Tens of thousands of people are currently waiting for lifesaving organ transplants from donors. And hundreds of thousands of people receive bone grafts every year. Some must sacrifice a rib or leg bone for the procedure. What if instead we could build organs and bones for these patients from scratch, using living cells? One day we may be able to, with the help of 3D printers. Scientists are learning how to create everything from arteries to jawbones with these remarkably simple machines. How might 3D printers alter the course of medicine? Is it possible that one day we’ll be able to print a human heart? We discuss the medical applications of 3D printing with Warren Grayson, assistant professor in Biomedical Engineering Department at Johns Hopkins University, and Adam Feinberg, associate professor of Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.
Production assistance from Midday intern Natalie McGowan.
