Long before he became the inventor of Melt Electrowriting (MEW), Professor. Paul Dalton had a boredom-filled childhood on a rural farm outside Perth, Australia. In this episode, we had the opportunity to sit down with Professor Dalton to learn about his academic journey, most importantly, the moments that led to the invention of MEW, and the start of a new biofabrication movement. However, the conversation did not linger in the past, as a futurist and educator, Prof. Dalton also shared with us his ongoing priorities and future outlook on the clinical impact of biofabrication.
β οΈ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed do not constitute engineering, medical, or financial advice. The technologies and procedures discussed may not be commercially available or suitable for every case. Always consult with a qualified professional
About Our Guest:
Paul Dalton is a futurist, inventor, and educator specializing in 3D printing, tissue engineering, and biofabrication. He pioneered and developed melt electrowriting, establishing it as a distinct manufacturing class within 3D printing. Today, this groundbreaking technology is utilized by over 60
laboratories worldwide. Dr. Dalton has an interdisciplinary and global perspective to the biomaterials community, having lived and conducted research in Australia, Canada, China, the UK, and Germany before joining the University of Oregon. His work focuses on reimagining the future of advanced manufacturing and its translation into biomedical applications.
Key Takeaways
- What electrospinning and melt electrowriting actually are, explained in plain language
- Why MEW pulls fibers instead of pushing them, and how it prints at one-tenth of a teardrop per hour
- The decades-long pursuit of clinical applications
- The open-source “MEWron” printer is bringing MEW to labs for a fraction of the cost of commercial machines
- The two kinds of makers (builders vs. users) and where the community is heading
- Paul’s advice for clinicians and newcomers entering biofabrication
- A remarkable offer for listeners at the end of this episode.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro β Paul Dalton, the “triple threat” inventor
01:59 Growing up & the artificial cornea
07:13 Boredom as the furnace of creativity
13:14 Electrospinning explained β and the pivot to MEW
17:54 The breathless Eureka moment under the microscope
20:41 What MEW can do that ordinary 3D printing can’t
29:54 The open-source “MEWron” printer & disrupting the field
41:27 Bioprinting vs. biofabrication
47:39 The future: MEW implants by 2030
57:24 Final offer
Resources
π Contact Dr. Paul Dalton
- Paul Dalton on LinkedIn
- Dalton Lab, University of Oregon
- Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact
π MEWron Movement
- MEWron: An open-source melt electrowriting platform
- MEWron workshop info (2027) will take place at the University of Oregon in Summer 2027
π VivoTex
π Exploring the Future of Biofabrication
- Lions Eye Institute (Australia)
- TERMIS (Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society)
π Selected Publications by Dr. Paul Dalton
- Complete Publication List on PubMed
- MEWron: An open-source melt electrowriting platform
- Direct writing by way of melt electrospinning
- Guidance of glial cell migration and axonal growth on electrospun nanofibers of poly(Ξ΅-caprolactone) and a collagen/poly-Ξ΅-caprolactone blend
- Biofabrication: reappraising the definition of an evolving field
- Engineering Highly Aligned and Densely Populated Cardiac Muscle Bundles via Fibrin Remodeling in 3D-Printed Anisotropic Microfibrous Lattices (Chinese publication mentioned)
- Three-part publication mentioned in the podcast:
πOther Relevant Links
- 3DHEALS Interview with Prof. Paul Dalton: Melt Electrowriting and Biofabrication
- Google Scholar (Full Publication List): scholar.google.com β Paul Dalton
- Conference Talk (CBT 2023 β YouTube): A/Prof Paul Dalton CBTConf2023
- 3DHEALS Course: Melt-Electrowriting And/Or 3D Printing
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