Did you ever dream of becoming a cyborg when you were a kid? Creating human life from scratch? If so, your utopian fantasies are not too far off from the current advances in medical manufacturing.
In recent years, 3D-printing technologies have reached new heights as they being to influence our everyday lives on a whole new level. Some of the most notable achievements include;
Print your own organs: Medical scientists have begun to adapt the principles of desktop printing to allow us to print functional organs by layering stem cells. This is a considerable breakthrough, as it could lead to the elimination of human organ donations, assuring that all patients receive organs fully compatible with their own immunise system. Sound too good to be true? Then check out this TED talk by Dr. Anthony Atala to see it for yourself.
3D printed organs to be expected in 2014
source: http://graphicashen.com/technology/first-3d-printed-organ-liver-expected-2014/
Print your own artificial cartilage: In collaboration with the Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Jason Spector and Lawrence Bonassar are paving the way in bio-engineered cartilage replacement, focusing on young children born with under-developed outer ears. This would mean a great deal to patients in need of reconstructive surgery as a result of an accident or cancer. For more technical details, give this article a read.
3D printed ears, what will they come up with next? source: http://www.designboom.com/technology/3d-printed-organs-from-regenerative-living-cells/
Print your own medicine: According to Lee Cronin, pharmacies will become obsolete as we move into the age of “on the fly molecular assembly”. In layman’s terms, this will lead to customisable medicine which can be ‘printed’ in the comforts of our own homes (free Nerufen anyone?). While this seems an ambitious and somewhat ‘sci-fi’ like concept, and you should see it for yourself here before you get your hopes up, the implications of making personalised medicine readily available is extraordinary.
Lee Cronin – TED Talk 2012
So there you have it, a brief glimpse into the medical world of 3D printing. Seems father futuristic don’t you think? What could possibly go wrong?
LINKS
Printing a human kidney using stem cells: http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney
Printing artificially engineered ears: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/02/bioengineers-physicians-3-d-print-ears-look-act-real
Print your own medicine: https://www.ted.com/talks/lee_cronin_print_your_own_medicine
3D Industrial Revolution 