Pioneering Microscale 3D Printing in Cancer Therapy

July 29, 2025
Machine Design sat down with Dr. Ed Boas, an interventional radiologist at City of Hope, who is redefining what’s possible in targeted cancer treatment.

In this first of a two-part series, Boas shares insights into this groundbreaking work on drug delivery for liver cancer—work that is changing how, and where, we can fight tumors.

Traditionally, chemotherapy is delivered through ports that disperse drugs throughout the body, potentially causing unwanted side effects. Boas and his team set out to discover whether therapy could be delivered exactly where it’s needed and nowhere else. And for a new era of precision, using advanced micro scale 3D printing, Boas’ team has designed a novel catheter system capable of delivering medication directly and uniformly into a tumor, offering new hope for liver cancer patients.

The story behind the device includes:

  • Targeted treatment. Learn how minimally invasive procedures allow doctors to pinpoint tumors while sparing healthy tissue.
  • Technological hurdles. Discover how conventional manufacturing methods fell short and why microscale 3D printing was key to overcoming complex anatomical and engineering obstacles.
  • Rapid iteration. Follow the fast-paced process from preliminary lab models to animal studies and toward human trials.
About the Author

Sharon Spielman | Technical Editor, Machine Design

As Machine Design’s technical editor, Sharon Spielman produces content for the brand’s focus audience—design and multidisciplinary engineers. Her beat includes 3D printing/CAD; mechanical and motion systems, with an emphasis on pneumatics and linear motion; automation; robotics; and CNC machining.

Spielman has more than three decades of experience as a writer and editor for a range of B2B brands, including those that cover machine design; electrical design and manufacturing; interconnection technology; food and beverage manufacturing; process heating and cooling; finishing; and package converting.

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: @sharonspielman

X: @MachineDesign

Facebook: Machine Design

YouTube: @MachineDesign-EBM

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