The medical field is undergoing a revolutionary transformation, driven by two cutting-edge technologies: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 3D printing. When these forces collide, they unleash unparalleled potential for innovation, personalization, and improved patient outcomes. From custom prosthetics to intricate anatomical models for surgical planning, the synergy between AI and 3D printing is reshaping healthcare as we know it. Let’s dive into some of the latest advancements, drawing insights from pioneering researchers and practitioners at the forefront of this exciting intersection.

Personalized Prosthetics for a Better Quality of Life

Creating personalized prosthetics is one of the most compelling applications of AI and 3D printing in healthcare. Merel van der Stelt, a PhD student at 3D Lab Radboudumc, is dedicated to developing prostheses for low- and middle-income countries, utilizing AI for optimized socket shape design (LinkedIn activity). By leveraging AI algorithms, researchers can analyze individual patient data, such as limb shape and movement patterns, to create prosthetics that fit perfectly and function seamlessly. This level of customization enhances comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life for those in need, especially in regions with limited resources.

Moreover, Johann Reinhard, a Research Scientist at Fraunhofer IGD, is pushing the boundaries of 3D printing for eye implants. Using AI to design prints from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, researchers can create bespoke prosthetic eyes that closely match the patient’s anatomy (New Scientist article). Imagine a future where individuals with eye injuries or congenital disabilities can receive custom-made implants that restore both function and aesthetics. This level of precision and personalization is made possible by AI, which can analyze complex medical images and generate intricate 3D designs.

Enhancing Surgical Planning and Precision

Surgical planning is another area where the combination of AI and 3D printing is making significant strides. Kaiyan Qiu, an assistant professor at Washington State University, uses AI to determine optimal 3D printing parameters for creating surgical planning organ models (WSU press release). Surgeons can generate highly accurate 3D models of patient-specific organs by feeding medical imaging data into AI algorithms. These models allow for detailed pre-operative planning, enabling surgeons to visualize complex anatomical structures and practice procedures before stepping into the operating room. This reduces surgical time and risk and improves patient outcomes by ensuring greater precision and predictability.

Furthermore, Gade Jong, another Assistant Professor, focuses on AI and 3D technologies for anatomical segmentation (Nature article). Precise segmentation of organs and tissues from medical images is crucial for creating accurate 3D models. AI algorithms can automate and refine this process, allowing quicker and more reliable generation of models used in surgical planning. By automating these complex processes, AI enables healthcare professionals to be more efficient and reduce the risk of human error.

Innovations in Bioprinting and Tissue Engineering

Bioprinting, the process of 3D printing living tissues and organs, is a realm where AI is proving invaluable. Ben Kiratitanaporn, a recent PhD graduate, is utilizing AI for 3D cell scaffolds. Cell scaffolds provide the structural support for cells to grow and form functional tissues. AI can optimize the design of these scaffolds, ensuring the proper porosity, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. Similarly, Guo-Dong Goh, a Research Fellow, focuses on AI for 3D printing tissue-like anatomical models and anomaly detection (ScienceDirect article). AI algorithms can analyze the quality of printed tissues, detecting defects or inconsistencies that might compromise their function.

Associate Professors like Stefanie Mueller at MIT explore human-computer interaction technologies fabricated using 3D printing and AI (MIT news), while Washburn Lab at Carnegie Mellon develops AI for choosing design parameters in the bioprinting of hydrogels (ACS Biomaterials article). Additionally, Demaria at Centro Piaggio, University of Pisa, uses AI to select printing parameters for bioprinting (IJB article). These collective efforts are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, making the creation of functional tissues and organs closer to reality than ever before.

Drug Delivery and Microneedle Technology

The intersection of AI and 3D printing also opens up exciting possibilities in drug delivery. Moe Elbadawi, a Lecturer, investigates AI, 3D printing, and drug delivery, building upon the work of Alvaro Goyanes at FABRX (ScienceDirect article). By 3D printing personalized drug formulations and delivery devices, we can ensure that patients receive the proper medication in the correct dosage, tailored to their unique needs. This precision approach can improve treatment efficacy and minimize side effects.

Furthermore, Stasoglu at Koç University is leveraging AI to tune 3D printing parameters for microneedle design (MDPI article). Microneedles offer a painless and efficient way to deliver drugs through the skin. AI can optimize the design and fabrication of these tiny needles, enhancing their effectiveness and patient comfort.

Advancements in Wearable Technology and Physiological Monitoring

Wearable technology is another area benefiting from the AI-3D printing synergy. Wei Gao, a professor at Caltech, developed 3D-printed electronic wearable skin that uses AI for physiological monitoring (Science article). These innovative devices can continuously track vital signs and other health indicators, providing valuable data for personalized medicine and early disease detection. Imagine a world where wearable sensors seamlessly integrate with the body, continuously monitoring health and sending alerts when needed.

Defect Detection and Quality Control

Amedeo Bonatti (ORCID) uses AI, particularly expert systems, for defect detection in electron beam melted implants (Liebertpub article). Ensuring the quality and structural integrity of 3D-printed medical devices is critical for patient safety. AI algorithms can analyze 3D-printed objects in detail, identifying any defects or anomalies that might compromise their function. This level of quality control ensures that medical devices meet the highest standards of safety and efficacy.

Devin Roach at Oregon State University also applies AI to 3D printing for biomedical applications. His co-authored article titled “Invertible Neural Networks for Real-Time Control of Extrusion Additive Manufacturing” explores the application of machine learning, specifically invertible neural networks (INNs), to enhance the precision and adaptability of direct ink write (DIW) 3D printing processes. This research is particularly relevant to healthcare due to its potential to improve the fabrication of customized medical devices and implants.(ScienceDirect) Integrating INNs allows for real-time monitoring and optimization of the printing process, ensuring that these medical products meet stringent quality and performance standards. By enabling adaptive control during fabrication, this approach can lead to more reliable and efficient production of complex biomedical structures, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.

The Future Outlook

The advancements discussed above represent the exciting possibilities when AI and 3D printing intersect in healthcare. As these technologies evolve, we can expect even more groundbreaking innovations. The ability to create personalized medical devices, plan complex surgeries precisely, bioprint functional tissues, and develop advanced drug delivery systems will revolutionize patient care. The integration of AI enhances this process through analysis, automation, and control to ensure that we receive the highest level of patient care. This exciting field has tremendous potential to transform the healthcare landscape and improve lives worldwide.

To learn more about these exciting developments, don’t miss our upcoming virtual event focusing on this very topic.

Keywords: AI in healthcare, 3D printing, personalized medicine, bioprinting, surgical planning, drug delivery, wearable technology.

Related links:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in 3D Printing, AR/VR Explores how AI and machine learning are optimizing design, predictive maintenance, quality control, and patient-specific modeling for 3D-printed medical devices and implants. The article also discusses how AI/ML can reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare 3D Printing (Webinar) Recap and resources from a theme-based webinar featuring industry and academic leaders discussing the latest AI-driven advancements in healthcare 3D printing.
• When Artificial Intelligence Meets 3D Printing An in-depth article explaining the basics of AI and machine learning, their relevance to 3D printing, and the challenges of integrating AI into real-time 3D printing monitoring and quality control.

Additional 3DHEALS Resources:

1. https://3dheals.com/product/artificial-intelligence-and-machine-learning-in-3d-printing-ar-vr/
2. https://3dheals.com/machine-learning-in-3d-printing-and-bioprinting-a-collection-of-recent-publications/
3. https://3dheals.com/artificial-intelligence-for-segmentation/
4. https://3dheals.com/product/artificial-intelligence-in-healthcare-3d-printing/
5. https://3dheals.com/courses/artificial-intelligence-in-healthcare-3d-printing/
6. https://3dheals.com/artificial-intelligence-updates-for-3d-printing-and-bioprinting/
7. https://3dheals.com/when-artificial-intelligence-meets-3d-printing/
8. https://3dheals.com/tag/machine-learning/
9. https://3dheals.com/artificial-intelligence-and-3d-printing/
10. https://www.youtube.com/c/3DHEALSINNOVATION
11. https://3dheals.com/interview-with-kerim-genc-the-power-of-artificial-intelligence-and-3d-printing/

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The biofabrication of skin components presents an exciting opportunity to heal burn wounds, create hair follicle transplants for individuals with alopecia, and test new drugs and cosmetics.  While tissue engineering that achieves the full skin complexity remains a challenge, four research and industry panelists talked to us about the advances they are making in skin component 3D bioprinting at our 3DHEALS event.

Incorporating vascular networks in 3D-printed skin

Dr. Pankaj Karande, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is motivated to close the gap between the simplistic structure of current skin substitutes and the actual complex biology of human skin.  Components in addition to the skin layers, such as vasculature, hair follicles, sweat glands, and more, need to be considered.

Dr. Karande saw disadvantages with patterning vasculature in artificial skin, as it did not create vessel networks representative of those in humans.  Instead, Dr. Karande and colleagues focused on vessel self-assembly by changing the cell types and microenvironments surrounding the bioprinted endothelial cells, such as adding fibroblasts from different sources to influence the endothelial vessels’ branching length and lumen diameter.  They show that incorporating their vasculature in printed skin enables more robust adherence to the wound site of mice since the new vessels can connect to the host vessels, compared to grafts without vasculature, which would come off due to poor integration with the host.

Bioprinting hair follicles: hope for improved restoration following hair loss

Dr. Meghan Samberg, Chief Development Officer at Stemson Therapeutics, uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to create follicular units for transplantation. The preclinical-stage company is focusing on developing a treatment for individuals with hair loss, such as alopecia areata, scarring alopecia, and chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

Based on their solution theoretically, peripheral blood mononuclear cells are isolated from patient blood samples and reprogrammed into iPSCs.  The cells are then differentiated into dermal papilla and epithelial stem cells, combined to form hair follicle units, and transplanted into patients.  Dr. Samberg described how they have achieved dermal papilla cells that produce expected characteristic biomarkers and work towards epithelial cells closer to their reference cells.

The company found that a key consideration in transplanting their hair follicles was the need for a mechanism to guide the hair growth’s directionality. Otherwise, the hair would grow sideways along the dermis instead of emerging out.  In their earlier attempts, they used two-photon polymerization (2PP) printing to create micron-scale scaffolds for the cells.  Their hair follicle organoids were placed in a cage-like scaffold implanted into the tissue, and an attached rod structure extending out of the scalp induced keratinocytes at the skin’s surface to re-epithelize downward, encouraging proper pore orientation.

However, this approach and their later iterations may not have resulted in high enough cell viability or led to the cells migrating out of the scaffold.  They have been developing a hydrogel-based bioprinting method that better guides hair directionality and have demonstrated successful results using human skin xenografts in mice.

Manufacturing and scaling up skin bioprinting for research and the clinic

A core aspect of skin bioprinting is the manufacturing process.  Dr. Fabien Guillemot, CEO and Founder of Poietis, has created an advanced tissue engineering 3D printer for research and clinical applications called the Next Generation Bioprinting platform. The printer features a laser-assisted bioprinting head that focuses laser pulses on a cell bioink film to eject the ink’s microdroplets onto a substrate and a robotic arm for automation.

The company used laser-assisted bioprinting to create Poieskin, a 3D-printed autologous dermo-epidermal skin substitute, following good manufacturing practices (GMPs) set by the EU. Thanks to automation, the company has reduced the number of manual operations from >100 to only 10 since 2019.

They have also developed quality control methods, including a histological scoring system for assessing fibroblast morphology, layer thickness, and other factors.  Now, their sights are set on clinical trials, and they have installed their bioprinting system at the cell therapy facility of a hospital in France to test their protocols.  Such point-of-care 3D printing will enable skin bioprinting conveniently within the hospital to reduce manufacturing logistics.

Bioprinting during surgery: fabricating bone and skin on the operating table

With the vision that bioprinting will one day be done intra-operatively, Dr. Ibrahim Tarik Ozbolat, Dorothy Foehr Huck, and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in 3D Bioprinting and Regenerative Medicine and Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurosurgery at Penn State, described his and colleagues’ work on creating bone and skin composites for craniomaxillofacial procedures.

Using bone ink to differentiate rat stem cells into osteogenic cells, they perform extrusion-based bioprinting directly on the rat skull to fill hole defects.  Then, they can use more precise droplet-based bioprinting to deposit their ink, which is made of collagen and fibrinogen to create skin.  Rat dermal fibroblasts added to the ink for the dermal layer of skin and keratinocyte growth factor for the epidermal layer resulted in mechanical properties closest to native skin compared to other treatments tested.

In addition to achieving the dermal and epidermal layers of skin, Dr. Ozbolat also described work on bioprinting the hypodermis.  From liposuction surgery discards, they obtained adipose-derived stem cells and adipose-derived extracellular matrix to form a hypodermis bioink that is then covered with their dermis bioink.  Interestingly, they saw early-stage hair follicle formation by day 14 in the rats, showing that printing with adipose-derived extracellular matrix can help with follicle growth.

A bright future for skin bioprinting

While it will take time for new advances to be tested for safety and efficacy, skin bioprinting holds immense potential, with encouraging products such as Stemson’s hair follicle implants and Poietis’ skin, as well as the growing body of research from Dr. Karande and Dr. Ozbolat’s works in incorporating new skin components.  To stay updated with the latest in 3D bioprinting space, subscribe to join our future events live.

About the Author:

Peter Hsu

Peter Hsu is an editorial intern for 3DHEALS.  He is currently an undergraduate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and studies bioengineering with a focus on cell and tissue engineering.  He is also minoring in computer science with interests in artificial intelligence and image processing.  Peter conducts research on using computer vision methods to analyze human tissue images and improving the robustness of machine learning workflows.  He is interested in the use of AI to assist tissue engineering and bioprinting research for medical applications.  He is passionate about science communication and leads STEM outreach lessons at schools in the central Illinois area.

Related Links

3D Bioprinting Skin (Guide)

Event Recap: Point of Care 3D Printing
Event Recap: 3D Printing and AI in Orthopedics
Event Recap: Innovation in Melt-Electrowriting (MEW) & 3D Printing

Event Recap: In Silico Simulation for Medtech and Biopharma

3D Bioprinting Biofabricating Skin Components (On Demand, 2024)
3D Bioprinting for Skin (On Demand, 2022)

The post Event Recap: 3D Bioprinting Biofabricating Skin Components appeared first on 3DHeals.

Dr. Wilson Wong is a healthcare-focused entrepreneur with a PhD, MPhil, and BEng from the University of Hong Kong, specializing in biomechanics, biomaterials, and bone-related diseases. He also completed technopreneurship training at IECT, University of Cambridge, supported by Dr. Hermann Hauser. In 2014, he founded NOVUS Life Sciences Limited, where he currently serves as Chairman and CEO. NOVUS, a global leader in 3D printing biomaterials, operates cutting-edge manufacturing facilities in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The company supplies to 35+ countries and 65+ corporate clients, supporting the production of patient-specific implants and devices. Wilson is actively engaged in the startup ecosystem and dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship education. He has been a featured speaker and lecturer at institutions and Bloomberg. Under his leadership, NOVUS has received numerous prestigious awards, including Champion of IMAGINE IF!, CNBC’s hottest startups, and accolades from GIN Austria, French Tech Ticket, and Alibaba Jumpstarter. Dr. Wong will be a speaker at the event focusing on bioprinting and biofabrication of musculoskeletal tissues.

When was your first encounter with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?

Wilson: I first encountered 3D printing at university about 20 years ago, when it was compulsory to learn about its applications in rapid prototyping. However, I was thinking about how it could become an actual manufacturing process instead of prototyping. 

What inspired you to start your journey?

Wilson: With a background in biomaterials and working on PEEK composites for orthopedics applications back in 2006, which earned me a paper in Biomaterials in 2009, and together with the journey of biomaterials startup in 2014, I started to realize that the market actually needs 3D printing ready biomaterials for fabrication of various implants. I saw the trend in 2017 and felt like it would be the next big thing in the medical device industry. As such, my company shifted the focus to making various medical-grade 3D printer filaments and even resin. Whether it is bio-printing, soft or hard, the industry must tackle the challenges in production and registration. Therefore, we invested a lot in the factory and quality management system to provide filaments as high-quality medical products or raw materials. As we grow with the clients who print the implant, having the strong foundation to execute the whole project globally will prepare us for the future if there is any chance of having bio-printing (cell-based) as a routine practice. As printing with filament for hard tissue has gained traction recently, I expect bio-printing will still have a long way to go, like ten years, if the industry and the end clients call for the big move, and not to forget the support from the regulatory bodies like what they have done for ATMP (Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products) in general. 

Who inspired you the most along this journey?

Wilson: I think my clients spanning around the world have provided us a very clear global picture of what people need, what the manufacturers are capable of… so on. We must understand the whole supply chain and the product development life cycle in order to prepare us and the industry for the medical 3D printing or future 3D bio-printing with cell or gel. 

What motivates you the most for your work? 

Wilson: It has been extremely hard to start a biomaterial company that supplies globally and competes with the petrochemical giants or device giants. Yet, making our products to the market and saving hundreds of lives so far are the most significant motivations. It is also my team’s pleasure to earn the recognitions and endorsements from leading hospitals and institutions. The University of Oxford is now our routine client, together with National University Hospital in Singapore. 

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

Wilson: From R&D to product, it is always the most challenging part. Most companies handle just one product line or are limited to a few. At NOVUS, we handle a wide range of biomaterials, and the difficulties multiply. We can now market a new product with the new formulation in around 3-6 months, depending on the level of tech required. Having an industrial-grade reactor, freeze dryer, and all you need in biomaterials production under a regulated cleanroom with QMS is crucial to making these happen. As such, NOVUS has successfully simplified and consolidated biomaterials production on a large scale. 

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

Wilson: In medical 3D printing, it has already achieved a big success worldwide, we are now waiting regulators in more countries to adapt to this new trend. There will still be a long way to go for bio-printing. Being good on journals doesn’t usually imply an easy success. The solution must demonstrate its efficacy at good marginal benefits. The industry and the end clients will take a long time to make bio-printing a new treatment routine. Someone must select an excellent medical indication, develop the first market-viable product, and try it clinically before talking about a booming bio-printing industry segment. 

If you were granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be? 

Wilson: If related to this topic:

• Give me more resources to solve biomaterials problems. 
• Gather a much bigger group of people to solve these problems.
• More regulators and government green light to use advanced technologies will be great. 

What advice would you give to an intelligent driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice have you heard they should ignore? 

Wilson: It is good to follow what they want to do and to be the best in what they do. Don’t just follow the market trend and do things you don’t want to do. 

What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all times you read and why?

Wilson: Indeed I read a lot on Wikipedia and Youtube, and even Reddit. It is the fastest way to learn a lot of stuff up to a level that I can solve day to day problems. I have a Youtube and Reddit daily routine, especially reading how people play around with 3D printing, what they are looking for and what they have done to solve the printing or material problems. 

Related Links:

3D Printing and Bioprinting Bones (On-Demand, 2023)

3D Bioprinting Bone (On-Demand, 2021)

Interview with Flore-Anne Poujade: 3D Bioprinting
Interview with Y. Shrike Zhang: 3D Bioprinting & Organoids

Interview with Natan Barros: 3D Bioprinting and Microfluidics

Guide: 3D Printing For Cancer Care

Interview with Elliot McAllister: 3D Printing Microfluidics

The post Interview with Dr. Wilson Wong: Novus Life Sciences appeared first on 3DHeals.

Dr. Flore-Anne Poujade earned her PhD from the University of Hull, UK. During her academic career, she worked on several projects. Including deciphering the roles of growth factors and hypoxia in regulating chondrocytic phenotype in vitro, as well as creating an aorta on a chip model to better understand the mechanisms driving ascending aortic aneurysm. After her postdoc at the Karolinska Institute, she joined CELLINK, where she now works as a Senior Field Application Scientist. As such, over the past 3 years, she has advised numerous researchers on 3D bioprinting techniques and practices to help democratize the fabrication of more realistic research models. Dr. Poujade is speaking at the 3D Bioprinting & Biofabrication for Musculoskeletal Tissues.

When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like?

Flore-Anne: Like many people, I first encountered 3D printing before I heard of 3D bioprinting. Quickly, the possible applications for such a technology became mind-blowing. However, it is important to keep one’s head cool and remain realistic when it comes to expectations for the future of bioprinting, specifically the timeline. 

What inspired you to start your journey?

Flore-Anne: Early on, I started working with primary cells and hypoxia, with the objective of cell culture conditions on the bench as close as possible to the in vivo environment. 3D bioprinting appeared as the natural next step with its ability to provide tailored ECM and recreate complex structures resembling native tissues in a dish.

What motivates you the most for your work?

Flore-Anne: Research is an essential part of society and critical to medical advancement. By providing guidelines and protocols to help scientists generate more life-like models, data will become more robust and more readily translational, speeding up the understanding of disease mechanisms and drug discovery. As a pioneer in 3D bioprinting and bioinks, we at CELLINK aim to contribute to establishing guidelines and standards in the field.

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

Flore-Anne: Like many new techniques, 3D bioprinting can appear scary and complex. Our biggest challenge is to change this mindset by demonstrating how easy and straightforward it is to use. Start small and simple; very soon, you will be able to create more complex structures that will yield reproducible and translatable data!

What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D bioprinting? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?

Flore-Anne: Biology is incredibly complex, and we have not decrypted all of its secrets. It can be quite difficult to reproduce a system that we do not fully understand, especially when it comes to printing fully functioning organs for transplant, for example. Too many cellular processes and interactions are still unknown to allow printing a kidney or a heart on-demand for patients in need.

What advice would you give an intelligent, driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice have you heard they should ignore?

Flore-Anne: You are most likely the first one to walk on your path. Others may have walked similar routes, but each journey is personal. Although the direction is not always obvious from the start, it will all make sense retrospectively. Trust the process and follow your gut!

What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all time you read and why?

Flore-Anne: It’s a few years old, but The Gene: An Intimate History, by Siddhartha Mukherjee, exemplifies what makes science and research exciting! A good understanding of the principles behind health and illness leads to improved healthcare solutions.

Related Links:

Interview with Y. Shrike Zhang: 3D Bioprinting & Organoids

Interview with Natan Barros: 3D Bioprinting and Microfluidics

Guide: 3D Printing For Cancer Care

Interview with Elliot McAllister: 3D Printing Microfluidics

Interview with Denys Gurak: A.D.A.M. and 3D Printed Bones

San Francisco: 3D Printing and AI in Orthopedics (On-Demand)

3D Printing and Bioprinting Bones (On-Demand, 2023)

3D Bioprinting Bone (On-Demand, 2021)

The post Interview with Flore-Anne Poujade: 3D Bioprinting appeared first on 3DHeals.

Meghan Samberg, Ph.D., is the Chief Development Officer at Stemson Therapeutics, where she oversees the development of tissue-engineered cell therapy products that are designed for the regeneration of new hair follicles for any type and stage of hair loss. She is experienced in growing seed-stage companies within the fields of regenerative and translational medicine with specialties in skin wound healing, tissue engineering, animal model development and testing, nanoparticle toxicology, biomaterial fabrication, and lyophilization. Before joining Stemson, Meghan simultaneously served as the VP of Clinical Affairs at ISTO Biologics, an orthobiologics company, where she led all laboratory, preclinical, and clinical research efforts, and VP & GM of Compass Biomedical, a biologics company specializing in blood-based products and therapies. In addition to serving as the PI and PM on multi-million-dollar NIH, DoD, and BARDA-funded preclinical and clinical programs for Compass products, she oversaw the CDMO services for seed-stage companies, translating their R&D concepts into cGMP processes and serving as their regulatory contact. Meghan holds a BS in Biological Engineering from the University of Georgia, an MS in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University, and a PhD from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. She conducted post-doctoral research at NCSU and the United States Army Institute for Surgical Research at Fort Sam Houston. Dr. Samberg will speak at our upcoming event focusing on Biofabrication for Skin Components, where she will share her work on hair follicles with us.

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When was your first encounter with 3D printing?

Meghan: My first experience with 3D printing was a demo and conversation with my former classmate and friend, Dr. Joseph Zinter, who became the Assistant Director at the Yale Center for Engineering Innovation and Design. At the time, he was leveraging 3D printing to make models in both plastic and plaster of knees, feet, pelvises, and shoulder blades—for physicians to plan complex surgeries and communicate with patients. I was in awe of the brilliance, imagination, and ingenuity being used to ensure better surgical outcomes would be achieved.  

What inspired you to start your journey?

Meghan: At Stemson Therapeutics, we’re developing cell therapy solutions for hair loss. Our first product is a tissue-engineered product designed to be a nascent follicular unit for the de novo formation of new hair follicles for any type and stage of alopecia. This would be a breakthrough therapy to address major unmet needs in the hair loss market, as no other therapy has been able to generate a new source for hair follicles. While our process started with us generating each of our engineered follicular units manually, we quickly recognized the advantages that automated bioprinting could afford our process. Since implementing our 3D bioprinter into our workflow, we’ve seen consistency, quality, and scale improvements. 

Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D bioprinting?

Meghan: For 3D printing, Dr. Paul Dalton at the University of Oregon is a stand-out; not only is his team developing really amazing and accessible devices (the MEWron), but what they’re producing is pushing the boundaries for mechanical, morphological, and chemical properties of high-performance environments. For bioprinting, I’ve got my eye on the fabulous teams at EpiBone and at United Therapeutics.  

What motivates you the most for your work? 

Meghan: Witnessing the unmet needs of patients drives me every day. At the US Army Institute for Surgical Research, I saw firsthand how our wounded warriors’ physical appearance after injury could hinder their mental healing. This is why I’m so passionate about developing treatments like bioactive burn wound healing products and engineered hair follicles. These innovations aim to bridge the gap between a person’s physical recovery and their emotional well-being. The more formidable the medical challenge, the more determined I am to find a solution. The possibility of helping people heal completely, both physically and emotionally, keeps me pushing science’s boundaries every day. 

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

Meghan: The biggest obstacle in generating our tissue-engineered product was the availability of high-quality biomaterials that are safe and functional and also ensuring the engraftment and survival of our transplanted cells for long-term durability and functionality. Part of our latest successes in demonstrating human hair follicle outcomes is owed to the increasing availability of biomaterials, and also in part to the development of our human skin xenograft model so that we can visualize the folliculogenic and engraftment processes of our transplanted engineered follicular units. 

What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?

Meghan: I’ve been delighted to see advances related to integrated parameter controls such as temperature controlled stages, imaging, and multiple printhead options but I think a remaining challenge in bioprinting is related to size resolution of printing complex, functional and viable tissues in their stereotypical arrangements. 

If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be? 

Meghan:

1. Free higher education for everyone
2. More STEM opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds
3. World peace

What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice have you heard that they should ignore? 

Meghan: Good advice: Approach everything with an open mindset and maintain a high standard for your work. 

Bad advice: You must always be moving up the ladder in your career. Science is much more fluid, so as long as you’re learning, you don’t face penalties by lateralling in the title.

What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all time you read and why?

Meghan: My favorite book I read last year was Quiet by Susan Cain. It challenges the idea that introversion is a weakness and highlights introverts’ unique strengths and contributions to the world and as leaders. 

Related Articles:

3D Bioprinting Skin (Guide)

Interview with Dr. Fabien Guillemot: CEO/Founder Poietis
Prof. Colin McGuckin: 3D Bioprinting Model for Skin, CTIBIOTECH

3D Bioprinting Skin (2022 Edition, On-Demand)

The post Interview with Meghan Samberg: “Grow” Hair Follicles With Biofabrication appeared first on 3DHeals.

MELT electrowriting printing technology is a cutting-edge method that enables the precise fabrication of intricate structures at the micro- and nanoscale levels. This technology involves the controlled deposition of molten polymer fibers using electric fields, allowing for the creation of customized structures with high resolution and accuracy. In healthcare, MELT electrowriting has significant potential for various applications. For instance, it can be used to produce scaffolds for tissue engineering, where the precise arrangement of fibers can mimic the native tissue architecture and support cell growth and differentiation. Additionally, this technology can aid in developing drug delivery systems by creating microscale capsules or fibers capable of controlled release of therapeutic agents. Furthermore, MELT electrowriting has been explored to fabricate biosensors and diagnostic devices, offering a versatile and adaptable platform for advancing healthcare technologies.
Join a panel of leading experts to explore the challenges and future of MEW printing and how it can reshape the landscape of medtech innovation.  

Apply to speak or sponsor the event: info@3dheals.com

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Speakers:

Naomi Paxton

Dr. Naomi Paxton is a Senior Research Fellow in the field of biofabrication & 3D printing, and leader of the Bioinspired Additive Manufacturing (BioAM) group. With a background in physics, Naomi was part of the inaugural cohort for the dual international Biofabrication Masters degree and has completed her research training in world-leading international labs in Australia, Germany, the UK and USA. In 2020, Naomi completed her PhD in partnership with Melbourne-based medical device company, Anatomics, through the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Additive Biomanufacturing. Dr. Paxton’s research involves combining advanced biomaterials to 3D print scaffolds that replicate natural biological systems and promote regeneration. For example, Naomi’s research uses a range of biomaterials and composites to fabricate patient-specific surgical implants and focuses on the use of melt electrowriting (MEW), an advanced additive manufacturing technique which allows the deposition of micron-scale fibres in ordered 3D constructs.

Paul Dalton

Paul Dalton is an Associate Professor at the University of Oregon who specializes in manufacturing technologies for biofabrication. He is credited with inventing and developing melt electrowriting, a distinct class within 3D printing. His research on medical implants involves the use of high-resolution 3D printing and simultaneously promotes grassroots open-source hardware development and low-cost approaches in biomedical engineering. With over 25 years of hands-on experience, his expertise spans various fields, including biomaterials, nanotechnology, tissue engineering, neuroimmunology, experimental surgery, biofabrication, and 3D printing. His interdisciplinary and international perspective is reflected in his previous research and residences in Australia, Canada, China, the UK, and Germany before relocating to the US.

Bahram Mirani

Bahram Mirani is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto, working on tissue engineering of heart valves. Combining melt electrowriting with computational modelling and design of experiments, he has developed a method to recapitulate the complex nonlinear, anisotropic mechanical behaviour of native soft connective tissues such as valve tissue – essential for their function, regulation, and homeostasis – in tissue-engineered constructs. Before his Ph.D., Bahram obtained his Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Victoria, Canada, where he focused on tissue engineering, wound healing, and drug delivery.

Filippos Tourlomousis

Filippos is the founder & CEO of Biological Lattice Industries Corp., a VC-backed startup that is developing an AI-driven robotic biofabrication platform for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. In addition to that, Filippos is the Chief Scientist of “Superlabs, The Laboratory for Autonomous Science” at NCSR Demokritos funded by the EU Resilience and Recovery Fund (Greece 2.0). His main research interests lie in the field of intelligence for the automation of science and robotics infrastructure for self-driving materials engineering labs of the future (a.k.a. “robot scientists”).

Moderator:

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.

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Anna Bickham is the cofounder and CEO of Acrea 3D. Anna received her Ph.D. in chemistry from Brigham Young University in Dr. Adam Woolley’s lab, focusing on traditional and 3D printed fabrication of various medical and electrical microfluidic devices. She then spun Acrea 3D out of the technology used during her doctoral program, originating out of Dr. Greg Nordin’s lab. Acrea 3D specializes in micro-scale DLP-SLA printing of void features down to 20 um. By leveraging mechanical, software, and physical techniques, Acrea 3D enables true microfluidic 3D printing. Anna will be speaking at our upcoming 3D printing and Microfluidics Event.

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

Anna: I first started 3D printing during graduate school. My lab was collaborating with the engineering department to do some microfluidic printing. I wasn’t directly working on that project at first (I did all of my fabrication the traditional way, in the cleanroom). But I thought that 3D printing sounded like a lot of fun. So one day, after I received a scholarship bonus from the university, I went onto Amazon on bought a very small, user-friendly FDM printer. There were a lot of limitations to it, but for a hobby printer, it suited me very well for a few years.

What inspired you to start your journey?

Anna: As mentioned in Question 1, I started my graduate school work doing traditional cleanroom fabrication, but our lab was switching over to a 3D printing approach. I was always interested in the 3D printing we were doing, but it was only halfway through my degree that I was able to start switching my work over. I was very pleased with the transition, as 3D printing saved me a lot of time that I didn’t have to spend on device fabrication and could instead focus on experimentation.

Who inspired you the most along this journey?

Anna: My main mentors for 3D printing were my graduate advisor, Adam Woolley, and the professor of the lab we collaborated with, Greg Nordin. These two paved a lot of the path that I followed to get into printing and spinning Acrea 3D out of the university after graduation.

What motivates you the most for your work? 

Anna: My main motivation is to try to bring 3D printing to other labs that are working on projects similar to the one I was doing. Since I started with traditional manufacturing and switched to 3D printing, I feel like I have a good perspective of what it is like to be on both sides of the fence. Acrea 3D sells the 3D printer that was custom-built in Greg Nordin’s lab to meet the microfluidic needs that we had as users. We hope to carry the technology so that others can benefit from our work.

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

Anna: One of the biggest obstacles is educating our customers: trying to teach them what printer specifications are important and which are not, why a $100 printer from Amazon won’t cut it if you want <100 um features, etc. 3D printing is still a new industry that a lot of people are interested in and want to make the change, but they just don’t know what to look for yet.

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

Anna: I think one of the biggest challenges is getting projects to market. There are a lot of dreamers out there and a lot of really good potential applications. But there’s still work that needs to be done before they can come to market and actually make an impact on the world. My hope is that 3D printing is part of the solution to bridging this gap. I also think that a closer relationship between pharma, printing manufacturers, and researchers could help to bridge the gap.

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What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore? 

Anna: Your college work isn’t what you’ll be doing for the rest of your life. There’s still a lot of things that you’ll learn on the job. Those things are way more important to learn well.

What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all time you read and why?

Anna: I enjoyed “Waybound” by Will Wight. It is the finale of the 12-book Cradle Series, which is an anime-style series about a boy growing from a weak nobody to the strongest man on earth. It’s a lighthearted fiction, good for relaxing, with a good moral and clean style. I also think that Will Wight has a particular talent for writing engaging fight scenes.

Related Links:

Interview with Soon Seng Ng: Bioprinting for Therapy

Interview with Natan Barros: 3D Bioprinting and Microfluidics

Interview with Taciana Pereira, 3D Bioprinting and Allevi

Bioprinting Vasculatures (On-Demand)

Interview: Professor Adam Feinberg, Carnegie Mellon University, CTO and co-founder FluidForm

3D Printing and Microfluidics (On Demand)

Guide: 3D Printing For Cancer Care

Interview with Elliot McAllister: 3D Printing Microfluidics

The post Interview with Anna Bickham, CEO of Acrea 3D appeared first on 3DHeals.

Regenerative medicine startups and growing enterprises, as well as other life sciences and technology companies, that are developing novel technologies, should know that every patent system in the world is a first-to-file system. This means that the inventor who files a patent application on a particular technology before another inventor has the first right to the grant of a patent. It is therefore important for innovative companies, such as those developing methods for regenerating tissue, bioprinting systems, and materials, stem cell-based therapies and treatments, and other state-of-the-art technologies in the field of regenerative medicine, to think about filing a patent application on the technology as early as possible, and a provisional patent application filed in the United States is often the perfect vehicle to do so.  Australia, Austria, and France also have provisional patent applications.

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Patent Prosecution Overview

To understand the benefits of a provisional application, here’s a broad overview.

The first step in obtaining a patent is the conception and reduction to practice of your invention, which does not require a working model or system. Rather, demonstrating the concept can be shown to work through detailed drawings, formulas, and the like. Next, a patentability search of prior art references is highly recommended, as a search allows the patent drafter to write an application that best defines the invention over the prior art, speeds up prosecution by preempting rejections, and improves the application’s defensibility. See my previous article titled “The importance of Patent Search for Regenerative Medicine Inventions,” https://3dheals.com/importance-of-patent-search-for-regenerative-medicine-inventions/. If the patent search results demonstrate the likelihood that the technology is patentable, a patent application will then be filed as either a provisional patent application or a non-provisional patent application. A provisional application is considered a “placeholder” that will allow a non-provisional application to claim priority if filed within one year.

Benefit No. 1: Obtaining an Earlier Filing Date

Obtaining an early filing date is pivotal in patent prosecution because it prevents a patent examiner from citing references published between the provisional filing date and the non-provisional filing date. Such references, if applicable, may alter the protectable scope of your filing or potentially prevent your application from maturing into a patent. Since the non-provisional application will have the benefit of the provisional application’s filing date, the applicant may rely on the earlier date to prevent those cited references from being used against the application.

A provisional application can be filed when there is sufficient information on the technology being developed. Additional provisional applications can be filed after the initial filing to further describe current or new inventive features, and different aspects of the invention, or provide data.

Within one year of filing, the provisional application must be converted to a non-provisional application and/or a PCT application to maintain priority rights. The non-provisional and/or PCT application will claim priority to the initially filed provisional application, along with any other provisional applications that were filed within one year. The PCT application will enable you to file the non-provisional patent application in many countries and jurisdictions, such as Europe, at a much later time.

For this reason, it is important to include as much information known at the time of preparing the provisional application to ensure that the invention is adequately described. The applicant cannot rely on the earlier filing date of the provisional application to antedate a cited reference for a particular inventive feature if that inventive feature was not described in the provisional application.

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Benefit No. 2: Early Patent Pending Status for Investors

The earlier you file, the earlier your technology will be granted the status of “patent pending.” This status is highly attractive for prospective investors of startups and emerging regenerative medicine companies since it demonstrates that you believe your technology is novel and that you took the initiative to file a patent application. Additionally, the provisional application can be used to explain your technology to the investors under a confidentiality agreement.

Benefit No. 3: More Time for Critical Business Decisions

Even if you decide not to convert your provisional application to a non-provisional and/or PCT application, the former will not be published or examined. Therefore, even if you believe your technology can be kept as a trade secret, it is advisable to file a provisional application to decide at a later time if converting to a non-provisional application is the best course of protection. Moreover, if you do convert to a non-provisional application, and have no plans to seek patent protection in countries other than the United States, you can instruct the United States Patent and Trademark Office to not publish your non-provisional application until it is issued as a patent.

Additionally, filing a provisional application allows your team to have an early discussion about your developing technology with a patent attorney. The patent attorney’s understanding of the technology is critical to performing a thorough patent search to find references that may be relevant or similar to the technology you are developing. Finding damaging references prior to prosecution will save your company thousands of dollars in fees and wasted years of waiting for an avoidable rejection. Moreover, finding damaging references early will buy time to change the course of technology development if the attorney determines the reference will bar the technology from patent eligibility.

Provisional patent applications are an essential tool for protecting your startup’s technology at the early stages. Besides the top three points above, provisional applications further provide comparatively lost costs to first-time non-provisional filings, time and cost savings to avoid semantic or formal patent office rejections, and more.

A resource you can consider in conducting your patentability study preparing and filing your provisional application, and performing other intellectual property services, is the intellectual property law firm of Carter, DeLuca & Farrell.  The firm provides guidance and representation to companies as they build and expand their intellectual property portfolios.

About the Author:

George Likourezos is a patent attorney and a partner at Carter, DeLuca & Farrell LLP. He represents inventors, startups, mid-size businesses, and Fortune 100 companies in developing strategic patent portfolios to protect their innovations and technologies in the US and worldwide. He also helps companies protect their logos, trademarks, and brands. George can be reached at glikourezos@carterdeluca.com or at 631-501-5706 for a free IP consultation with the 3DHEALS community.

Related Links:

Importance of Patent Search for Regenerative Medicine Inventions

3D Bioprinting and Biologics: A Look at Patent and FDA Market Exclusivity Strategies

Interview with Roger Kuan, Intellectual Property Concern for Healthcare 3D Printing

Segmentation: The Real Struggles Behind Converting DICOM to Patient-specific 3D Printable Models

The Legal Landscape in Healthcare 3D Printing (On-demand recording, 2021)

Guide: 3D Printed Stents

The post Top 3 Reasons Why Regenerative Medicine Startups Should File Provisional Patent Applications appeared first on 3DHeals.

CELLINK is bringing together key opinion leaders, life science experts, and the brightest minds in bioprinting for a unique event in Portsmouth, UK on 25-27 October. The two-day conference provides attendees with the opportunity to listen to industry leaders explain how they are leveraging bioprinting in their research to tackle research challenges and accelerate discovery. With a mix of sessions, the agenda offers a unique opportunity to learn about the current uses of bioprinting technologies, explore new trends and solutions, gain practical knowledge through interactive workshops, and network with the bioprinting community.

Why should you attend?

• Wide range of scientific sessions: cutting-edge research and advancements shared through data-centric presentations and panel discussions.
• Hear from the pioneers: 10+ key opinion leaders from across the life science arena.
• Experience the latest bioprinting technologies hands-on time with industry-leading bioprinters.
• Join a growing community. Connect with scientists, leaders, and experts, fostering a growing community of collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of bioprinting.
• Build collaborations and partnerships for future research projects and initiatives.
• Get inspired by the latest breakthroughs and innovative ideas. Learn about techniques, methods, and solutions to take back to your work.

Session topics include 3D cell culture, personalized medicine, drug development, clinical translation, biomaterials, cancer research, alternatives to animal models, tissue engineering, and more.

Event Organizer:

3DHEALS is proud to promote relevant online and in-person events in our communities. Detail here.

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The latest advantages of utilizing 3D printing for the fabrication of microfluidic devices and organ-on-a-chip systems have opened up new horizons in biomedical research and personalized medicine. 3D printing offers precision and flexibility that traditional methods often cannot achieve, enabling the rapid and cost-effective production of intricate microscale structures that mimic the complexity of human organs and tissue environments. Researchers can now customize microfluidic devices to emulate specific physiological conditions, allowing for more accurate drug testing and disease modeling. Moreover, the ability to integrate multiple materials in a single print enables the recreation of tissue interfaces and vascular networks, fostering the development of more lifelike organ-on-a-chip platforms. This innovative approach promises to revolutionize drug development, toxicology testing, and disease understanding, offering a glimpse into a future where personalized medicine is driven by these advanced, 3D-printed microsystems. In this upcoming virtual event, 3DHEALS invites you to join world-class panelists and entrepreneurs to explore the future of this promising application together. #JoinTheTribe

Apply to speak or sponsor the event: info@3dheals.com

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Speaker:

Elliot McAllister

Elliot McAllister is the Founder of Skyphos, the first 3D printing fabrication system enabling a shift from the enterprise of mold-based prototyping and production for healthcare-based needs. Mr. McAllister has experience and expertise in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Optics and developing microfluidic platforms. He has an advanced degree from Virginia Tech where his research focused on micro-3D printing 4 different forms of solid matter. Based on additive manufacturing technology, Mr. McAllister launched Skyphos to eliminate the barriers to entry of new applications in medical diagnostics and focuses on micro-scale requirements of microfluidics (uF), Lab-on-a-Chip (LOAC), Point-of-Care (POC) devices, as well as the needs of the sensors community. Skyphos leverages robotics, specialized materials, and the innate flexibility of a Digital Manufacturing platform to enable start-ups to get to market sooner – and large companies to reduce costs associated with developing new ones.

Natan Barros

I am a dedicated researcher with a passion for academic and translational research. My journey began with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, where I developed a keen interest in biochemistry and polymers. Pursuing advanced studies in biotechnology at Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), one of Brazil’s leading institutions, I delved into biomaterials science and tissue engineering during my master’s and Ph.D. There, I focused on developing functional biomaterials for drug delivery and chronic wound healing. In 2019, I embarked on a transformative experience as a visiting researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under the guidance of Dr. Ali Khademhosseini. At UCLA, I pioneered a microfluidic in vitro platform to model skin and explored innovative areas such as 3D bioprinting of functional skeletal muscle tissues and localized melanoma treatment. My dedication to groundbreaking research continued at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), where I collaborated with esteemed mentors like Dr. Khademhosseini and Dr. HanJun Kim. Together, we investigated cutting-edge projects funded by NIH, including drug-eluting biomaterials for chemoembolization and bioengineered solutions for enterocutaneous fistula healing. Now, as a faculty fellow, I lead my research group at TIBI, focusing on shear-thinning hydrogels, microfluidic droplet platforms, and 3D bioprinted in vitro tissues.

Soon Seng Ng

Dr. Soon Seng Ng is an accomplished biomedical scientist and Director of Biology at Systemic Bio, leading groundbreaking research in 3D bioprinting and MPS development. With prior roles at Sana Biotechnology, Imperial College London, and Stanford University, Dr. Ng has made significant contributions in liver stem cell biology, disease modeling, drug discovery, and liver cell therapy. He has over 20 peer-reviewed publications, and his work has garnered awards and multi-million dollars grants, highlighting his impact on translational medicine and his commitment to bringing new therapies to patients. Dr. Ng’s dedication to advancing biomedical research and improving patient outcomes establishes him as a highly influential figure in the field.

Anna Bickham

Anna Bickham is the cofounder and CEO of Acrea 3D. Anna received her Ph.D. in chemistry from Brigham Young University in Dr. Adam Woolley’s lab, focusing on traditional and 3D printed fabrication of various medical and electrical microfluidic devices. She then spun Acrea 3D out of the technology used during her doctoral program, originating out of Dr. Greg Nordin’s lab. Acrea 3D specializes in micro-scale DLP-SLA printing of void features down to 20 um. By leveraging mechanical, software, and physical techniques, Acrea 3D enables true microfluidic 3D printing.

Moderator:

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.

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