Students from the Unversity of Conneticut's department of Biomolecular Engineering have teamed up with 3D printing company ATC Group and created a medical breakthrough; they have created a viable 3D kidney.
Kidney replacements are a dire need not only in the US, but worldwide. People wait for years to get to the top of the donor list and some unfortunately can't wait that long, so I'm sure you can imagine the lives that 3D kidneys could possibly save.
The six students -- Derek Chhiv, Meaghan Sullivan, Danny Ung, Benjamin Coscia, Guleid Awale and Ali Rogers -- could very well have begun a new era in medicine. Unfortunately, at the moment, 3D printing resolutions are not low enough to print a structure that will actually filter blood, but the students have created every membrane plan possible for when it can.
What's Driving This Trend
- 3D Bio-printing
- The breakthrough could lead to a new era in medicine.
- Medical Innovation
- The 3D printed organ can solve the dire need for kidney replacements.
- Biomolecular Engineering
- The department's contribution facilitated the creation of a viable 3D printed kidney.
Who This Affects Most
- Healthcare
- The medical breakthrough has the potential to transform the healthcare industry.
- Biotechnology
- The breakthrough highlights the potential of biotechnology to reshape the medical industry.
- 3D Printing
- The 3D printing industry can leverage this medical application to expand its market reach.
