Erica Comber

Dr. Erica Comber is part of a team working to create bioprinted lungs. Her work shows how biomanufacturing is pushing the limits of what biomedical engineering can achieve—using advanced manufacturing and bold ideas to solve real-world problems and improve people’s lives.

One of the most powerful benefits of 3D printing in biomanufacturing is its potential to transform organ transplantation. The ability to bioprint organs could dramatically reduce transplant waitlists, which currently leave many patients waiting years for life-saving care. Greater availability of organs also has the potential to reduce health inequities, particularly for people with multiple disease states and individuals with disabilities who are sometimes excluded from transplant eligibility due to complex medical criteria. By increasing supply and enabling more personalized solutions, bioprinting could open doors that have long been closed.

3D printing technology also supports the health and wellbeing of people with disabilities in another important way: the creation of synthetic limbs and assistive devices. While this work often happens outside of biomanufacturing specifically, it relies on the same core concept of patient-specific fabrication. 3D-printed prosthetics can be designed to fit an individual’s body, needs, and daily activities—often at lower cost and with faster turnaround than traditional methods—helping people live more independently.

Together, these advances highlight why biomanufacturing matters. It is not only a rapidly growing career field with opportunities across science, engineering, and manufacturing—it is also a powerful driver of equity and innovation in healthcare.