The Quebec Industrial Research Center (CRIQ) partners with hospital network, CHU of Québec-Université Laval to open a medical 3D-printing center in Quebec City. The two institutions have received nearly $2.30 million in federal funds that will be put toward the $2.87-million project.
The center will serve as a center for innovation with a focus on developing 3D printed prostheses, biological tissue, and 3D-printed organs. The Quebec government expects it to lower the region's dependence on foreign products for healthcare, allowing it to create its own custom products specific to patients’ bodies and biological chemistry. Other topics that will be explored at the center include regenerative medicine, which is an umbrella term describing facilitated organ self-healing through engineered stem cells, extracellular matrix, or other substances.
The project is being dedicated to Réseau Québec-3D, a partner of national additive-manufacturing accelerator, Canada Makes. The center will house metal 3D-printing services and EOS M290 equipment to be used by manufacturers in Québec as well.
This May, the Quebec government published its full plans for innovation in the region under Minister Anglade.