Interdisciplinary Education: Vitro3D | Leeds School of Business
From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue
Camila Uzcategui, left, and Johnny Hergert work on a 3D-printed dental aligner in their East Campus lab with laser adjustments. PhD graduates co-founded Vitro3D, which produces 3D prints of implants and aligners, below, that can be quickly created in the dentist’s office.
When the Rustandy Building opened its doors in 2021, we knew that the fusion of the engineering and business schools would ignite exceptional opportunities for students. After one year, what would we like to see? Here are a few stories that caught our eye.
When Camila Uzcategui (MMatSci’18; PhD’21) pitched her industry-changing idea for dentistry to CU’s New Venture Challenge finalists, the student engineer said it was “the most rewarding experience of my PhD.”
She and Johnny Hergert (MMatSci’18; PhD’21) founded Vitro3D in their New Venture Launch class, taught by Leeds professor Jeff York, where businesses and students turn operating technologies into viable businesses; The unique class was made possible by a donation from the Robert and Kathleen Dobbin Intuitive Foundation. For Vitro3D, the founders helped business acumen with teammate Jennifer Howard (MBA’22).
The company, based on Uzcategui and Hergert’s research in materials science, brings 3D printer designs directly to dental offices to quickly and inexpensively produce clients, aligners and oscillators. Last spring, the team won second place at the NVC, with a cash prize of $33,500.
Next, Vitro3D aims to use 3D volume printing, which mimics materials inside the human body to help with life-saving medical procedures.
More creative collaborations: Taylor Bata | Doha Shahba | Julie Gentile | Didacus Alvarez
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