Biotech startup SiMMo3D has launched its simulated, 3D-printed organ models for surgical planning, biomedical research and education that help meet the growing need for effective training tools in the medical and educational community. With a $20,000 grant in seed funding provided by Temple, Texas-based incubator Temple Health and Bioscience District (THBD), SiMMo3D provides an affordable solution to meet the need for accurate replicas of healthy or diseased organs.
 
Medical schools around the world rely heavily on simulation learning labs to train their doctors, and a need for more accurate practice tools has a tremendous demand. SiMMo3D mimics the texture and visual aesthetic of body tissue and human anatomy with synthetic polymer resin. The organ models, also called “teaching tissues” are printed from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and computerized tomography (CT) scans. Disease states are demonstrated in a way that allows a larger audience to grasp concepts with hands-on training.
 
“We are proud to offer 3D-printed organ models that are accessible and affordable to more researchers, students and educational institutions,” said Ryan Quinn, CEO and co-founder of SiMMo3D. “These tools are training doctors by shifting the learning paradigm from memorizing facts to tactile learning. The product we create today will be used to better train the doctors of tomorrow, which saves more lives in the future.”
 
Located in the biotech corridor of Texas in Temple, SiMMo3D uses the latest technology to print its organs on site at the incubator in THBD’s laboratory facility. THBD is funded by citizens of Temple and is the first such district to be created in Texas. The incubator supports the increasing relevance of biotechnology companies in Texas’ economic development.
 
“SiMMo3D is a stellar example of the entrepreneurial, biotech talent flowing from Temple and across the state of Texas and we gladly support them,” said THBD Executive Director Jack Hart. “We see SiMMo3D’s technology as an investment into the future of the medical industry so that surgeons can be more precise, doctors can better demonstrate diseases to their patients, researchers can gain better insight and medical students can be more prepared for what lies ahead.”
 
Since its inception, THBD has helped facilitate many developments in Temple's drive to become a magnet for the bioscience industry, including its assistance with the design of the Scott and White Cancer Research Institute and the creation and construction of the now regionally recognized Texas Bioscience Institute (TBI). The TBI, while providing a challenging science curriculum to high school juniors and seniors, also serves as an effective venue for development of a biotechnology workforce and supports the overarching mission of the district.
 
THBD offers the latest technology in its 5,000-square-foot laboratory and office facility in the Temple Medical and Education District (TMED). The incubator also currently houses two additional startups and can accommodate additional tenants.
 
“At SiMMo3D, we use cutting-edge technology to create anatomically accurate organ replicas thanks to the availability of the printing technology in THBD’s laboratory facility,” said Colin Dodson, chief technology officer and co-founder of SiMMo3D. “Cadavers with rare and complex disease states that are currently unavailable or take years to acquire can now be simulated on a large scale quickly and at an affordable rate. Our aim is to instill confidence in students, doctors and surgeons which results in more confidence in patients—we would not be able to attain our goals without the support of THBD and the citizens of Temple. "
 
SiMMo3D uses multiple 3D printers for their organ models with multiple colors and materials to create precise and realistic models. Custom orders are available.

Founded in 2016, SiMMo3D is a Temple-based biomedical company dedicated to developing synthetic organ models for training surgeons, biomedical research, and teaching medical students. Its organ models, called teaching tissues, are made to be both affordable and anatomically accurate in size, shape, and feel. SiMMo3D products improve patient outcomes by better preparing the medical community through applied medical simulation training.

The Temple Health and Bioscience District (THBD) was created as a result of legislation passed by the State of Texas and approved by Temple voters to establish the district in 2003. The THBD office and laboratory dacility provides premier office and lab space for early-stage biotech companies that are taking health-related products from conception to manufacturing. Temple's Health and Bioscience Economic Development District is governed by a seven-member board. The board members are elected by the citizens of Temple and serve staggered three-year terms. The operational activities of the District are lead by an executive director who is appointed by the board and a laboratory manager.