the development of 3D printed ankle-foot orthoses for children. The EPIC Lab’s group leader Dr. Tegan Cheng has previously written an Expert Corner blog for 3D Heals which can be found here. (top middle image credit: Dr. Tegan Cheng)

Royal Perth Hospital

Royal Perth Hospital is one of Australia’s largest and busiest hospitals, with the Department of Medical Engineering and Physics the oldest biomedical engineering service in Australia, first established in 1969 and in 2006 supplied the world’s first 3D printed custom acetabular implant. 

3D printing makes up a large part of their current service and more recently a multidisciplinary team is developing a process where they aim to regrow skull bone itself using 3D printed bio ceramic scaffolds in combination with stem cells before being replaced in the cranium during surgery. 

(top rightimage credit: 3dprint-au) 

The Herston Biofabrication Institute

The Herston Biofabrication Institute located within the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital opened in 2020, bringing together clinicians, academics, industry and consumers to advance knowledge and technology in 3D scanning, 3D modelling, and 3D printing of medical devices, bone, cartilage and human tissue. The institute’s clinical director Dr. Michael Wagels has formed significant research partnerships with the University of Queensland focusing on orthopedics, urology, vascular surgery, burns and cancer care. (bottom left image credit: Herston Biofabrication Institute)

The Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery, St. Vincent’s Hospital

The Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery located within St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne is Australia’s first hospital-based, world-class healthtech innovation center 

with 9 partner institutions. The new state-of-the-art center will become a fully integrated medical, engineering, scientific and commercial research center that accelerates tangible outcomes for some of today’s most pressing health challenges including the treatment of osteoarthritis through the development of a handheld pen termed the ‘AxceldaPen’ that allows surgeons to insert printed stem cells directly into a cartilage injury. (bottom middle image credit: ACMD)

The Royal Adelaide Hospital

The Royal Adelaide Hospital is the first public hospital in South Australia to house a 3D printer, which is shared with the Australian Craniofacial Unit and Plastics Department. The 3D printer uses CT scans to develop approximately 40 life size anatomical models each year, including skulls, jaws, hands and fingers for treatment planning and complex trauma cases improving patient outcomes by increasing accuracy and reducing operating times by approximately one hour on average. (bottom right image credit: RAH)

Academic Research  in 3D Printing  

Australia is working towards becoming a focal point of medical 3D printing, and in line with this progressive scientific transformation the Australian government has funded a number of industry-orientated research centers to train the next generation of biomedical engineers with the skills in personalized 3D printed medical devices, implants, and biofabricated tissues. 

The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Medical Implant Technologies

The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Medical Implant Technologies is Australia’s largest collaborative research center to date, bringing together 24 organizations across hospital clinicians, academics and industry in order to develop an integrated framework for 3D printed prosthesis, implants, and personalized surgical devices.  Research projects span across Epworth Healthcare, Flinders University, Griffith University and the University of Melbourne working with a range of partners from Australia, Belgium, China, United Kingdom and the United States. To learn more about this multidisciplinary endeavor, hear from the center’s director Prof. Peter Lee from our recent 3DHeals Melbourne event (top left image credit: ARC CMIT)

Industrial Transformation Centre in Additive Biomanufacturing

The emergence of the significant role that 3D bioprinting will play in excelling tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches is the core focus of the Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformation Centre in Additive Biomanufacturing led by Prof. Dietmar Hutmacher from Queensland University of Technology. Primary objectives of this center are to move beyond established single material printing processes and applications that exhibit conventional levels of functionality to develop the next generation of multimaterial and multifunctional platforms. Pictured above is an example of a collaborative project with Cochlear, investigating how advances in 3D printing technologies may enable the production of multi-material parts suitable for cochlear implants to reduce costs and increase functionality. (top middle image credit: ARC ITCAB)

Translational Research Initiative for Cell Engineering and Printing or (TRICEP) 

At the heat of Australia’s 3D bioprinting evolution is Prof. Gordon Wallace, the director of Australian Research Councils Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science and the Translational Research Initiative for Cell Engineering and Printing or (TRICEP) based at the University of Wollongong. TRICEP is leading the way in the development of bioinks, bioprinters and bioprinting processes making them ready for scaled-up production by implementing quality management systems allowing the facility to realize real commercial opportunities. Pictured above is the recently launched 3D REDI bioprinting platform aimed at educating the next generation of bio fabricators and serving as a biomaterials research tool. (top right image credit: TRICEP)

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI)

In 2018, the Theme Director of Cell Biology at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Prof. Melissa Little announced a collaboration with global 3D bioprinting pioneers Organovo to develop an architecturally correct kidney for potential therapeutic applications. Harnessing the power of 3D bioprinting technologies combined with the regenerative potential of stem cells, a recently published landmark study in Nature demonstrated the immense potential of 3D bioprinting technologies for improved kidney organoid reproducibility and conformation in the modelling of kidney diseases and screening for drugs. (bottom left image credit: MCRI)

Advanced Manufacturing Precinct (at RMIT)

The Advanced Manufacturing Precinct at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) houses some of the most advanced additive manufacturing equipment in Australia working closely with industry to develop new conceptual products, perform multiple design iterations or enhance existing additive manufacturing processes in the healthcare sector. Medical 3D printing research projects in the precinct have focused on advanced limb reconstruction, surgical guides and a collaborative project with medical device company Stryker investigating ‘just-in-time implants’ for people with bone cancer. (bottom middle image credit: RMIT)

Lab 22 (CSIRO)

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has made a substantial commitment to 3D printing research, with an AUD$ 6 million-plus investment in its Lab 22 facility back in 2015 with a mission to increase the adoption of metallic 3D printing across a range of industries. Working closely with Monash University helped create the Centre for Additive Manufacturing which has fostered the creation of novel technologies and opportunities in the healthcare sector. A noteworthy example of its output includes the development of the world’s first customized 3D printed self-expanding nitinol stents which provides a better fitting device, better conformity to blood vessels and improved recovery time for the patient. (bottom right image credit: CSIRO)

Private Sector 

Notable Private Companies

Anatomics is a Melbourne-based medical device company that has been manufacturing and marketing surgical products to surgeons locally and internationally for over 25 years. Anatomics pioneered CT scan derived surgical implant technologies and are leaders in providing ‘patient specific’ solutions to produce better surgical outcomes and save valuable operating theatre time. Anatomics has been involved with numerous world-first operations harnessing the power of 3D printed implants including a polymer cranium for a woman in the Netherlands, a titanium ankle and heel that allowed a Melbourne man to avoid amputation, and a titanium sternum and rib implant for a man in Spain. (image credit: Anatomics)

Fusetec is a revolutionary medical device company based in Adelaide that is 3D printing human body part models, complete with realistic, anatomically accurate bone, skin and muscle, for use as teaching aids during surgical training. Fusetec’s medical devices can be designed and manufactured to simulate specific pathology, such as tumours, broken bones or defective heart valves, enabling students and surgeons to practice ‘real world’ specific procedures. (image credit: Fusetec)

3DMEDiTech is a Melbourne-based personalized medical device company first established in 2016 that houses large-scale state-of-the-art 3D printing facilities that is helping maximize supply chain efficiencies for governments, hospitals and clinics. 3DMEDiTech is playing a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic by producing effective 3D printed nasopharyngeal and saliva swab testing kits and is currently contracted with the Australian government to produce 10% of the national stockpile. In addition to test kits, they are still supplying their usual line of 3D printed dental alignment devices SmileStyler, and custom-made orthopaedic helmets for babies. (image credit: 3DMEDiTech)

Inventia Life Science is a Sydney-based company first established in 2013 and are leaders in the development, manufacture and sale of equipment and reagents for advanced medical research assays by leveraging the power of 3D bioprinting technologies. Inventia’s low cost and standardized additive fabrication of 3D human tissues and organ models enable the flexible production of 3D cell-based assays and are playing a significant role in accelerating drug discovery and fundamental biology research. Recently, Inventia has partnered with one of Australia’s most respected surgeons and world leading burns specialists Prof. Fiona Wood to develop the Ligō platform, comprised of a printhead mounted on a robotic arm that rapidly and accurately delivers a patient’s own skin cells to create a new layer of skin where it has been damaged, helping to accelerate tissue repair and reducing the risk of infection (image credit: Inventia Life Science)

iOrthotics was first established in 2009 in Mackay, Queensland and has developed into Australia’s premier destination for custom made orthotic devices for podiatrists. iOrthotics utilize digital foot/cast scanning and computer aided design with 3D printing processes to enable patient specificity to a much smaller degree and to further transition to a minimal waste production process for rigid orthotics, compared to traditional polypropylene devices. (image credit: iOrthotics)

Aurora labs is a Perth-based industrial technology and innovation company that specializes in the development of 3D metal printers, powders and digital parts. Recently, Aurora labs is facilitating researchers by collaborating with the University of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital to develop a ‘how to’ guide for printing human medical implants. Under the project, the partners will develop designs, specifications and tailored parameters for the 3D printing process to optimize characteristics suitable for tissue ingrowth. (image credit: Aurora labs)

Allegra orthopaedics (formerly known as Advanced Surgical Design and Manufacture Limited) was first established in 1994 and is based in Sydney. Allegra has a strong clinical track record in the field of primary knee replacement prosthesis and is continuing its production innovation and development with the recent adoption of additive manufacturing by commercializing a 3D printed bio ceramic bone graft medical device with outstanding potential for supporting bone regeneration in load bearing applications. (image credit: Allegra)

3DMorphic is a Sydney-based medical device company founded in 2015 that creates personalized medical instruments and devices used in orthopaedic surgery. 3DMorphic employs a process that automatically edits generic ‘off-the-shelf’ designs to suit individual patients’ needs and therefore saves valuable time and costs in the operating room whilst improving clinical outcomes. (image credit: 3DMorphic)

3D One is a 3D design and 3D printing company based in Brisbane that specializes in radiation oncology applications. 3D Ones customizable radiation oncology materials and applicators medical devices have been developed to improve the safety, precision, workflow, and cost-effectiveness of radiation oncology. The featured XMASK provides an accurate, nontoxic and non-invasive replacement for patient-specific lead facial shielding. (image credit: 3D One)

Oventus Medical was founded by a dentist, Dr. Chris Hart (a sleep apnea patient himself), Oventus Medical set out to invent the O2Vent because the market demanded a new modality of treatment and technology. Traditionally, sleep apnea patients who are identified with having nasal obstruction have not been considered to be a good candidate for oral appliances and are routinely prescribed CPAP. This is because the natural reaction of not being able to breathe through your nose is to mouth breathe. If a standard oral device were prescribed, a patient might find it difficult to tolerate because both the obstruction in the nose and oral appliance in the mouth would limit the capacity to breathe.

The 3D printed O2Vent airway channel has been incorporated into each device that enables unobstructed air to flow through the device to the back of the throat, bypassing common sites of obstruction such as the nose, tongue, and soft palate. The device is personalized using 3D Scanning and 3D Printing.

About the Author:

William Harley

William Harley graduated with honors in medical biotechnology from the University of New South Wales. Currently, he is undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in acoustophoretic bioprinting. Stemming from his research experience in biomaterials, stem cells, and nanofabrication, he is driven by the clinical translation of personalized regenerative medicine. He is passionate about the innovation of 3D printing in healthcare and is determined to orchestrate a series of 3D HEALS events to engage in the Australian community.

Related Articles:

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Bioprinting for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine in Australia: 2020 Workshop Highlights

Australian Regulatory Updates for 3D Printed Medical Devices and Implants

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Bioprinting Down Under (Australia): Recent Workshop Take-away

The post Australia’s Healthcare 3D Printing Ecosystem appeared first on 3DHeals.

The Australian Bioprinting Workshop for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine was founded to create a community of scientists, clinicians, and engineers to work in synergy with industry, government, and regulatory agencies to tackle key challenges in the bioprinting field and facilitate the clinical translation of this promising technology¹. Annual workshops are hosted by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) alongside company sponsorship, with support from professional 3D printing networks such as 3DHeals.

Why the Workshop?

In recent years, Australia has seen considerable growth and investment dedicated to establishing collaborative research centers to maximize research impact through industry orientated projects and clinical translation. This is supported by the several bioprinting laboratories located within a hospital, such as the Herston Biofabrication Institute at Metro North Hospital, Brisbane, and BioFab3D located within St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne.

These workshops seek to build upon existing collaborative partnerships to assist in publications of international scientific consensus on key developmental areas including biomaterials for bioprinting, organ-on-a-chip studies, and the bioprinting of tissue-specific models for drug development and oncology applications². Key elements in developing these events have been the principle that all member publications should reflect a consensus of those engaged in its continued discussions.

The meeting was opened by the Head of the School of Biomedical Engineering at UTS, Prof. Joanne Tipper, and Dr. Carmine Gentile, the workshop organizer, and leader of the Cardiovascular Regeneration Group both at UTS and at the Kolling Institute/the University of Sydney, followed by introducing the program for the day and chairing the opening session focusing on industry innovation, as detailed below.

Industry Innovation

The purpose of this session was to provide the opportunity to hear directly from world leaders in the field of bioprinting how commercially available bioprinting platforms are helping researchers in tackling several of the problems characteristic of bioprinted tissues. This session was opened by Dr. Manuel Figueruela García (Regemat3D) with a focus on the customization of bioprinting and bioreactor platforms that can be applied through tissue specificity for regenerative medicine applications.

Derek Mathers (Advanced Solutions Life Sciences) and Dr. Martin Engel alongside Dr. Jeremy Dobrowolski (Inventia Life Science) discussed the benefits of establishing automated workcell operations for biofabrication processes and recent advances in 3D cell culture using digital bioprinting platforms, respectively.

Dr. Haruka Yoshie (CELLINK) closed the session by detailing a range of tissue-specific applications, spanning from extrusion-based and light-activated polymers, with a focus on their limitations and possibilities associated with each fabrication modality.

Biomaterials for Bioprinting

Identifying the optimal biomaterial for bioprinting tissues and organs is one of the greatest challenges in defining the microenvironment in which cells to grow ³. Prof. Gordon Wallace and Dr. Zhilian Yue of the University of Wollongong (UOW) introduced their recent progression on biopolymers for bioinks for bioprinting, raising issues associated with the sourcing of biomaterials, processing requirements, and logistical considerations required when planning for the future clinical translation of bioprinted tissues and organs^{4, 5}.

Dr. Khoon Lim of the University of Otago opened his presentation on the use of light-activated polymers for bioprinting applications by covering aspects of photo-crosslinking approaches⁶.

Bioprinting of Organoids and Tissues

Next generation organogenesis has the potential to revolutionize many biofabrication processes. These include cosmetics testing and drug development by improving clinical trial speeds and model efficacy whilst reducing associated costs and the dependence for early-stage animal studies^{7, 8}.

Prof. Anthony Weiss of the University of Sydney summarized his group’s recent efforts in the generation and use of human recombinant elastin-based bioinks for bioprinting vascularized soft tissues⁹. Central to developing the next generation of human tissues and organs is the need to address the field’s most prominent hurdle of achieving perfusable vascularization within bioprinted constructs and in-vitro systems ^{10, 11}.

A/Prof. Jeremy Crook (UOW), Dr. Carmine Gentile (UTS), and Dr. Anita Quigley (RMIT) reported their recent progression in reproducing neuronal models12, cardiac12, and skeletal muscle models¹³, respectively.

Clinical Perspectives

Crosstalk with clinical partners is fundamental for speedy translation of findings from the bench to the bedside. Prof. Peter Choong of the University of Melbourne described his clinical perspectives for bone tissue bioprinting to open the session and how surgeons can work together with engineers and biologists to look for practical solutions to key clinical problems that typically arise from trauma and osteoarthritis. Prof. Choong outlined the regenerative potential of combing stem cells with bioprinting techniques in order to fill bone defects and by developing a handheld device for surgical applications^{14, 15}.

Dr. Liudmila Polonchuk (Hoffman La-Roche) discussed the potential use of bioprinted tissues for drug development, with an application in cardiac safety.

Commercial Pathways

The four major driving factors of bioprinting development can be attributed from increasing public and private investments in drug discovery, cosmetics testing, tissue regeneration, and medical device development¹⁶. In order to safeguard patient safety whilst aiding the successful translation of bioprinting technologies, Michelle Knight (Hydrix) discussed the regulatory requirements to ensure maximum benefit and minimum risk to the patient.

Prof. Dianne Nicol of the University of Tasmania followed by detailing the patentability of bioprinting technologies, highlighting that there are currently approximately more than 700 patents and applications worldwide with only a small percentage abandoned, suggesting an active growth phase¹⁷.

Stepping into the future

A better understanding of where the field is potentially going and where new technologies may benefit from the crosstalk between experts in different fields were the focus of this session.

Dr. Alfredo Martinez-Coll (UTS) opened the session with a presentation on market trends in bioprinting technologies, in which organ-on-a-chip models were described as playing a key role in the development of the field.

Dr. Mark Allenby of the Queensland University of Technology describing the potential of harnessing computational modeling to enhance biofabrication processes18.

Next Dr. Irina Kabakova (UTS) outlined the capabilities of 3D non-contact micromechanical characterization for bioprinted structures and materials¹⁹, followed by the final keynote presentation for the day on the magnetic levitational bioassembly of 3D tissue constructs in space by Dr. Vladimir Mironov (3D Bioprinting Solutions)²⁰. The decision to conduct bioassembly experiments of cartilage generation in space further warrants a growing vested interest in biofabrication technologies and in the evaluation of the effects of microgravity on human intervertebral discs and articular cartilages during long-term spaceflights.

Acknowledgments

The event was supported by the School of Biomedical Engineering (FEIT) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS, Australia), and the several sponsors that supported the meeting: CELLINK, REGEMAT3D, Inventia Life Science, Cytiva, Advanced Solutions, RegenHU, Poietis, Fluicell, Lastek. A particular thanks to 3D Heals for their kind support as well.

References

1.         https://whova.com/web/biopr_202011/.

2.         Shrestha, J.; Razavi Bazaz, S.; Aboulkheyr Es, H., et al.: Lung-on-a-chip: the future of respiratory disease models and pharmacological studies.Critical Reviews in Biotechnology: 40 (2), 213-230, 2020.

3.         Groll, J.; Burdick, J.; Cho, D., et al.: A definition of bioinks and their distinction from biomaterial inks. 2018.

4.         Javadi, M.; Gu, Q.; Naficy, S., et al.: Conductive Tough Hydrogel for Bioapplications.Macromolecular Bioscience: 18 (2), 1700270, 2018.

5.         Chen, Z.; You, J.; Liu, X., et al.: Biomaterials for corneal bioengineering.Biomedical Materials: 13 (3), 032002, 2018.

6.         Lim, K. S.; Galarraga, J. H.; Cui, X., et al.: Fundamentals and Applications of Photo-Cross-Linking in Bioprinting.Chemical Reviews: 120 (19), 10662-10694, 2020.

7.         Giwa, S.; Lewis, J. K.; Alvarez, L., et al.: The promise of organ and tissue preservation to transform medicine.Nature Biotechnology: 35 (6), 530-542, 2017.

8.         Sreekala, P.; Suresh, M.; Lakshmi Priyadarsini, S.: 3D organ printing: Review on operational challenges and constraints.Materials Today: Proceedings, 2020.

9.         Lee, S.; Sani, E. S.; Spencer, A. R., et al.: Human‐Recombinant‐Elastin‐Based Bioinks for 3D Bioprinting of Vascularized Soft Tissues.Advanced Materials, 2003915, 2020.

10.       Grover, H.; Spatarelu, C.-P.; De’De, K., et al.: Vascularization in 3D printed tissues: emerging technologies to overcome longstanding obstacles.AIMS Cell and Tissue Engineering: 2 (3), 163-184, 2018.

11.       Kim, J. J.; Hou, L.; Huang, N. F.: Vascularization of three-dimensional engineered tissues for regenerative medicine applications.Acta Biomater: 41, 17-26, 2016.

12.       Tomaskovic‐Crook, E.; Zhang, P.; Ahtiainen, A., et al.: Human Neural Tissues from Neural Stem Cells Using Conductive Biogel and Printed Polymer Microelectrode Arrays for 3D Electrical Stimulation.Advanced Healthcare Materials: 8 (15), 1900425, 2019.

13.       Quigley, A. F.; Cornock, R.; Mysore, T., et al.: Wet-Spun Trojan Horse Cell Constructs for Engineering Muscle.Frontiers in Chemistry: 8, 2020.

14.       Duchi, S.; Onofrillo, C.; O’Connell, C., et al., Bioprinting Stem Cells in Hydrogel for In Situ Surgical Application: A Case for Articular Cartilage. Springer US: 2020; pp 145-157.

15.       Duchi, S.; Onofrillo, C.; O’Connell, C. D., et al.: Handheld co-axial bioprinting: application to in situ surgical cartilage repair.Scientific reports: 7 (1), 5837, 2017.

16.       Bicudo, E.; Faulkner, A.; Li, P.: Patents and the experimental space: social, legal and geographical dimensions of 3D bioprinting.International Review of Law, Computers & Technology, 1-22, 2020.

17.       Mendis, D. K.; Lemley, M. A.; Rimmer, M., 3D printing and beyond : intellectual property and regulation. Edward Elgar Publishing: 2019.

18.       Buenzli, P. R.; Lanaro, M.; Wong, C. S., et al., Cell proliferation and migration explain pore bridging dynamics in 3D printed scaffolds of different pore size. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: 2020.

19.       Wu, P.-J.; Masouleh, M. I.; Dini, D., et al.: Detection of proteoglycan loss from articular cartilage using Brillouin microscopy, with applications to osteoarthritis.Biomedical Optics Express: 10 (5), 2457, 2019.

20.       Parfenov, V. A.; Khesuani, Y. D.; Petrov, S. V., et al.: Magnetic levitational bioassembly of 3D tissue construct in space.Science Advances: 6 (29), eaba4174, 2020.

About the Author:

William Harley graduated with honors in medical biotechnology from the University of New South Wales. Currently, he is undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in acoustophoretic bioprinting. Stemming from his research experience in biomaterials, stem cells, and nanofabrication, he is driven by the clinical translation of personalized regenerative medicine. He is passionate about the innovation of 3D printing in healthcare and is determined to orchestrate a series of 3D HEALS events to engage in the Australian community.

Related Articles:

Australian Regulatory Updates for 3D Printed Medical Devices and Implants

3D Med 19 Conference (Australia) Recap

Bioprinting Down Under (Australia): Recent Workshop Take-away

Interview: Jason Chuen, Director of Vascular Surgery at Austin Heath, Australia

Interview: Dr. Paul D’Urso, Australian Neurosurgeon and the Founder & Executive Chairman of the Anatomics

The post Bioprinting for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine in Australia: 2020 Workshop Highlights appeared first on 3DHeals.

3D printing is continually proving to have enormous advantages and opportunities to revolutionize the medical industry. The technology is offering exciting new ways to provide personalized care in various sectors and create better-performing medical devices. Key applications of medical 3D printing can include orthopedic implants, personalized surgery and a range of medical devices.

Orthopedic implants are used to surgically replace a missing joint or bone enabling medical professionals to create better-fitting, longer-lasting, and higher-performing implants. One of the factors driving the demand for 3D printed implants is the potential for enhanced implant performance, owing to generative design flexibility and topology optimization. Implants can be designed with porous surface structures, facilitating faster integration between a living bone and the artificial implant. 3D printing is increasingly being utilized to develop patient-specific anatomical models for education, pre-surgical planning and bespoke surgical tools using the patient’s own medical imaging data. The accessibility of medical CAD/CAM software and lower-cost desktop 3D printers is increasing, enabling hospitals to establish more 3D printing labs like the Melbourne based 3DMedLab at Austin Health or the EPIC Lab at Westmead Children’s Hospital. Medical and dental devices like prosthetics, biodegradable stents, braces, dentures, and clear aligners can also significantly benefit from 3D printing advances. According to a recent report by market research firm, SmarTech Analysis, the market for medical 3D printing is currently estimated to be worth $1.25 billion. By 2027, the market value is set to grow to $6.08 billion.

However, unlocking the full potential of 3D printing for healthcare is not without its challenges. The rapid advances of this technology are allowing more complex and, in some cases, higher risk medical devices to be manufactured for an individual patient and are also allowing point of care manufacturing of these personalized medical devices. The fact that developments evolve so quickly means that there is a lack of comprehensive regulatory frameworks and hence is proving to be one of the industry’s biggest barriers moving forward. Several regulatory bodies around the world are working on developing standards for 3D printing in healthcare. Most notably, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), issued a guidance “Technical Considerations for Additive Manufactured Devices” in December 2017. The guidance highlights the technical considerations and recommendations for the design, manufacturing, and testing of 3D printed medical devices. For an easy to understand the classification of FDA approved medical devices with examples of each, visit AMFG and for an excellent summary of an international comparison of regulatory body updates check out this previous 3DHeals Expert Corner blog written by Dr. Khalid Rafi titled “A world of Regulation: Updates on 3D Printed Medical Devices”. Patient-specific devices are definitely the most complicated cases to regulate. Traditionally manufactured medical devices are a standardized, one-size-fits-all approach. However, with a product that is customized, it can be difficult to test each and every single device that is custom-made. Looking ahead, to produce more opportunities for personalization, regulatory bodies need to find ways of how to pre-approve custom devices. Currently, it’s challenging because the requirements for approval are developed to certify off the shelf implants and instruments. Therefore, regulatory bodies need to focus on how they can address the differences between people rather than only similarities to enable this level of personalized care. Organizations like the FDA are trying to overcome this issue by setting maximum and minimum sizes or features for custom-created devices.

Now, where does Australia fit in with the rest of the world? The Australian Government is undertaking a significant program of reform to the regulation of medicines and medical devices in Australia. As part of the Australian Government Depart of Health, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates these products, and it’s responsible for implementing the governments’ reforms. In February 2019 the TGA hosted a consultation for the “Proposed regulatory scheme for personalized medical devices, including 3D-printed devices” which follows on from earlier public forums in 2017 and 2018 with the aim to understand the impact that the proposed changes will have on the medical device industry, health care professionals and patients. The previous consultation undertaken in 2017 confirmed that the public supports the efforts to reform the current regulatory requirements for personalized medical devices, which were recognized as being too broad and no longer fit for purpose under the current provisions for custom-made medical devices. Two areas from the previous consultation required further clarification and are addressed in last year’s update. First, updated definitions for personalized medical devices and second the concept of a medical device production system.

This consult was focused on regulatory reforms for medical devices that are manufactured for particular patients and the impact of these reforms. These are devices that are currently captured under the custom-made medical device definition shown above, and their corresponding exemptions, as well as devices that are referred to in the definition of the manufacturer as devices already supplied but intended to be assembled or adapted to suit an individual. It does not cover the technical considerations for designing, manufacturing and testing such devices. The term personalized medical devices include 3D-printed medical devices manufactured for a particular patient, but it also applies to such devices manufactured through other methods as well.

Today, ever-growing numbers of patients are receiving higher-risk classification medical devices to meet particular needs, under custom-made medical device exemptions. High-risk implantable devices are generally manufactured under strictly controlled conditions and are subject to rigorous premarket testing and regulatory oversight to ensure that they comply with the essential principles for safety and performance. However, strict regulatory oversight does not apply to the majority of similarly high-risk 3D-printed implants in Australia, which are currently captured under the exemptions for custom-made medical devices. It is proposed to introduce appropriate regulatory controls for this emerging field of personalized medical devices and with that, a summary of proposed changes & timeline for the next steps involved is highlighted below.

About the Author:

William Harley graduated with honors in medical biotechnology from the University of New South Wales. Currently, he is undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in acoustophoretic bioprinting. Stemming from his research experience in biomaterials, stem cells, and nanofabrication, he is driven by the clinical translation of personalized regenerative medicine. He is passionate about the innovation of 3D printing in healthcare and is determined to orchestrate a series of 3D HEALS events to engage in the Australian community.

Related Articles:

A World of Regulation: Updates on 3D Printed Medical Devices

3D Med 19 Conference (Australia) Recap

Bioprinting Down Under (Australia): Recent Workshop Take-away

Interview: Jason Chuen, Director of Vascular Surgery at Austin Heath, Australia

Interview: Dr. Paul D’Urso, Australian Neurosurgeon and the Founder & Executive Chairman of the Anatomics

The post Australian Regulatory Updates for 3D Printed Medical Devices and Implants appeared first on 3DHeals.

Australia’s largest 3D technologies in medicine conference were back for its 5^th consecutive year this year held on the 14-16^th November, at AAMI Park. This year’s conference boasted its largest and best-ever program that would delve deep into the topics of 3D printing, 3D modeling and segmentation, AR/VR, MedTech innovation, ethics and governance, and for the first time a bioprinting session. 

Dr. Jasamine Coles-Black the scientific convener and organizer of 3D Med alongside Dr. Jason Chuen the director of 3D Med Lab at Austin Health and The University of Melbourne organized a fantastic, engaging and cross-disciplinary event that encouraged strong collaboration and open-minded discussion about the positive outcomes that 3D technologies can have on shaping the future of patient care. 3D Med Lab’s goal is to explore the clinical applications of these new technologies targeting areas such as medical and healthcare professional education, patient education, procedural training and simulation, surgical pre-planning, medical devices, implants and prosthesis development all whilst understanding the important social and legal implications these technologies can have on society. 

Leading up to the conference, the newly established Australian Research Council’s Centre for Medical Implant Technologies or ARC-CMIT has been a culmination of great strides made in this space in recent years. This center brings together 24 organizations across hospital clinicians, academics, and industry in order to develop an integrated framework for 3D printed prosthesis, implants and personalized surgical devices including The University of Melbourne, Epworth Healthcare, Flinders University, and Griffith University. The 3D Med Lab team is proud to have been a key partner of this application from its inception and will be delivering key grass-roots clinical components of this center, facilitating industry, academics and engineers to gain experience in and understanding how these technologies will function in a real-life, working hospital environment.

Day One

The 3-day event kicked off with an anatomical modeling workshop hosted by Evok3D and Materialise. The workshop took participants through the medical image to 3D printing workflow, providing an overview of the segmentation, modeling and 3D printing process from start to finish. This was followed by an exciting workshop hosted by Stratasys and Fusetec unveiling the Australian launch of the Stratasys J750^TM Digital Anatomy^TM  3D printer. It showcased a new modern approach to training and perfecting surgical skills using 3D printed human anatomy with both standard and complex pathologies to allow physicians and medical students to hone their skills before entering the operating room. This workshop provided a great opportunity for a multidisciplinary discussion on the current possibilities and directions of 3D printing in procedural simulation and its potential in clinical and education applications. Back by popular demand after its success last year, the VR buffet tour offered an interactive experience of the SBS Digital Learning Hub (formerly the VRLS) at The University of Melbourne alongside a tour of the NExT Lab (a technology-focused maker space at the Melbourne School of Design). Next up was a tour of BioFab3D, Australia’s first robotics and biomedical engineering center where guests where offered the chance to see a variety of bioprinters in action and surgical robots on display. RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing hosted a tour of their huge 3D printing and additive manufacturing space, home to some seriously impressive equipment. Finally, the day concluded with the Women In 3D Technologies Networking Drinks event hosted by the CSIRO.

Day Two

The day began with an opening presentation from Professor Guy Maddern of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons expressing the need for further understanding of the benefits vs the risks of 3D printing for personalized patient care. Detailing the lack of high-quality comparative evidence (majority single-arm studies), minimal safety data and quality economic analysis so we can confer the benefits that are promised by this technology to balance expenses with a health system under enormous pressure. Frank McGuire MP, The Parliamentary Secretary for Medical Research in Australia opens by saying that conferences like these are a great opportunity to celebrate leadership, excellence, and collaboration and that the Victoria government believes that constancy of purpose is really important, so you know who to talk to with the continuity to get things done!

Dr. Jason Chuen the Director of 3D Med Lab delivers a broad-ranging talk on how constant innovation of disruptive technologies presents barriers and challenges that need overcoming. Emphasizing that we now live in an age where patients deserve to have more of a say in how their care is conducted and that we must be open to new sources of information with a balance of experience. Driving change in the market stems from projects like the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD) that support innovation by more than a physical location but the ecosystem it creates.

With an abundance of great talks over the duration of the conferences, highlights from a few sessions include the presurgical planning talks by Dr. Joseph Ischia discussing 3D Visualization in Complex Urooncological Surgery and Dr. Felix Sim on 3D Printing Craniofacial Implants. The cardiovascular session saw Dr. Carmine Gentile discuss how his lab utilizes cardiac spheroids as building blocks for different approaches to improve tissue functionalization by microcapillary generation via VEGF addition to promote tissue fusion by intraluminal formation. Utilizing bioprinting techniques we can create more functional 3D structures with tailorable hydrogels allowing for deposition in specific confined locations, giving rise to enhanced spheroid interactions. Emphasizing the effectiveness of co-culturing techniques and the role that fibroblasts play in tissue maturation in determining structure-function hierarchy and subsequent contractile function. The Cardiovascular session finished with a brilliant presentation from the conferences organizer Dr. Jasamine Coles-Black discussing techniques and approaches to produce physician modified stent grafts. The visualization session held presentations from Dr. Michelle Rank in Bending the Knee: Can VR Rule Clinical Training Paradigms? and Andrew Hardidge with a fantastic presentation on 3D Printed Acetabular Models for Prosthesis Sizing. 

The last session for the day was focused on innovation and industry, a great keynote from Dr. David Ackland on the power that simulation tools have engineering the human jaw joint. Richard Stratton took to the stage to share a patient’s perspective on being the first Australian to receive a 3D printed jaw. Two 3D printed parts were screwed on to the bone to form the missing ball and socket joint. The research team’s leader, OMX Solutions founder and Epworth oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. George Dimitroulis, said that Melbourne-made prostheses could help many people around the world and that “we’re at the crossroads of an exciting era, where an increased use of 3D technologies will see customized medical devices become an integral part of healthcare”. This case highlights the talents and capabilities we have here in Australia to design, develop and manufacture our own high-tech medical devices. 

Day Three

Day 3 begins with some excellent 3-minute presentations in an opening quick shot session followed by great plenary talk by Prof. Mia Woodruff on the origins and utilization of biomaterials, future directions with bioprinting applications, developments of low-cost 3D scanning techniques for microtia using iPhones and an update on the progression of the Herston Biofabrication Institute at the Metro-North Hospital due to open next year. 

Next up, Dr. Claudia di Bella gave her thoughts on a surgeon’s perspective to 3D bioprinting technologies followed by an inspiring talk by Dr. Tegan Cheng on the work of the EPIC lab at Westmead Children’s Hospital is doing with designing and developing personalized medical devices for children. 

The ethics and governance session saw Dr. Cathal O’Connell give a talk titled Don’t Print Your Heart Out: The Dangers of Sensationalism in Science. Reiterating that science journalism is a dying perfection with fewer dedicated scientific reporting roles and without coordination from university PR departments, media journalists sometimes engage in sensationalism and exaggeration from the original journal article. What’s wrong with a bit of hype? Does the enthusiastic portrayal of 3D printing technologies have ethical side effects in terms of a patient’s perception and consent? Much like many disruptive technologies, we see cycles of hype and excitement followed by periods of stagnant progression due to cuts in funding and lack of deliverable outcomes from the promise that technology holds. Everybody is complicit and shares the responsibility of how our research is recorded in media and communicated with the general public – and particularly as academics we often ride the wave of hype in order to secure funding – yet it’s important not to get caught up in your own hype otherwise there are implications. For the last session of the conference, the topic was validation and Nathaniel McTaggart discussed the process of starting a 3D printing service at Auckland City Hospital whilst Dr. Stewart Ryan conveyed the use of 3D printing for veterinary education and surgical planning. 

As a first-time attendee, this conference really stood out to me from the diversity of talks from clinicians, academics and industry but with important input and engaging panel discussions from government representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services on the medical research sector and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on regulatory reforms to personalized medical devices. I’d like to thank everyone involved with putting together such an amazing event and already looking forward to the next.

About the Author:

William Harley graduated with honors in medical biotechnology from the University of New South Wales. Currently, he is undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in acoustophoretic bioprinting. Stemming from his research experience in biomaterials, stem cells, and nanofabrication, he is driven by the clinical translation of personalized regenerative medicine. He is passionate about the innovation of 3D printing in healthcare and is determined to orchestrate a series of 3D HEALS events to engage in the Australian community.

Related Articles:

Bioprinting Down Under (Australia): Recent Workshop Take-away

Interview: Jason Chuen, Director of Vascular Surgery at Austin Heath, Australia

Interview: Dr. Paul D’Urso, Australian Neurosurgeon and the Founder & Executive Chairman of the Anatomics

3DHeals at Vancouver Island Health Sciences

The post 3D Med 19 Conference (Australia) Recap appeared first on 3DHeals.

The first Australian workshop on 3D bioprinting for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine was a huge success. Having only been organized a few weeks in advance, the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney curated a fantastic, engaging and thought-provoking event with an attendance of over 100 people from leading local and international bioprinting companies, industry, academia and clinician representatives with widely regarded experts in the field. Dr. Carmine Gentile, having recently joined UTS from the University of Sydney himself with the help of Dr. José Manuel Baena of REGEMAT 3D put together a full-day workshop of technical talks, equipment demonstrations, and networking breaks. Bioprinting is a fast-evolving multidisciplinary field which has seen commendable strides in recent years, this is evident from the involvement and collaboration between materials & computer scientists, molecular & cell biologists to mechanical & chemical engineers alike. The potential for bioprinting applications in healthcare are endless, the distant goal being a reality where we can fabricate on-demand personalized tissues and organs in the operating room. To this day, however, advances inaccurate modeling platforms through the printing of spheroids in forming biomimetic organoids for research in drug discovery, toxicology screening and disease modeling have been made, all whilst simultaneously providing the potential to revolutionize the drug development process by improving the efficacy of clinical trials and decreasing the reliance of animal testing.

The day started with an informative presentation from Dr. José Manuel Baena of REGEMAT 3D on the 3D printing of medical devices and the current bioprinting landscape. Globally, the bioprinting market is estimated to reach 4.7 billion by 2025 and the demand for customized systems to meet personalized solutions is already evident. José emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary collaborations worldwide to tackle these challenges head-on, and in doing so help translate this promising technology from lab bench to bedside.

Next up, Dr. Cameron Ferris of Inventia Life Sciences discussed the paradigm shift from 2D to 3D cell cultures using digital bioprinting technologies and the importance of high throughput reproducibility tailored to the cell biologist’s user experience. Inventia was founded from the University of New South Wales so it was fantastic to see a number of their employees attend the event and interact with the audience. This was followed by a live video presentation from Ms. Da-Yae Lee of ROKIT Healthcare leading the debate on the economics and science of moving 3D bioprinting platforms to the operating theatre.  Important commercialization frameworks, legislation, and regulatory hurdles were communicated in detail, providing up-to-date examples of projects and institutions already implementing this model including a recent milestone in India, PITI3D in Madrid, BioFab3D in Melbourne and opening in 2020 the Herston Biofabrication Institute between Metro North Health Service and the Queensland University of Technology. The last session before the morning break was given by application scientist Dr. Garry Bloomfield of CELLINK/Thermo Fisher Scientific talking about the portfolio of technologies for 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs currently available on the market including the recently released Lumen X by Volumetric and Holograph X by Prellis Biologics.

After the morning break, Prof. Maria Kavallaris of the Children’s Cancer Institute and the Australian Centre for Nanomedicine at UNSW, gave an eye-opening talk on 3D bioprinting of tumors for high-throughput applications. To characterize tumor-like properties of bioprinted spheroids, critical FACS analysis of hypoxic properties and cancer stem-like properties were compared between manual and bioprinted spheroids. Raising the question, can we produce bioprinted tumeroids from patient-specific tumors for HTP screening protocols? Next up, perhaps on everyone’s mind attending. What is ice printing? Prof. Tony Weiss from The University of Sydney presents a novel, reverse approach to tackling the challenges of vascularization in printed constructs. Highlighting that ineffective vascular perfusion limits the size and complexity of synthetic tissues and by utilizing sacrificial ice templates affords freeform fluid dynamics to ultimately shape and dictate complex branching hierarchal geometries. Addressing the primary considerations of functional vasculature being biocompatible and mechanically versatile, the use of tropoelastin coatings could enable small vessels to remain open.

Before the networking lunch and showcase for bioprinters, Dr. Carmine Gentile from UTS gave a fantastic presentation on mending broken hearts with 3D bioprinted stem cells. Carmine has extensive research experience in the field and was involved in one of the first research groups even to conceptualize the notion of organ printing thereby delivering an in depth talk on the interface between developmental biology, engineering and biomaterials involved in bioprinting for the heart with a focusing on tissue spheroids as building blocks.

After the break, Prof. Gordon Wallace from The University of Wollongong needs no introduction, with a wealth of research experience, Gordon talked about the convergence of the why? When? And where? of printing with living cells. The key takeaway being the complexity and lengthy considerations required at each stage of the developmental process before reaching the fabrication stage. Dr. Khoon Lim from the University of Otago put forward the potentials of light-activated bioinks for 3D biofabrication using digital light processing techniques. Whilst, Prof. Joanne Tipper from UTS talked about 3D in vitro models for spinal cord injury. A Prof. Majid Warkiani having recently been awarded the young tall poppy science award by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science for his work on non-invasive cancer diagnostics discussed how his group implements 3D micro-engineered systems for cancer drug screening.

About the Author:

William Harley graduated with honors in medical biotechnology from the University of New South Wales. Currently, he is undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in acoustophoretic bioprinting. Stemming from his research experience in biomaterials, stem cells, and nanofabrication, he is driven by the clinical translation of personalized regenerative medicine. He is passionate about the innovation of 3D printing in healthcare and is determined to orchestrate a series of 3D HEALS events to engage in the Australian community.

The post Bioprinting Down Under (Australia): Recent Workshop Take-away appeared first on 3DHeals.