Meet Luke
One of the world’s first bioprinted organ recipients
“That surgery got me out of kidney failure and on the road to recovery…”
Luke Massella
Luke’s Treatment
Luke was one of the first patients to receive an experimental treatment developed by Dr. Anthony Atala at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Atala created a new bladder especially for Luke made from his own cells.
Luke was one of the first people ever to receive a 3D-printed bladder. He is part of a long-term clinical trial to ensure the safety and effectiveness of his replacement organ.
Printing Cells Instead of Ink
Dr. Atala is a pioneer in the field of tissue regeneration. Through his work at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University, he developed a way to reconfigure a regular inkjet printer to print out cells instead of ink. Those cells will grow into replacement organs for patients like Luke.
10 Years Later
After receiving his replacement bladder at the age of 10, Luke’s treatment allowed him to live a normal life. He and Dr. Atala reunited 10 years later to talk about the success of the procedure.
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