3D printing functional materials & medical devices: an interview with Michael McAlpine

In recent years, we have seen 3D printing put to an ever-expanding range of uses in the medical field. Products printed with manmade materials include implants, scaffolds, anatomical models and personalized devices and masks. In addition, the area of bioprinting has begun to expand, with researchers now printing live cells in order to encourage regeneration and create tissues and organs. Now, the two areas have become entwined: Michael McAlpine and his research team are developing 3D printers that are capable of printing functional materials and devices that interweave both biological and electronic materials. These new printers could impact regenerative medicine, smart prosthetics and human-machine interfaces by enabling the creation of products with customized geometries, properties and functionalities. In this interview, Michael McAlpine, Benjamin Mayhugh Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota (MN, USA), discusses his work and the increasing range of uses for 3D printing in the medical field - scroll down for the video and a summary of the questions and their timepoints.