Jul 21, 2017 | By Tess
A new 3D printing center with a focus on healthcare research was inaugurated in Singapore this morning. Called the National University of Singapore Centre for Additive Manufacturing (AM.NUS), the new facility is initially being funded by a grant of S$18 million (around $13,208,102) provided by NUS, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Researchers at AM.NUS, which was launched earlier today by Mr. Amrin Amin, a Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health, will reportedly work alongside the NUS’ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, as well as its Faculties of Engineering, Science, and Dentistry, and its School of Design and Environment.
The goal of establishing the new additive manufacturing center is to advance 3D printing technologies in the fields of biomedicine and healthcare and to “boost” NUS’ standing in the field of biomedical additive manufacturing.
“The NUS Centre for Additive Manufacturing will play a critical role in supporting Singapore’s vision of becoming a leading AM hub,” commented Professor Jerry Fuh Ying-Hsi, Co-Director of AM.NUS and the Thrust Lead of Restorative Repair & Implants from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the NUS Faculty of Engineering.
“Through this inter-faculty pooling of expertise, we hope to boost technology capabilities as well as advance intellectual property development and commercialization of AM-enabled biomedical technologies.”
The new AM center will focus its research on a number of specific areas, including the development of customized 3D printed surgical instruments, simulators, and functional prosthetics; 3D printing-enabled customized medicine (i.e. personalized drug formulations, dosages, and drug release); advancing tissue repair using 3D printed scaffolds and tissue engineering; developing restorative repairs and implants with ceramic and metal 3D printing; and oral health and craniofacial applicaitons, which will be conducted with the NUS Faculty of Dentistry.
