Educate for tomorrow’s healthcare with 3D printing
With a new minor in medical 3D bioprinting, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and the University Medical Center Utrecht are training students for the healthcare of the future, in which 3D printing technology is playing an increasingly important role.
The future of healthcare is in the making – literally. On September 1st, a unique minor on medical 3D bioprinting, co-developed by UMC Utrecht, began at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (HU). Fifteen students with a background in engineering or biology began a six-month intensive course on the latest applications of 3D printing technology in healthcare.
The minor is an initiative of UMC Utrecht and the innovation lab for medical 3D (bio)printing at HU. At UMC Utrecht, the research group of Jos Malda, Professor of Biofabrication in Translational Regenerative Medicine, has been conducting leading research on regenerative medicine and 3D bioprinting for years. Under the leadership of Lennard Spauwen, a researcher at HU and UMC Utrecht, the minor’s content was developed and implemented in a short time.
This is the first time that students have been taught this way in a field that is developing rapidly. They’ll learn what’s already happening in the 3D lab at UMC Utrecht—for example, printing cartilage models or structures for cell growth—and get a glimpse into the future of this technology. Lennard Spauwen: “The future of medical 3D bioprinting demands new expertise and multidisciplinary collaboration. With this minor, we’re training students for the healthcare of tomorrow.”
Collaborating at the Utrecht Science Park
A unique aspect of this minor is the intensive collaboration between education and research. The content was developed in close collaboration with several partners at Utrecht Science Park: UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, HU (Institute for Life Sciences & Chemistry and Institute for Design & Engineering), the Regenerative Medicine Centre Utrecht, and the Innovation Center for Advanced Therapies (ICAT). This makes the minor a powerful example of how disciplines and institutions collaborate to bring innovations in healthcare closer.
Ready for the Future
Interest in the minor was high: the first group of fifteen students quickly filled. After this first edition – in February 2026 – the minor will be evaluated. If the experiences are positive, a new cohort will start in September 2026.
UMC Utrecht and HU are proud of this initiative. It demonstrates how we, together with partners, are investing in education that aligns with the innovations of tomorrow. By connecting research and education in this way, we ensure that students are well-prepared for a future in which 3D bioprinting becomes a permanent fixture in healthcare.
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