The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is establishing the Nebraska Center for 3D Innovation (NE3D), a research hub for developing advanced 3D-printed technology for healthcare. NE3D was initiated by prosthetics researcher Jorge Zuniga, PhD, associate professor. The center will focus on creating more human-like, responsive prosthetic and assistive devices, antimicrobial materials for 3D printing, and combining artificial intelligence, medical imaging, and 3D printing to create patient-specific models for better care.
UNO received an $8 million grant for the project from the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which supports nationwide scientific progress, to establish the coordinated research ecosystem of facilities, educational activities and programs, scientists, and investigators.
“What makes NE3D particularly important is that it combines these research areas with education, workforce development, and industry partnerships,” Zuniga said. “The long-term goal is not simply to produce individual technologies. It is to build research capacity in Nebraska so that researchers, students, clinicians, educators, and industry partners have the infrastructure and collaborative network needed to develop the next generation of healthcare technologies.”
Editor’s note: This story was adapted from materials provided by UNO.
