Texas-based biotech start-up SiMMo3D said it is launching a service to create 3D-printed models for medical training.
With $20,000 in seed money provided by local incubator Temple Health and Bioscience District (THBD), SiMMo3D aims to offer an affordable solution to the need for accurate replicas of organs, the company said.
Medical schools around the world rely on simulation learning labs to train their doctors, creating strong demand for more accurate practice tools, SiMMo3D said. Using CT and MR images, the company's models allow disease states to be shown in a way that helps larger audiences grasp concepts with hands-on training.
SiMMo3D models mimic the texture and visual aesthetic of body tissue and human anatomy with a synthetic polymer resin. The organ models, which the company calls "teaching tissues," are anatomically accurate organ replicas thanks to the availability of the printing technology in THBD's laboratory facility, said Colin Dodson, the firm's co-founder and chief technology officer.
Cadavers showing rare and complex disease states that are currently difficult or impossible to obtain can now be simulated affordably and on a large scale, the company said. The goal is to instill confidence in students, doctors, and surgeons about caring for patients with a wide range of diseases.
