Sam Onokori takes us through his remarkable 30-year journey at Johnson & Johnson, where he transformed the landscape of medical devices through pioneering work in 3D printing technology. As a material scientist who led the development of J&J's Center of Excellence for additive manufacturing, Sam offers rare insights into how a global healthcare giant approached innovation and personalized medicine.
The conversation reveals the fascinating evolution of medical 3D printing from basic prototyping to FDA-approved implants. Sam shares the story behind breakthrough products, such as the TrueMatch graft cage – a PCL-based, bioabsorbable scaffold for bone reconstruction that has dramatically improved patient outcomes. His candid assessment of where personalization succeeds (craniomaxillofacial implants) and where it falls short (knee replacements) provides a nuanced perspective rarely found in technology discussions.
We examine the unexpected challenges that have shaped the industry, including the complex regulatory landscape, the emergence of surgical robots, and the economic realities that have tempered some early expectations. Sam's firsthand experience with point-of-care printing initiatives and customized surgical instruments provides valuable lessons about striking a balance between innovation and practicality in healthcare settings.
Looking toward the future, Sam identifies promising frontiers, including bioprinting, advancements in materials science, and the integration of AI with 3D printing technologies. For students and professionals considering careers in this field, he emphasizes the importance of strong engineering fundamentals and experiencing both startup and corporate environments to develop a comprehensive skill set.
Whether you're a healthcare professional, engineer, investor, or simply curious about how medical innovation occurs, this conversation offers an authentic glimpse into the triumphs, setbacks, and unrealized dreams that continue to shape the future of personalized medicine and additive manufacturing.

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In this follow up interview to Dr. Evin Chen's written interview with us, we learned a lot more about why Taiwan could be an excellent center for healthcare 3D printing and bioprinting innovations.
Dr. YiWen Chen (or Evin Chen) received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (Nanomaterial Group) Florida State University, USA. She joined China Medical University Hospital and funded the 3D Printing Medical Research Center in 2014. She is responsible for leading the team and developing and implementing the 3D printed medical research and clinical application integration. She is also the Associate Professor of Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science at China Medical University since then. Dr. Chen’s research interests focus on developing and delivering advanced and affordable 3D printed medical care including biomedical devices, implants, and therapeutics for medical applications. Several of her patents and technologies have to tech-transfer to industries. She was awarded the 2017 and 2018 Innovation in Taiwan. She is also a member of the Board of Supervisors of the Additive Manufacturing Association in Taiwan(AMAT) and a board of directors of China Medical Derivatives Corporation – Everyoung Biomedical International. She is responsible for providing relevant technical advice and is often invited to serve as lecturers at many international academic conferences. Many achievements of her research team are also recognized by high-impact journals, media, conference scientific publications, and published works. She has published 35 peer-reviewed articles and holds 15 issued/pending patents. Dr. Chen will be a speaker for the upcoming 3DHEALS2020 conference.

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This fun and insightful conversation with Juan Pablo Garcia Venegas, the engineer behind works on Instagram @m3daid. Juan shared with us how he was inspired to create various 3D printed medical models for the simple but important goal to help the medical students and trainees to learn human anatomies better, with advantages of not recognizing three-dimensional shape but also mobility and functionality, things impossible from an anatomy book.

I could not agree more.

Here are my first several attempts in 3D printing Juan's model of a shoulder. I cannot wait to do more. We will be sharing Juan's STL files in a new 3DHEALS file-sharing portal. Stay tuned for announcements.

Video recording, notes link: https://3dheals.com/3d-printing-for-medical-students

About our Guest:

Juan Pablo Garcia Venegas

(Instagram @m3daid)

"My name is Juan Pablo García, I'm a biomedical engineer from Monterrey, Mexico. Currently, I'm an R&D Engineer at BMC Medical Manufacturing, which is a Mexican company focused on the development of medical devices. During my studies, I had the opportunity to make internships in hospitals as a clinical Engineer, as well as being involved in high-tech projects such as skeleton manufacturing and orthosis design. I think that digital manufacturing and 3D printing will change the way that medicine is being approached."

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Today I had the opportunity to interview upcoming 3DHEALS2020 speaker, Roger Kuan, an intellectual property attorney who specializes in 3D printed medical devices and bioprinting innovations. Roger shared his perspectives on how a startup should approach legal help, what COVID19 could impact IP law and startups in the healthcare and other pearls of wisdom.
Roger's more in-depth written interview can be also found here.
Roger Kuan is a partner with McDermott Will & Emery and he focuses his practice on intellectual property (IP) procurement/portfolio management, IP transactions and strategic IP counseling for life sciences clients (e.g., research tools, analytical instrumentation/software, medical devices, diagnostics, biomanufacturing systems, etc.) with a focus on emerging technologies such as digital health (e.g., mobile apps, clinical decision support software, digital therapeutics, AI/ML imaging diagnostics, etc.), personalized medicine (e.g., genomic sequencing platforms, AI/ML computational genomics/bioinformatics, molecular diagnostics, etc.) and 3D printing/bioprinting. He has extensive experience in intellectual property strategy and management, preparation and prosecution (utility/design patents, trademarks, and trade dress), counseling and litigation, licensing and technology transactions, freedom-to-operate clearances, monetization, IP due diligence, IP risk recognition and mitigation, and dispute resolution. He served as Director IP Counsel at a multinational biotechnology company, where he managed a team to support the worldwide IP needs of the company’s life sciences tools, bioproduction/biomanufacturing, molecular diagnostics, and nucleic acid sequencing system/software platforms. Prior to finishing his law degree, Roger worked in the life sciences industry for several Fortune 500 pharmaceutical, medical device, and chemical companies. He has held professional positions in the R&D, sales, engineering, and regulatory affairs organizations.

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Jenny and Matthew discussed the latest trends and innovations in the orthopedic and medical device industry, including regenerative medicine approaches for joint and spine conditions, new technologies like 3D printing and wireless endoscopes, and workflow management solutions to improve hospital efficiency after Matthew's recent blog about his AAOS 2025 experiences. They highlighted exciting startups like Genix, Osteal Therapeutics, and Ospitek that are disrupting traditional treatment paradigms. Matthew also shared his insights on the changing landscape of industry conferences and the potential impact of politics and regulation on medical innovation. Overall, the conversation covered a wide range of cutting-edge developments that could significantly improve patient outcomes and transform the future of orthopedics.

Introductions and background

Jenny and Matthew introduce themselves and provide background on their respective roles and businesses.

Trends at recent industry conferences

Matthew shares his observations from attending recent industry conferences like the Canaccord Genuity and AAOS events. He notes trends around decreasing surgeon attendance at the larger conferences, and increased interest in regenerative medicine and solutions for prosthetic joint infections (PJI).

Regenerative medicine innovations

Matthew highlights two promising regenerative medicine companies - DiscGenics, Osteal Therapeutics, which has an implantable pain relief solution. He discusses the potential for these innovations to disrupt traditional spine surgery

Advancements in surgical tools and workflow

Matthew discusses new technologies like wireless endoscopes from companies like Lazurite and single-use endoscopes from Pristine Surgical that are improving surgical visualization and sterility. He also highlights Ospitek, a company using real-time patient tracking to optimize hospital workflow and efficiency.

Potential impact of political changes

Matthew shares his perspective on how the new Trump administration may impact medical device companies.

Recap and future outlook

Jenny and Matthew conclude by discussing the dynamic and evolving nature of the medtech industry, and the importance of remaining optimistic about the potential for innovation to improve patient outcomes, despite political and economic uncertainties.

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About Pitch3D