Jul 14, 2024 
Esther Valliant’s research over the last fifteen years has focused principally on biomaterials for hard tissue applications and the development of new medical devices. Highlights include improving the mechanical properties of bioactive glass by forming a flexible hybrid and developing an osteoconductive PMMA-free orthopedic cement for spinal surgery. She has authored of over 16 peer-reviewed journal articles, an inventor of a patent for an internal medical device and a reviewer for two scientific journals. She earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada), her PhD in Material Science from Imperial College London (London, UK), and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Biomedical Engineering at Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada). Estheter will be speaking at our upcoming virtual event focusing on 3D-printed orthopedic implants.
When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Esther: My first experience with 3D printing was when I was working in a contract research lab. One of our collaborators had both an extrusion plastic 3D printer and a resin 3D printer. We were creating ion-selective probes for a client—think of a pH probe that is selective for proteins rather than protons (H+). We created the ion-selective membrane but needed a specific and complex plastic part that would allow us to connect it to the electrical probe and fill it with electrolytes. These plastic parts needed to be disposable so we could test multiple membrane formulations.
Our collaborator took our design, and after several iterations, we had the pieces that we needed.
It was through 3D printing that we could carry out our research project for this client. In R+D, there are many times when we come across unexpected challenges that may not be part of the core research question but have the potential to stop the project. This sometimes requires creativity to find solutions, and I had a new appreciation for 3D printing as a tool that could be useful in many different fields.
What inspired you to start your journey?
Esther: My father is a family physician who worked in a solo office. It was a family practice because our family looked after the patient families. My mom looked after the daily running of the office, so I spent a lot of time in the office as a kid. I would help with filing paperwork and filling in for the secretary in the summer when they took a vacation. We had many multi-generation families in the practice. It was wonderful to celebrate the arrival of new babies, and it was also a privilege to support patients and their families during difficult times with illness.
In high school, I decided that this type of career, of helping people during their times of need, was what I wanted. However, I was very squeamish, so medical school didn’t seem like a good fit. At this time, a family friend provided the inspiration that I needed. They suggested becoming an engineer to design new medical devices. As an engineer, this would allow me to help people heal, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life by giving doctors better materials, devices, and tools to work with.
This is how I entered the world of biomedical engineering and biomaterials.
Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing ?
Esther: I was attracted to biomaterials by Larry Hench‘s story and the discovery of Bioglass. Bioglass was the first biomaterial to work with the body and stimulate it to heal itself. Since this discovery in the late 1960s, the field of biomaterials has exploded.
Larry Hench was a grad student researching materials that would withstand extreme conditions in space. He was on a bus heading home from a conference. His seatmate was an army medic. As they spoke visited, the medic shared stories of horrible injuries, and the large number of amputations, and that he didn’t have good options to fix them. He asked, “If you are making materials for space, could you design a material that can bond to bone?”
This fateful meeting and question inspired Larry Hench and eventually led to the discovery of Bioglass. It bonds to bone and encourages cell attachment. It is degradable, and the degradation products stimulate the formation of new bone. In the end, the patient is left with new, healthy bones.
Larry Hench had retired by the time I entered grad school, but I was fortunate to work for his protégé and to meet with him when he visited our research lab.
This story resonated with me, as I first learned it as I was considering grad school. He was a young grad student who was willing to listen and think differently. He had a huge impact and changed the future of biomaterials, which ultimately improved care and outcomes for patients.
For more details in his own words, see the “The story of Bioglass”
Hench LL. The story of Bioglass. J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2006 Nov;17(11):967-78.
What motivates you the most for your work?
Esther: I am motivated by the end goal of improving patients’ lives. I am thankful to work for a company that manufactures materials used in orthopedic, spinal, and dental implants. It is an honor and joy to help eliminate back pain and joint pain or restore a smile. I am also naturally curious, and this helps drive investigations to improve existing materials and discover the next generation. 3D printing is a tool with huge potential for next-generation materials, implant designs, etc.
What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Esther: The orthopaedic industry can move slowly, which can be challenging. This is due to the importance placed on patient safely, and rightly so. New innovations don’t have decades of data proving that they are safe and effective.
One way to overcome this is by focusing on materials that are well accepted in the industry and use them for a different application on in a different way. Let me share an example from my current company:
We have been using our proprietary apatitic abrasive to texture titanium implants for several decades. This material is now being used for post-processing of 3D-printed metal implants. It is a proven material that is now used for a different application.
What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in medical 3D Printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Esther: Medical 3D printing can be used to create patient-specific medical devices. This unique and custom approach provides apparent advantages for patients, but it also creates challenges in the creation of these devices, such as:
- What is the best way to regulate these devices for safety and patient design flexibility?
- How can the timeline for custom devices be shortened so that patients with acute injuries may be treated?
If you were granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Esther:
- Stop all wars and conflicts.
- Eliminate all illness, pain, and suffering – even though this would eliminate my job, as no one would need surgery or medical devices.
- Every child would have enough to eat.
What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice have you heard they should ignore?
Esther: Get as much experience as you can, even if it is not in what you think of as your ideal field or position. Exposure to different industries and techniques will help to build your skills and knowledge base. You will be able to use them differently in another field.
Just this week, I used some skills that I learned during an internship student in the R+D department for a mining company. I am currently working in a very different field and was preparing samples of calcium phosphate ceramics for medical devices.
What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all time you read and why?
Esther: A friend recently recommended the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. It is a piece of home, with her descriptions of Canada, and they are excellent mystery novels.
Related Links:
Post Processing for Healthcare 3D Printing (On Demand)
Interview with Craig Rosenblum: 3D Printing Post Processing
Event Recap: 3D Printing and AI in Orthopedics
Interview with Dr. Bryan Scheer: From Bedside To SiNAPTIC Technologies
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