Course Category: Bioprinting

What is microfabrication? Based on the latest definition, microfabrication is “a collection of technologies which are utilized in making microdevices.” As the name implies, 3D microfabrication is the manufacturing technique using layering of materials to produce a 3D structure at a typical scale of micrometer or even nanometer dimension. In other words, 3D printing at micro or nanometer scale. One commonly known 3D microfabrication or additive manufacturing microdevice process that can achieve this level of resolution includes 3D laser microfabrication such as laser direct-writing (LDW). Microfluidic devices are often produced using LDW. Microstereolithography, another common technique based on stereolithography principles fabricates 3D components by repeatedly layering photopolymerizable resin and curing under an ultraviolet laser. Finally, multiphoton lithography (e.g. two photopolymerizations) is another recognized 3D microfabrication process that can 3D printing sub-micrometer resolution). Over the past several years, there is an increasing interest in the space with a handful of new startups more visible in the spotlight in the 3D printing space. One of the driving forces is the enormous need to mass manufacture complex but small (if not smaller) medical devices. Examples include stents, microneedles, endoscopic components, and many others that are facing size challenges. Another driving force is the potential point of care of these devices meeting the design and manufacturing demand without facing external competition, trade secret loss, and supply chain crisis.

Speakers:

John Kawola

CEO of Boston Micro Fabrication

John is the CEO of Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) an additive manufacturing technology company with a focus on high resolution, accuracy, and precision. From 2016 to 2019, John served as President-Americas for Ultimaker, the leading open-source desktop 3D printing company. From 2012 to 2016, John was the CEO of Harvest Automation. Harvest developed and deployed an autonomous mobile robotic platform that assists workers with difficult, repetitive material handling. John was VP of Sales and then CEO of Z Corporation from 1997 until 2012. Z Corporation led the way in introducing fast, easy to use and full-color 3D printing into a wide range of industries. John is also currently the Chairman of Labminds, a laboratory automation technology company, and a Board Director at Industrial ML, an industrial machine learning company. John received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, MS in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer, and an MBA from Union College.

Adam Steege

After completing undergraduate work in Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering, Adam started his first company, Agile EndoSurgery. Agile developed novel articulated laparoscopic surgical devices, using a wide variety of fabrication techniques. Through this development process, as well as through his consulting work that resulted in the development of 3 other commercialized medical devices, Adam learned the potential and the shortcomings of 3d printing in medtech. With over 80 pending and issued patents, and 10 years of medical device development in addition to automation, robotics, and manufacturing expertise, Adam founded Trio Labs to solve the problems of precision and scalability in metal additive manufacturing.

Martin Hermatschweiler

Martin is CEO of Nanoscribe, the pioneer and market leader in high-precision additive manufacturing. Various, application-specific products underpin the expertise for specialized manufacturing scenarios such as prototyping, mastering, alignment with nanoprecision, and bioprinting. Nanoscribe is a spin-off of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and belongs to the BICO Group since June 2021. With Nanoscribe, the BICO Group is the world’s first life science company with internal Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP) additive manufacturing capabilities. Martin is co-founder and managing partner of Nanoscribe, ever since the company was founded in 2007. The scientific expertise of the graduate physicist lies in laser patterning of polymers as well as in their casting into high refractive index optical materials. In 2015, he has been listed among the TOP 40 entrepreneurs within Germany younger than 40 years by the journal “Capital”, the so-called “young elite”.

Albert Folch

Albert Folch’s lab works at the interface between 3D-printing, microfluidics and cancer. He received both his BSc (1989) and PhD (1994) in Physics from the University of Barcelona (UB), Spain, in 1989. During his Ph.D. he was a visiting scientist from 1990–91 at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab working on AFM under Dr. Miquel Salmeron. From 1994–1996, he was a postdoc at MIT developing MEMS under Martin Schmidt (EECS) and Mark Wrighton (Chemistry). In 1997, he joined Mehmet Toner’s lab as a postdoc at Harvard-MGH to apply soft lithography to tissue engineering. He has been at Seattle’s UW BioE since June 2000, where he is now a full Professor, accumulating over 11,000 citations. In 20 years, he has supervised 18 postdocs (17% of whom have reached faculty rank), 12 Ph.D. students (25% faculty rank), 15 M.S. students, and >40 undergraduates. In 2001 he received an NSF Career Award, in 2006 a NASA Space Act Award, and in 2014 he was elected to the AIMBE College of Fellows (Class of 2015). He has served on the Advisory Board of Lab on a Chip between 2006-2017 and on the Editorial Board of Micromachines since 2019. He is the sole author of 5 books, including “Introduction to BioMEMS” (2012, Taylor&Francis), a textbook adopted by ~100 departments in 18 countries, and “Hidden in Plain Sight: The History, Science, and Engineering of Microfluidic Technology” (MIT Press, to appear in April 2022). Since 2007, the lab runs a celebrated outreach art program called BAIT (Bringing Art Into Technology), which has produced seven exhibits, a popular resource gallery of >2,000 free images related to microfluidics and microfabrication, and a YouTube channel that plays microfluidic videos with music which accumulates ~157,000 visits since 2009.

Abstract: 

The miniaturization of biomedical assays is of paramount importance for expanding healthcare access, for reducing healthcare costs, and for expediting biological research. However, biologists and clinicians typically do not have access to microfluidic technology because they do not have the engineering expertise or equipment required to fabricate and/or operate microfluidic devices. Furthermore, the present commercialization path for microfluidic devices is usually restricted to high-volume applications in order to recover the large investment needed to develop the plastic molding processes. We are developing microfluidic devices through stereolithography, a high-resolution form of 3D printing, in order to make microfluidic technology readily available via the web to biomedical scientists. Most available SL resins do not have all the favorable physicochemical properties of the above-named plastics (e.g., biocompatibility, transparency, elasticity, and gas permeability), so the performance of SL-printed devices is still inferior to that of equivalent PDMS devices. Inspired by the success of hydrogel PEG-DA biocompatibility, we have developed microfluidic devices by SL in resins that share all the advantageous attributes of PDMS and thermoplastics so that we can 3D-print designs with comparable performance and biocompatibility to those that are presently molded.

Moderator:

Dr. Jenny Chen

Dr. Jenny Chen is trained as a neuroradiologist, founder/CEO of 3DHEALS. Her main interests include next generation education, 3D printing in the healthcare sector, automated biology, artificial intelligence. She is an angel investor who invests in Pitch3D companies.

The 3D printing revolution is reshaping the orthopedic industry, and top players like Stryker, DePuy Synthes, and Smith & Nephew are leading the way with cutting-edge 3D-printed implants. With the global 3D-printed orthopedic implant market surpassing $1 billion and growing rapidly, now is the time to stay ahead of the curve. Join 3DHEALS’ exclusive online event, “3D Printed Devices in Orthopedics”, where industry experts will unveil the latest advancements in customized joint replacements, spine implants, and bioengineered prosthetics. This is your chance to explore how additive manufacturing is revolutionizing patient care, reducing surgery times, and improving long-term outcomes. Don’t miss out on expert insights from pioneers in 3D-printed medical technology! Whether you’re a healthcare professional, medical device manufacturer, or investor, this event will equip you with the knowledge to capitalize on the booming 3D-printed orthopedic market. Discover how companies like Stryker, Smith & Nephew, and DePuy Synthes are leveraging additive manufacturing to create next-gen knee, hip, and spine implants. Stay ahead of industry trends and unlock new opportunities—register now for the 3DHEALS event! 

Speakers:

Dr. Jenny Chen

Dr. Jenny Chen is trained as a neuroradiologist, and founder/CEO of 3DHEALS. Her main interests include next-generation education, 3D printing in the healthcare sector, automated biology, and artificial intelligence. She is an angel investor who invests in Pitch3D companies.

Garren Angacian

Garren Angacian is the Engineering Manager of Himed. Over 30 years of operation, Himed has become a global leader in calcium phosphate-based biomaterial production and has developed proprietary plasma spray coatings and surface treatments. Garren and his team collaborate directly with dental and medical device manufacturers around the world to provide innovative biomaterial solutions. Drawing on his experience with all three major classes of medical devices, Garren’s work in the medical device industry over nearly a decade has centered on process optimization, root cause analysis, mechanical design, and quality management systems. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Robotics from Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University (Durham, NC).

Nathan Evans

Nathan Evans, Ph.D., leads product development for restor3d. He joined the company in 2018 and has been a part of clearing and launching numerous additively manufactured products in the orthopedic space. restor3d’s focus is on personalized surgery, realized using 3D printing. Prior to restor3d Nathan spent 2 years at McKinsey & Company as a consultant to large, F500 companies. He obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering at Georgia Tech. He currently lives in Durham, NC, where restor3d is headquartered.

Kuntay Aktas

I am a passionate entrepreneur, technology executive, and strategist with expertise in additive manufacturing, medical 3D printing, and AM technology applications. With a background in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in bioengineering, I have co-founded BTech Innovation, Trabtech, Earfit, and AddPark—companies that drive innovation in additive manufacturing across various industries. I specialize in managing multidisciplinary projects and tackling complex challenges, leading teams to develop cutting-edge AM products and services that disrupt traditional industries.

Recognized three times in Fortune’s “40 Under 40” list, I have deep technical expertise in SLM and EBM technologies, along with extensive work in materials science. My companies operate at the intersection of deep tech and additive manufacturing, collaborating with industry leaders such as Materialise, Formlabs, and Ntop to push the boundaries of innovation.

Kyle Kovach

Kyle Kovach serves as the Quality and Regulatory Manager at JALEX Medical, LLC, a company based just outside of Cleveland, OH, specializing in engineering support specifically in product development (design and documentation), regulatory affairs, and quality management systems. JALEX serves many types of clients including startups, independent inventors, mid-sized and large medical device companies developing Class I and Class II medical devices in the MedTech industry.

With over 13 years of experience in biomedical research and medical device quality and regulatory affairs, Kyle has played a key role in securing numerous FDA clearances for JALEX clients. He has successfully led FDA submissions, including 510(k)s, De Novos, and pre-submissions.

Earlier in his career, Kyle contributed to microfluidic artificial lung research and worked on regulatory submissions for a novel neurostimulation platform. He is a Certified Quality Auditor and holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Bioengineering, as well as an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Moderator:

Craig Rosenblum

Craig Rosenblum is the President of Himed. Over 30 years of operation, Himed has become a global leader in calcium phosphate based biomaterial production and has developed proprietary plasma spray coatings and surface treatments. Craig and his team collaborate directly with dental and medical device manufacturers around the world to provide innovative biomaterial solutions. Craig discovered a unique application for MATRIX MCD® post-processing additively manufactured titanium implantable devices using Himed’s proprietary and biocompatible resorbable blast media. Himed has since formed a strategic partnership with Lithoz, a global market leader in 3D printing, to develop new bioceramic bioinks for medical 3D printing.

Craig received his B.S. and M.S. degree in Materials Science & Engineering with a Biomaterials concentration from The Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD). With a focus in biomaterials characterization, his groundbreaking research explored the variations in the microstructure and mechanical properties of dental enamel. These studies were the first to demonstrate the unique heterogeneous nature of enamel. Craig currently serves on The Johns Hopkins University Materials Science & Engineering Advisory Board.

From 3D cell cultures, organoids, spheroids, to 3D bioprinted organoids, a lot of these concepts aren’t exactly explained accurately in the popular media, despite the fact that 3D tissue cultures are more than a decade old. In a recent Nature article, an organoid was defined as “a 3D multicellular in vitro tissue construct (using stem cells) that
mimics its corresponding in vivo organ, such that it can be used to study aspects of that organ in the tissue culture dish.” However, such a construct is not without problems. Challenges of reproducibility, lack of complexity, and lack of vasculatures and immune cells are preventing this method to be fully and widely adopted to the applications organoids promised to accomplish. 3D printing or the 3D bioprinting method appears to offer solutions in the next generation of organoids and 3D tissue culture.

Speakers:

Stephanie Willerth

Dr. Willerth, a Full Professor in Biomedical Engineering, holds a Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Victoria where she has dual appointments in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Division of Medical Sciences. She also holds an appointment with the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. She recently founded the start-up company – Axolotl Biosciences that sells high quality bioinks for bioprinting human tissue models. She is an active member of the steering committee of the B.C. Regenerative Medicine Initiative and the Stem Cell Network. She also serves as a staff scientist at Creative Destruction Lab. She served as the Acting Director of the Centre for Biomedical Research and the Biomedical Engineering undergraduate program at the University of Victoria from 2018-2021 and as the President of Canadian Biomaterials Society from 2018-2019.

Tania Hübscher

Tania Hübscher is a PhD student in the Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). She holds a Bachelor in Biology from the University of Neuchatel and a Master in Life Sciences from EPFL. She conducted her Master thesis at Stanford University. During that time, she became fascinated by stem cells and their potential and decided to pursue this research as a PhD. In Prof. Lutolf lab, we are mostly working with organoids, and bioengineering approaches towards the next generation of organoid cultures.

Y. Shrike Zhang

Dr. Zhang’s research interests include 3D bioprinting, organ-on-a-chip, biomaterials, regenerative engineering, and bioanalysis. He is an author of >265 peer-reviewed publications with citations of ~20,000 and h-index of 70. His scientific contributions have been recognized by over 40 regional, national and international awards.

Dr. Jenny Chen

Dr. Jenny Chen is trained as a neuroradiologist, founder/CEO of 3DHEALS. Her main interests include next generation education, 3D printing in the healthcare sector, automated biology, artificial intelligence. She is an angel investor who invests in Pitch3D companies.

What does performance sports have anything to do with healthcare? A lot. In fact, the relationship is very much reciprocal. Many innovations in performance sports, which aim to protect, augment, and optimize athletes, can translate to benefit patients in the much more regulated healthcare industry. For example, in the space of sports medicine and rehabilitation. On other hand, medical devices aim to monitor, improve sports performance, and speed up recovery after an injury can be scaled up to benefit a larger active population. The design and technical capabilities of 3D printing are adding new possibilities for us to not just better snowboards, helmets, shoes, and much more ways we can enjoy our games, but also provide insights into how we can improve patients’ lives. In this virtual event, we brought together founders, entrepreneurs, scientists, and technologists to have a fun conversation on the current status of 3D printing in performance sports.

Speakers:

Emili S. Taixés

Emili S. Taixés is the CEO and co-founder of Athos, the first 3D printed and customized climbing shoe ever. Following his passion for innovation, technology and sports, Emili and his team are defining the new rules of the industry based on products with better fit with the user and the planet. Mass customization and on-demand production are some examples of the opportunities that 3D printing technology brings to the table to design a better world.

Luis Baldez

Luis Baldez is one of the pioneers of the 3D printing in HP, having led early customer research and technology development starting in 2009. After the successful launch of the first HP Multi Jet Fusion product in 2016, he helped create the market and business development organization to accelerate customer adoption of HP’s 3D printing technologies. His current responsibilities include strategic account management, solution development and partner engagements for Footwear, Healthcare and Industrial customers. Luis is also the Executive Director of the 3MF Consortium, an industry consortium focused on data standards to improve cross-platform interoperability. Luis has a background in electrical and software engineering and held several engineering and management positions in HP, Synopsys, and a couple of startups across the globe. He holds a MSc degree of Electronics Engineering from University of Brasilia, Brazil and an Innovation Leadership education from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He is currently based at the HP office in Vancouver, Washington.

Annika Norden

Annika is an engineer, designer, and creator, excited by any opportunity that brings these facets together. As a Sr. Solutions Engineer at nTopology, Annika collaborates with customers throughout medical, consumer, and automotive industries, helping innovate everyday.

Moderator:

Dr. Jenny Chen

Dr. Jenny Chen is trained as a neuroradiologist, founder/CEO of 3DHEALS. Her main interests include next generation education, 3D printing in the healthcare sector, automated biology, artificial intelligence. She is an angel investor who invests in Pitch3D companies.