The National Institutes of Health has unveiled a new public website designed to help scientists and students create three-dimensional anatomical or bacterial models.
NIH said Wednesday the 3D Print Exchange portal features educational videos, forums and tools for helping users convert bioscientific data into printable files.
“3D printing is a potential game changer for medical research,†said Dr. Francis Collins, an NIH director.
“At NIH, we have seen an incredible return on investment; pennies’ worth of plastic have helped investigators address important scientific questions while saving time and money,” Collins added.
The agency uses the technology to customize laboratory apparatus, examine pathogens and plan clinical procedures.
NIH’s 3D modeling database program is led by the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and partially funded by the Department of Health and Human Services.
