The Lattice (Official 3DHEALS Podcast)

Episode #103 | Design for Medical 3D Technology (Virtual Event)

Healthcare 3D printing is moving fast, and design is leading the way. In this episode, we explore how advanced CAD, simulation, and automation are enabling patient-specific implants, multi-material tissue-like structures, AI-powered prosthetics, and fully custom pediatric seating. Beyond the printer, human-centered design and smart workflows are turning ideas into devices that improve patient care. We start with the biology. Orthopedic engineer Matthew Shomper of Not a Robot Engineering, LatticeRobot, and Allumin8 explains why stress shielding sets up decades of problems and shows how patient-specific scaffolds can be generated in minutes. Analyze intact versus defect states, compare strain fields, and synthesize a topology- and strain-matched lattice tuned to a person’s real loading. Swap patterns, change valency, target grafting, and even plan for resorbable polymers as bone fills in. It is a shift from “stronger” to “more biologically honest.”Then we open the toolbox. With volumetric and implicit design approaches explored by Rob MacCurdy at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Matter Assembly Computation Lab, design moves from surfaces to functions that define geometry, material, and behavior together. Think functional grading across a dogbone, gyroids blended between materials, or lattice struts whose composition varies along their length to steer buckling. The same logic can drive multiple printers and processes, enabling surgical models and tissue-like parts that span from soft to structural in a single build.The payoff comes at the point of care. In prosthetics, comfort is the foundation. Joshua Steer, Founder and CEO of Radii Devices, shows how data-driven rectification gives clinicians an informed starting point they can refine. Nathan Shirley of HP explains how automation turns that interface into a robust, production-ready socket with a single request. No brittle CAD models. No days in design. And in pediatric seating, Alexander Geht of Testa-Seat shows how lightweight, water-cleanable, fully custom supports help children eat with family, attend school, and travel without a van full of gear.Validation, reimbursement, and regulation still lag behind what is technically possible. But with open toolchains, integrated simulation, and outcomes data, patient-specific devices are moving from heroic one-offs to dependable care. Subscribe, share this with a clinician or engineer who should hear it, and tell us the one custom device you wish existed. What would you build next?Video On Demand Send us a textSupport the showSubscribe to our premium version and support the show. Follow us: Twitter Instagram Linkedin 3DHEALS WebsiteFacebookFacebook GroupYoutube channelAbout Pitch3D

Episode #102 | Can Bioprinting Reshape The Future of Immunology?

We explore how to move IVIG from donor scarcity to on‑demand manufacturing with tissue‑engineered bioreactors, and why that shift could lower costs, expand access, and improve consistency. We dig into polyclonal advantages, regulatory guardrails, scaling plans, and what success would mean for complex biologics beyond antibodies.• Defining a bioreactor that recreates human tissue niches• Why polyclonal IVIG remains essential across 100+ conditions• Limits of donor‑dependent plasma supply and regional variability• Complex therapeutics as a new manufacturing category• Cost targets of 10–100x reduction and CapEx shrink• Coffee‑cup reactors and near‑term validation milestones• Quality metrics including pathogen panels and glycosylation• Donor variability, blending strategies, and future immortalization• Clinical impact of moving from rationing to earlier use• Funding update and industry partnershipsPlease listen to the disclaimer at the end of this podcast.Show notes: https://3dheals.com/episode-102-can-bioprinting-bioreactor-reshape-the-future-of-immunology/About our guests:Dr. Melanie Matheu is an immunologist, inventor, and biotechnologist recognized for pioneering work in high-resolution tissue engineering and human immunology. She received her PhD in Physiology and Biophysics with a focus on Immunology from UC Irvine and completed postdoctoral training at VIB (Ghent University, Belgium) and UC San Francisco, where she specialized in 2-photon imaging and cellular immune responses. As founder of Prellis Biologics, Dr. Matheu brought forward laser-based tissue bioprinting to solve complex challenges in organ transplantation and therapeutic antibody discovery. She later co-founded Lyric Bio, where she serves as Chief Scientific Officer, advancing scalable biomanufacturing platforms and rapid human immune system modeling. Dr. Matheu has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, holds multiple patents, and is a passionate advocate for innovation at the intersection of immunology and bioengineering.Kevin Shannon (Kayj) holds a degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton University and a MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Kayj has held positions spanning the biotech ecosystem including start-ups, big pharma, venture capital, and consulting. As part of Corporate Strategy at Amgen, he worked with Amgen’s C-Suite to shape long-term strategy, built partnerships in novel therapeutic modalities, and led investments in emerging categories including cell & gene therapy, antibody engineering, single cell analysis, and quantum computing. Kayj has also consulted for multiple VC funds where he developed investment theses and performed Send us a textSupport the showSubscribe to our premium version and support the show. Follow us: Twitter Instagram Linkedin 3DHEALS WebsiteFacebookFacebook GroupYoutube channelAbout Pitch3D

Episode #101 | Therapeutic Hardware: Can Implants Also Heal? With Alyssa Huffman Allumin8

In this episode, Alyssa Huffman, CEO and co-founder of Allumin8, shares the six-year journey behind a first-of-its-kind 5.5 mm porous, 3D-printed pedicle screw. We discussed how Allumin8 earned FDA clearance and why design details matter for fatigue, fixation, and fewer revisions. We also map a path toward therapeutic hardware that integrates orthobiologics without slowing surgeons down.Critical questions addressed:Why does 5.5 mm matter so much?How does Gaussian topography support bone ingrowth?What are some of the lessons from fatigue testing and post-processing?What are the additive vs milled manufacturing trade-offs?What was Allumin8's FDA journey and strategy?When and how do orthobiologics add value?How did Alyssa build a purpose-aligned team and investor base?What are some practical founder advice on equity and boards?What is on Alyssa's wishlist for the future of orthopedic implants? Please listen to the disclaimer at the end of this podcast.Stay tuned for our show notes for relevant links, video highlights, glossary of terms, and more resources to enjoy this episode. Send us a textSupport the showSubscribe to our premium version and support the show. Follow us: Twitter Instagram Linkedin 3DHEALS WebsiteFacebookFacebook GroupYoutube channelAbout Pitch3D

Episode #100 | 3D Printing and 3D Tech in Pediatric Cardiology (Live Recording)

Imagine holding a child’s heart in your hands and seeing the exact path a surgeon must take before a single incision. That shift from uncertainty to clarity frames this conversation on how 3D printing, virtual reality, and advanced imaging are transforming pediatric cardiology. Our speakers show how AI-assisted segmentation, multimodality fusion, VR rehearsal, and rapid mixed-reality planning are reshaping preoperative strategy and improving communication with families.Sarah Ptashnik of Materialise opens with the modeling perspective, walking through how CT, MRI, echo, and cath-lab 3DRA are turned into precise hollow heart models that guide baffles, conduits, and catheter routes. Nicholas Jacobson of Tangible Vet Tech brings the design and device lens, sharing how voxel modeling, hemocompatible printing, and cross-species research accelerate innovation for complex repairs. Dr. Ravi Ashwath of Baylor College of Medicine and Christus Children’s Hospital explains how advanced MRI, CT, and VR planning shorten procedure time and help teams anticipate complications in demanding congenital cases. Dr. Shafkat Anwar of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals expands on fusion imaging and mixed reality for high-risk interventions, while Dr. Jenny Zablah of Children’s Hospital Colorado highlights how 3D tools improve strategy for pulmonary vein stenosis and other complex anatomies.Together, they explore real cases in which 3D models reshaped surgical plans, revealed hazards that imaging alone missed, and enabled bench-testing of devices before entering the cath lab. The discussion covers sterilizable materials, device libraries, accuracy checks, and how VR and AR support rapid decision-making when there is no time to print.If you are building or refining a 3D program, you will find practical guidance on quality control, when to print versus stay digital, and how to scale these tools across a health system. 3D technologies are becoming the standard for safer, smarter, and more human cardiac care.See show notes and video highlightsSend us a textSupport the showSubscribe to our premium version and support the show. Follow us: Twitter Instagram Linkedin 3DHEALS WebsiteFacebookFacebook GroupYoutube channelAbout Pitch3D

Episode #99 | 3D Printing for Orthotics & Prosthetics (Virtual Event)

Orthotics and prosthetics are entering a new era. Instead of hand-built devices that take days to shape and adjust, clinicians can now scan a limb, tune the geometry in software, and print a device that fits with impressive consistency. This episode explores how that shift is happening in real clinics and fabrication labs by hearing from experts who are shaping the future of digital O and P.We have Michael Schmitt of Prosthetic Plus , who has moved from traditional clinical practice into advanced additive manufacturing and now helps run a central fabrication site that blends MJF and FDM production. He explains how accurate scanning and thoughtful CAD design create devices that can be reprinted months later from the same file in a perfect new size. David Johnson of HP builds on this by showing how polymer Multi Jet Fusion has become a reliable platform for orthotics and prosthetics, offering durable materials, isotropic strength, and the throughput needed for large-scale production.Once the prints come off the build plate, Emilie Simpson of DyeMansion explains how they are transformed into smooth, hygienic, biocompatible devices through cleaning, surfacing, vapor smoothing, and deep-dye coloring. Her work shows why post-processing is essential for patient comfort and clinical durability. Finally, Tara Wright of Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare brings everything back to the patient. She shares a compelling case where her team scanned and printed a replacement UCBL that matched the feel of a worn original, cut fitting time dramatically, and performed well for more than fifteen months. Her experience demonstrates how digital production can raise consistency and reduce strain on clinicians.Together, these voices map out a practical path for clinics that want to adopt scan-to-print workflows. Start with accessible FDM printers to learn digital modification. Move to production with MJF through central fabrication or service bureaus. Scale when your volume, staffing, and materials align, and explore decentralized scanning with centralized manufacturing to broaden access.Whether you are a clinician, technician, engineer, or healthcare innovator, this conversation offers a clear look at how digital manufacturing is transforming O and P. Tune in to learn how these tools can deliver better fit, faster turnaround, and more equitable access for patients everywhere.On-Demand Course LinkYoutube HighlightsEvent Write-upSend us a textSupport the showSubscribe to our premium version and support the show. Follow us: Twitter Instagram Linkedin 3DHEALS WebsiteFacebookFacebook GroupYoutube channelAbout Pitch3D