TY - JOUR T1 - 3D Printing: A Revolutionary Advance for the Field of Urology? JF - Technology Innovation Management Review Y1 - 2014 A1 - Rebecca Neu KW - 3D printing KW - biofabrication KW - biological 3D printing KW - bioprinting KW - entrepreneurship KW - nephrology KW - organ transplants KW - renal failure AB - Over the past decade, 3D printing has garnered considerable attention due to its broad applications, its ease of customization, and its increasing affordability. What began as the straightforward replication of simple objects has now progressed into a sophisticated industry for the fabrication of detailed products, which stands to threaten conventional forms of manufacturing and change the face of consumerism. More recently, the technology has found a footing within the medical field with the promise of applying 3D printing for the process of organ generation. With the reality of an aging population, the need for replacement organs globally will increase proportionately, while the number of donors remains static. In the field of urology specifically, the need for organ transplants is ever increasing as the number of patients in renal failure continues to rise. This article reviews the development of biological 3D printing, or biofabrication, within the field of urology and examines both the pros and the cons of this emerging technology. The cost implications of this technology for healthcare facilities are considered, as well as the entrepreneurial opportunities that arise from the emergence and evolution of 3D printing. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa VL - 4 UR - http://timreview.ca/article/772 IS - 3 U1 - Carleton University Rebecca Neu is a recent graduate of the Sprott School of Business MBA program at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She holds a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Toronto, Canada, in addition to an BScH in Inorganic Chemistry from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. Currently, her principal area of interest relates to science and technology transfer and commercialization in addition to innovation management. ER -