Tag: Michigan

Categories
Latest News

Researchers use BioBot 3D bioprinter for nerve cell engineering

BioPrinting ear
BioPrinting ear

BioBot 3D bioprinter was first designed by two graduates from the University of Pennsylvania, Ricardo, 25 and Daniel, 22. The two budding entrepreneurs have been involved in designing a 3D printer that will be able to print human tissues and organs that can be used in transplanting.

BioBot 3D bioprinterThis duo, who calls their startup “the future of regenerative medicine” seems to have impressed the Michigan Tech University (MTU). The Michigan-based institute recently acquired the BioBot 3D bioprinter. MTU researchers intend to create a bio-ink, also called 3D printable human tissue, that can be used to replace damaged nerve tissues.

This 12″ x 12″ bio 3D printer costs around $5000 which is by far one of the cheapest 3D Bio-3D printable machines and weighs much much lesser than them. “There are other tissue-engineering devices, but to really accelerate development they must be smaller, most cost-effective to manufacture, easier to use and more accessible,” said Daniel.

Bioprinting TechnologyNational Science Foundation helped Michigan Tech in funding for the printer that has opened new doors of studying and researching on cellulose nanocrystals as a potential biomaterial filament.

Associate Professor of Michigan Tech University, Reza Shahbazian-Yassar said, “Cellulose nanocrystals with extremely good mechanical properties are highly desirable for bioprinting of scaffolds that can be used for live tissues.”

Bioprinting at Michigan Tech University LabThe MTU team, which has been dedicating itself to research on fabricatable regenerative tissue cells (taking the aid of the BioBot 3D printer), includes the best brains from the bioengineering and mechanical engineering  department, making the research team absolutely a perfect fit for nerve cell printing.

“We can pursue nerve regeneration research with a simpler printer set-up,” said Shayan Shafiee, a PhD student.

“This is based on fractal geometry, these are similar to our vertebrae—the idea is to let a nerve pass through the holes … it’s like other 3D printers, you need a design to work from.” Shafiee added.

Biotechnologists and mechanical engineers have been involved in researching on the possibilities of conducting a successful tissue surgery, using the 3D bio-printing technology.

Doctors have even made 3D printed Bio-cement for Bone surgery. Click here to know more.

Categories
Latest News

3D printed aortic model saves teenager’s life

3D printed aorta
3D printed aorta

How things have begun to take shape in the 3D printing world is wooing us everyday..! Recently we witnessed an interesting progress where a serious heart condition was cured with the help of 3D printing technology in a Michigan State hospital, USA. It seems that now doctors are choosing a reliable and convenient option where they would first 3D scan the area where the patient is having a problem, then they practiced a surgery on the 3D printed object before they performed the actual surgery on the patient. A 17-year-old girl, Ariana Smith, is reported to be the first patient in the Michigan State who got highly benefited by this 3D printing application.

After her son was found to have heart murmur, Jacqueline Foster, Adriana’s mother, decided to take all her four children to the hospital and get an electrocardiogram performed on each one of them. The doctors diagnosed certain heart abnormalities in Adriana too. So she was advised to undergo cardiac catheterization, a process where a plastic tube is passed through the blood vessels of the heart in order to better understand the conditions inside the heart, and provide with possible solutions at the same time.

After a thorough test, it was found out that Adriana was suffering from a very dangerous condition in her heart – an aortic aneurysm where a tortuous aorta had a distorted path and shape.

Dr. Daisuke Kobayashi, Adriana’s cardiologist explains, “Ariana’s condition was extensively discussed with our pediatric cardiovascular surgeons and cardiologists in order to provide the best treatment and outcome. Surgical therapy was a high-risk operation for her age and anatomy which could lead to possible complications with her aorta.”

Understanding the possible consequences the team of cardiologists inclding Daisuke Kobayashi, M.D., Richard Humes, M.D., Thomas Forbes, M.D. and Daniel Turner, M.D., turned to 3D printing technology for a possible. They got in touch with Materialise, a 3D printing company.

Materialise, a Plymouth, Michigan-based company, with the help of their own Mimics Innovation Suite software and HeartPrint service converted the CT scan of Adriana’s heart into a full-size 3D printed replica. With that replica the team of doctors had a ‘test-run’ of their process before they could conduct the actual surgery on Adriana’s heart.

“Using the 3D printed model of Ariana’s aorta, we performed a ‘practice-run’ or simulation in the cath lab, where we actually placed a stent into the model,” said Dr. Turner. “This allowed us to precisely plan the procedure and see how the stent responded in her unique and tortuous anatomy. Then, when we performed Ariana’s actual procedure, we had a good idea of how it was going to go.”

The surgery was so successful that Adriana was allowed to leave after one night, where normally patients would have to take at least a week to leave. And even better news is that the cheerleader and volleyball player, Adriana, joined back her school within a week.

We wish Adriana great health. We at think3D are anticipating such developments in the field of medicine sooner so that our doctors find effective and long-term solutions for the patients.