There is a variety of ways the biology department can use 3D printing machines. With a 3D printer they would be able to print out the things they talk about in class instead of just using pictures from the book to illustrate to students what they are discussing. Also the biology department would save a lot of money by printing out tools and equipment they need in labs through a 3D printer rather than buying them. There are different kinds of 3D printers, able to print different things. We start with the simplest one Afinia and proceed with more complicated ones, which can go as far as printing functioning human organs, creating cells, creating tissues etc.
In Burrus room 349 there are nine Afinia 3D printers. The Biology department could use these printers to create amazing 3D printing innovations.
The printers could be used to create different DNA models. By giving your students physical models to work with, they will better understand the structure of the DNA model.
The picture above of a DNA building block is from a website called Thingiverse where people post 3D objects they have created. There is a lot of Biology type creations on this website.
This is a picture of a Lysozyme enzyme also found on Thingiverse. There’s other options too such as, proteins, virus structures, and molecular structures. Having your students take the time to build these structures will help them to understand how they work and creating a visual will help them to remember the information better. All of these structures could be created using the Afinia printers in Burrus.
The 3D printers can be used in the Anatomy courses as well. Students could create their own versions of the human body. For example, a project could be based around printing bones in the human hand. The printers could even be helpful as a study technique. Instead of studying just a picture of the human body, students could print out as many bones and other anatomy structures as they need. This would give them a better visual. The first structure below is of the heart chambers and vascular tree from CT angiogram which could help students to understand how the blood circulates in the heart. The other structure is of the sacrum.
Future Bioprinting Classes
With expanding technologies, 3D printing isn’t limited to Afinia printers any longer. There are many more options which could be used in the Biology department as well in the future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D749wZSlb0
This video explains the revolution of Bioprinters. One of the most famous bioprinters it is called NovoGen MMX Bioprinter. Organavo and Ivetech are the two organizations that worked together to create it, the world’s first commercial 3D bioprinter. This bioprinter is able to print out synthetic human tissues and cells. It is a very fast developing technology that still has to be improved but it’s almost there. The process starts with a layer of paper gel. The cells are injected into the gel and then many more layers are added. After that, nature takes over and the layers fuse together. The result is a complete and functioning organ.
– This is the type of printer the Biology department would eventually purchase for their students.
This video is another example of what 3D bioprinting can do, but with “ink.” They use the example of an ear. In order to create an exact replica of a real ear, they scan an actual ear creating a 3D image of the head. The ink contains living cells that are alive both in and out of the printer. Like the Afina printer, it can be layered and have parts with holes. But it is special because there can be different cells next to each other. The results are incredibly similar to the human body!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O3c3pUg0L8
Through a 3D printer we are able to print actual cells and organs. Those printers can also be used for research that students can do with their professors. It would be amazing if they were able to print out organs or experiment on things they could print through the 3D printer. And who knows, maybe they could change the world through that 3D printer. Students could even influence the future by experimenting with the 3D bioprinters. The woman in the video needs a kidney transplant. The bioprinter provides hope for her and many others who are still waiting for a transplant. Students could help contribute with their own research to solving these kinds of issues with the bioprinter.
Bioprinters and 3D printers are going to be a major part of our future. They will give students an advantage since bioprinters are a growing technology. Knowledge about them will help students long after they leave college in their future careers.
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