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Leah Stoehr

3D Printed Organs

 

As Leah stated, she is a senior at Mount Aloysius. Leah plans to attend PA school after leaving us. I had the opportunity to do independent research with Leah where she utilized bioinformatics to find connections between diet and Down syndrome, which I know is a topic near and dear to her heart. She always has enthusiastic ideas and a positive attitude. She definitely went "all-in" on this assignment and I appreciate her efforts. You could also catch her on the tennis court or lacrosse field...ya know if we ever get to celebrate sporting events again. Soon. I hope.

 


The art of stem cells as an additive in the framework of 3D-printed organs

by Leah Stoehr




Hello, Dear Reader


3D printing is emerging within the healthcare field, from patient education to the possibility of 3D printed organs. This overall cost-effective technology is “based on additive technology in which layers of materials are gradually placed to create 3D objects."


In a short amount of time, 3D printing has become more advanced. The advancement of new materials are now allowing for tissue engineering and “bioink” printing. This more personalized approach of material allows for the fusion of a patient’s own DNA to the framework of printed material, allowing for little to no bodily rejection. The ability to do tissue printing allowed scientists to move on to organ printing thanks to the personalization capabilities of 3D printing.


Part of this framework deals with stem cells. Stem cells have been a hot debate ever since the Catholic church found out that they were harvested from aborted fetal remains. There has been controversy ever since. Thankfully, in 2009, the National Institute of Health (NIH) created ethical guidelines for the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). In addition, scientists have found a way around the use of hESC by transforming adult bone marrow back into a viable stem cell.


Regular adult cells are now able to be taken and turned into the most basic and important stage, the pluripotent stem cell. They do this by altering the genes in the adult cell and reprogram it to act similarly to the embryonic stem cell. From there, the stem cells can be used for direct use on a patient or, in this case, as a basis for 3D printing.


You can read about the process of 3D bioprinting below in my infographic:
 


If you're still with me...

I hope you can see how vital stem cell research is within the medical and engineering field. The ability to provide individuals customized and non-rejecting organs is groundbreaking.


“Stem cell” may seem like a scary or dirty word, but they may one day save your life or the life of a loved one.


Three-dimensional printing is a trailblazing technique in the medical field that allows printing for surgical use, prosthetic use, and possibly organ transplant use. The current uses that are being developed for educational purposes, prosthetic purposes, and within the hospital setting are developing quickly. The ease of use and the inexpensive materials make 3D printing a pivotal part of the advancing healthcare field.



 

Thank you for reading!



 
  • Each blue link will take you to the corresponding website or published journal article if you would like to learn more.

  • If you click on the photos, they will take you to the site where I found them

  • This blog, the infographic, and video was all created by me, Leah Stoehr

  • The infographic has its own references


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