The cyborgs are here…in a manner of speaking. Scientists from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, have successfully used 3D-printed synthetic bones to treat broken spines and skulls in animals. The report published in Science Translation Medical Journal described how they used a 3D printer to make the hyper-elastic bone using ceramic and polymer, which quickly integrated with surrounding tissues and started regenerating bone in four weeks when used in rodents with spinal injuries and a monkey with a fractured skull. The scientists hope to begin human trials within five years.

Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
November 2016