Enabling Technologies in Orthopedics
Enabling technologies for tissue engineering and personalised regenerative orthopedic implants
We combine advanced biofabrication, medical imaging, and clinical innovation to develop new solutions for repairing and replacing damaged tissues and joints. Using state-of-the-art 3D (bio)printing technologies, we build living tissues in the lab to conduct research replacing experiments, while advanced imaging techniques such as MRI and CT scans help doctors precisely diagnose disease and monitor healing without invasive procedures. These enabling technologies come together in the clinic, where personalised 3D-printed implants and devices—tailored to each animal’s unique anatomy—are already improving recovery and quality of life. Together, these technologies bridge fundamental research and real-world veterinary care, advancing regenerative orthopedics for both animals and humans.
Biofabrication: engineering functional tissues
Biofabrication technologies at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine comprise both cutting-edge research and a technological facility. Biofabrication focuses on engineering functional tissue constructs by precisely patterning cells and materials in 3D via additive manufacturing techniques, with potential for clinical applications, particularly within regenerative medicine. The facility is equipped with advanced 3D (bio)printing technologies, such as volumetric bioprinting, melt electro-writing, and Laser-Induced Forward Transfer. Key focus area is the development of complex bone and cartilage implants for joint regeneration, though our enabling technologies are also serving other researchers on campus, with applications in organoid biology, pancreas, liver, kidney, and cardiac tissue engineering, and to build in vitro models as alternatives to animal experimentation.
We recreate the body’s 3D architecture by printing living cells, unlocking new approaches in regenerative transplants and personalised medicine
Imaging
The diagnostic imaging division of the Faculty of Veterinary medicine acts as a hub between different specialties (i.e. orthopedics, soft tissue surgery, oncology, internal medicine) and serves both the equine and companion animal hospitals, and the department of farm animal health. At Utrecht University, high-field MRI, CT but also conventional radiology, ultrasound and SPECT/CT are utilised to assess musculoskeletal disease, guide precision treatments, and monitor tissue regeneration in both preclinical and clinical studies. These imaging techniques enable detailed, non-invasive evaluation of structural and functional changes, providing essential data for optimising regenerative strategies. Key focus areas are advanced imaging of the spine, to increase our understanding of the normal development of the spine and diseases related to disturbed development, to assess the effect of regenerative therapies.
Imaging is at the heart of regenerative orthopedics—it allows us to track structural and functional changes over time, guiding treatments and revealing how tissues respond and regenerate in the body
Personalised implants in the clinic
Personalised 3D printed hoof shoes
Orthopeadic shoeing is a useful aid in treating and rehabilitating musculoskeletal disorders in horses. Like human feet, horses’ hoofs are unique in shape and size, making the ideal shoe one that is tailored to the individual horse with its unique needs. Therefore, we have developed a user-friendly tool to automate the design of hoof shoes. By 3D scanning the horses’ hoofs, and then 3D printing shoes, we ensure perfect fit. In addition, it is possible to customise the shoes before printing by easily changing parameters such as xx or yy. With these shoes we can support orthopedic care and optimise the individual horse’s recovery.
Where technology and craftsmanship come together, hoof care is created that truly fits the horse
Personalised hip implants
From bench to bedside: personalised implants for the treatment of hip dysplasia in dogs and humans
Until recently, treatment options for hip dysplasia were limited to palliative care or highly invasive pelvic osteotomies, leaving a strong unmet need for an effective and patient-friendly solution. Our researchers have addressed this by developing the first minimally traumatic, personalised 3D-printed titanium implants that restore hip joint stability and halt the progression of osteoarthritis.
Following successful pre-clinical proof-of-concept studies, a clinical study with one-year follow-up in dog patients showed promising results. To date, more than one hundred dog hips have been treated with this personalised approach. Based on a CT scan from the patient, the personalised implant is designed, 3D printed and implanted in a simplified surgical approach that allows for quick recovery of the dog. Early in 2026, our collaborators treated with this technology the first human patient, an exciting step for One Medicine, with this treatment method demonstrating how innovation in veterinary medicine can contribute to human health.
By designing patient-specific implants, we restore function, comfort, and quality of life for dogs with hip dysplasia and contribute to transformation in human care
