What happens when you’re not constrained by the limits of traditional manufacturing? Boas explains how 3D printing has empowered his team to leave behind the compromises of extrusion and laser cutting, turning bold bio-inspired ideas into reality—including catheter designs modeled after the structure of bee stingers, providing crucial retention directly in the tumor.
Inspired by Nature and Necessity
With 3D printing, complex geometries and microscale components became possible, streamlining treatments and unlocking new strategies and cancer immunotherapy. Discover how Boas’ group is not only advancing surgical tools but also changing how medications are delivered, designed and targeted, which he says will help make treating cancer more personal, precise and less invasive.
From prototypes to the clinic, Boas and his team are pushing the limits:
- Material matters. Learn how biocompatible materials, micro stereolithography and rapid prototyping have converged to produce devices at the cutting-edge of possibility.
- Direct-to-tumor delivery. Find out how Boas’ system delivers medication and immune signals precisely where they are needed, which he says is opening powerful new options for cancers resistant to current therapies.
- Rethinking “inactive” ingredients. Explore 3D-printed drugs and capsules that designed for custom release profiles and improved patient outcomes.
Bridging Engineering and Medicine
For device design engineers and clinicians alike, Boas highlights the importance of close daily collaboration. Aligning real-world clinical needs with the tools that engineers can deliver can result in solutions that make a difference from concept to bedside. More than just science, this research is hope in action. Boas and his team invite collaboration. They are looking for new technologies and ideas that could be translated rapidly from lab bench to patient care.
All Videos in This Series:
Part 1: Pioneering Microscale 3D Printing in Cancer Therapy
Part 2: Unlocking Bio-inspired, Next-gen Drug Delivery with 3D Printing
