Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

NEWS RELEASE: Ricoh launches innovative Point of Care 3D medical device manufacturing facility at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Exton, Pennsylvania – Ricoh USA today announced its flagship Point of Care 3D medical device manufacturing facility – the Ricoh 3D for Healthcare Innovation Studio. Through its mission to innovate and improve clinical outcomes and quality of life, the on-site Innovation Studio provides clinicians with easy and immediate access to development, design, and manufacturing services for patient-specific, 3D-printed anatomic models, which can be used for surgical planning and patient education. Located in Innovation Quarter, in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, it is the first of many Point of Care 3D medical device manufacturing facilities that will be connected to a health system. Patient care teams with limited access to 3D-printed anatomic models often see challenges related to workflow disruptions, lead time issues, resources, and regulatory compliance when attempting to acquire patient-specific anatomic models, which can impact the standard of patient care. The foundational mission of the RICOH 3D for Healthcare Innovation Studio aims to resolve these challenges by leveraging Ricoh’s HIPAA-compliant, ISO 13485-certified 3D medical device manufacturing center and managed services pedigree for the development, design, and production of 3D-printed anatomic models. Bringing patient-specific anatomic modeling directly into the hospital using Ricoh’s innovative technology ecosystem and quality management system provides clinicians with the availability and confidence of FDA-cleared devices. The on-site center allows for faster production times, in-person access to clinical resources and 3D-printing expertise, and multidisciplinary team collaboration across national networks — providing clinicians and patients with a wider team of experts and support for enhanced care. In addition, the Innovation Studio helps to increase communication and feedback between the care team and Ricoh staff, drive innovation for personalized patient care, and focus on collecting data on the benefits of using 3D-printed anatomic models to help drive reimbursement. “The Ricoh 3D for Healthcare Innovation Studio is a foundational step in Ricoh’s long-term vision to lead the way in democratizing access to patient-specific, precision medical solutions in healthcare,” said Gary Turner, managing director, Additive Manufacturing, North America, Ricoh USA. “As we look to integrate and scale Point of Care facilities within health systems nationally, we’re extremely grateful that Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist has partnered with us to make the first facility a reality, and we look forward to growing 3D production within their network and in other hospital systems across the country.” Ricoh 3D for Healthcare produces patient-specific anatomic models via additive manufacturing, using segmented 3D print files created from medical images in FDA-cleared applications. These models are used for diagnostic purposes in various medical fields, including craniomaxillofacial, orthopedic, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and breast applications. With the ability to manage 3D-print operations at the point of care, the Ricoh 3D for Healthcare Innovation Studio gives providers access to a streamlined and efficient solution for producing and obtaining these models. The new facility enables Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine to create a Medical 3D Printing Center of Excellence, in collaboration with Wake Forest Innovations and Innovation Quarter. “As a leading academic learning health system, we are committed to leveraging technology that will benefit our patients, our faculty and staff, and our learners,” said Dr. Christopher T. Whitlow, MD, PhD, MHA professor and chair of radiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a neuroradiologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. “This partnership will allow our health system and medical school to continue to elevate our clinical, research and education capabilities, and will open up new opportunities to collaborate with other departments across our organization.” In patient care, access to precision, anatomic 3D models from on-site facilities like the RICOH 3D for Healthcare Innovation Studio allows clinical teams to plan and provide timely and informed care plans. It may also lead to: Reduced operating times – Surgeons using 3D-printed anatomic models saw an average operation time savings of 62 minutes and a 7.8% reduction in operative time. Redefined surgical approaches – 50% of surgeons redefined their surgical approach when a 3D model was used during the planning stage[iii]. Lowered costs – When used for diagnostic purposes, providers saw an average cost savings of $3,720 per case. Educational opportunities – 3D-printed models offer cadaver-free training, clearer communication, and education for patients when discussing informed consent. Enhanced diagnostic support – Having accurate insights into a patient’s anatomy beforehand allows clinicians to better evaluate and understand complex conditions to effectively prepare a more informed approach to procedures and care. Decreased compliance concerns – With an on-site Point of Care 3D medical device manufacturing facility, regulatory and legal compliance requirements are met due to Ricoh’s award-winning Managed Services platform, 3D-printing expertise and FDA 510(k)-cleared anatomic models. Ricoh’s solutions and services for additive manufacturing, including Ricoh 3D for Healthcare, will be on display at RAPID + TCT, June 25–27, in Los Angeles. For more information about Ricoh 3D for Healthcare, view the RICOH 3D for Healthcare webpage or follow the company’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube. The opinions expressed in this news release are the author’s only and do not necessarily reflect those of Medical Design & Outsourcing or its employees.

Recipients’ research focused on melanoma diagnosis, treatment response in advanced NSCLC, and bypassing common hurdles in NSCLC diagnosis and treatment CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Thermo Fisher Scientific announced the latest recipients of the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant, recognizing research from the Melanoma Institute Australia, the University of Turin in Italy and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The grant program, now in its seventh round of awardees, supports investigator-initiated studies with the aim to increase high-quality molecular profiling in oncology and to help democratize precision medicine. Since its introduction in 2020, the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant program has provided up to $200,000 in reagents and general funding for 22 unique research projects conducted by independent clinical research teams. Grants have been awarded across 14 countries and five continents, spanning research topics from molecular profiling in solid-tumors, pediatric oncology, hemato-oncology, immune-oncology and liquid biopsy, all of which help to study potential new and expanded applications for accessible and rapid next-generation sequencing (NGS). “The Oncomine Clinical Research Grant program provides us the opportunity to support emerging research projects and their goal of delivering on the promise of precision oncology through the democratization of NGS technology,” said Jose Luis Costa, Ph.D., global director, scientific affairs, clinical next-generation sequencing and oncology, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We are committed to understanding the profound impacts NGS technology can have on clinical outcomes and are working with partners worldwide to accelerate research across this important field.” Meet the Latest Grant Recipients Based on the last call for proposals in Spring 2023, the following researchers and projects have been selected as the most recent grant recipients: Richard Scolyer, Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia – “Getting melanoma diagnosis right: migration of clinical validation of the MIA genomic ancillary test on the Genexus platform for regular clinical testing.” Researchers will use the Ion Torrent Genexus system to migrate the Melanoma Institute Australia’s genomic classifier into routine clinical testing. Silvia Novello and Marco Volante, University of Turin, Italy – “Integrated molecular analysis to depict signatures associated with TKI treatment response in advanced NSCLC and to identify novel predictive biomarkers.” Researchers will work to fill an unmet need in precision oncology and will identify novel clinically relevant biomarkers of response to TKI in specific oncogene-addicted scenarios and increase the amount of available predictive tools of therapeutic responsiveness at baseline. Wencheng Li, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, United States of America – “Biomarker Assessment by Next Generation Sequencing Using the Supernatants from Fine Needle Aspiration of NSCLC.” Researchers will work to identify solutions for frequently encountered problems (inadequate specimen, indeterminate diagnosis, less-than-optimal turnaround time and false negative result) in NSCLC diagnosis and treatment. Oncomine Clinical Research Grant Impact In late 2023, Oncomine Clinical Research Grant recipients had the opportunity to attend a closed Oncomine Scientific Gala to share their research with the wider pharmaceutical community and showcase the results of their studies and the impact NGS testing can have on oncology research and patient care. Dr. Elena Guerini Rocco, MD, of the European Institute of Oncology IRCCS in Italy, was a 2021 recipient of the grant program. In July of 2023, Dr. Rocco and her team published a study in The European Journal of Cancer based on their research of the immune-related aspects of pregnancy-associated breast cancer, which outlined the similarities in immune suppressive mechanisms found between normal pregnancy and breast cancer. In relation to her team’s research, Dr. Rocco noted, “Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is a rare and complex condition that impacts about 1 in 3,000 women. Our study supported by the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant allows us to understand the similarities of immune-related aspects of normal pregnancy and those who suffer from PABC. This brings us one step closer to identifying targeted therapies that could help patients with PABC.” Applications for the Spring 2024 round of the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant will open March 1, 2024, and close April 30, 2024. Successful proposals should address the molecular landscape of tumors, with a focus on how molecular testing can enhance treatment precision and unlock novel strategies for improving patient outcomes. Proposals should include an outline of planned activities to be performed within a maximum of 12 months, as well as an outline of the proposed use of the requested funds. For more information, please visit . About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit .

A team of scientists have demonstrated the first successful use of a neural prosthetic device to recall specific memories. A team of scientists from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Southern California (USC) have demonstrated the first successful use of a neural prosthetic device to recall specific memories. The findings appear online in Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience. This groundbreaking research was derived from the Wake Forest and USC team's 2018 study led by Robert Hampson, Ph.D., professor of regenerative medicine, translational neuroscience and neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, that showed the successful implementation of a prosthetic system that uses a person's own memory patterns to facilitate the brain's ability to encode and recall memory. In the previous study, the team's electronic prosthetic system was based on a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear mathematical model, and the researchers influenced the firing patterns of multiple neurons in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in making new memories. In this study, researchers built a new model of processes that assists the hippocampus in helping people remember specific information. When the brain tries to store or recall information such as, "I turned off the stove" or "Where did I put my car keys?" groups of cells work together in neural ensembles that activate so that the information is stored or recalled. Using recordings of the activity of these brain cells, the researchers created a memory decoding model (MDM) which let them decode what neural activity is used to store different pieces of specific information. The neural activity decoded by the MDM was then used to create a pattern, or code, which was used to apply neurostimulation to the hippocampus when the brain was trying to store that information. "Here, we not only highlight an innovative technique for neurostimulation to enhance memory, but we also demonstrate that stimulating memory isn't just limited to a general approach but can also be applied to specific information that is critical to a person," said Brent Roeder, Ph.D., a research fellow in the department of translational neuroscience at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the study's corresponding author. The team enrolled 14 adults with epilepsy who were participating in a diagnostic brain-mapping procedure that used surgically implanted electrodes placed in various parts of the brain to pinpoint the origin of their seizures. Participants underwent all surgical procedures, post-operative monitoring and neurocognitive testing at one of the three sites participating in this study including Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Keck Hospital of USC in Los Angeles and Rancho Los Amigo National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, California. The team delivered MDM electrical stimulation during visual recognition memory tasks to see if the stimulation could help people remember images better. They found that when they used this electrical stimulation, there were significant changes in how well people remembered things. In about 22% of cases, there was a noticeable difference in performance. When they looked specifically at participants with impaired memory function, who were given the stimulation on both sides of their brain, almost 40% of them showed significant changes in memory performance. "Our goal is to create an intervention that can restore memory function that's lost because of Alzheimer's disease, stroke or head injury," Roeder said. "We found the most pronounced change occurred in people who had impaired memory." Roeder said he hopes the technology can be refined to help people live independently by helping them recall critical information such as whether medication has been taken or whether a door is locked. "While much more research is needed, we know that MDM-based stimulation has the potential to be used to significantly modify memory," Roeder said. This research is built on more than 20 years of preclinical research on memory codes led by Sam Deadwyler, Ph.D., emeritus professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, along with Hampson (now a member of the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine), and the USC team led by biomedical engineers Theodore Berger, Ph.D., and Dong Song, Ph.D. The preclinical work applied the same type of stimulation to restore and facilitate memory in animal models using the MIMO system, which was developed at USC. The research was funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).