VA Puget Sound unveils nation-leading 3D bioprinting facility to transform Veteran care

This groundbreaking facility is the VA's first hospital-embedded production-ready center, equipped with advanced robotics and automation. It is designed to print patient-matched grafts and organs that can be delivered directly to the operating room. This pioneering blueprint for hospital-based manufacturing brings the science-fiction concept of on-demand tissue printing into reality. With a compact 1,000 sq ft footprint, it is ready for replication across VA facilities in the coming years.

“Bioprinting is one of the most exciting frontiers in health care,” said Veterans Health Administration Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL) Director Dr. Mark Zhang. “And VA Puget Sound X_Labs is a shining example of how local ingenuity and national mission alignment can create something truly extraordinary.”

At the heart of the unveiling was BioBone, a 3D-printed, patient-derived bone graft that is being developed to replace the need to harvest bone from the patient or donors. Historically, the gold standard for replacing damaged tissues has been to harvest  bone from one part of the body and graft it onto another. Unfortunately, these surgeries usually take 10 hours or more, taking a heavy toll on the patient. Other drawbacks include limited availability of donor sites and complications arising from the donor site. Using a Veteran’s own cells, BioBone allows clinicians to create living bone right at the point of care—bringing personalized medicine to life in ways never before possible. The hope is that it will reduce surgical time and improve outcomes for Veterans undergoing reconstructive surgeries.

“The unveiling of our VA Puget Sound X_Labs bioprinting facility is not just another milestone. It’s a leap into the future of personalized regenerative medicine,” said VHA OHIL Deputy Director Dr. Beth Ripley.

And BioBone is just one example. The solutions coming out of X_Labs are redefining what’s possible across multiple domains of Veterans care. 

Precision dental devices, personalized for individual patients through digital workflows and 3D printing, are restoring both aesthetics and function—giving Veterans back their confidence along with their smile.

Radiation therapy tools are being produced to protect healthy tissue during cancer treatments—bring an unprecedented level of precision that personalizes care for Veterans.

VA Puget Sound is also piloting the use of drones for time sensitive lab and pharmacy deliveries across its facilities.

“These innovations aren’t just high-tech—they’re Veteran-centric,” said VHA OHIL Deputy Director Dr. Beth Ripley. “Everything we build is designed with and for Veterans, to help them heal better, live fuller lives, and access care that’s as unique as their needs.”

This milestone reflects VA’s broader push to personalize care, accelerate innovation, and deliver scalable, high-impact solutions. VA Puget Sound X_Labs has emerged as a national leader in this movement, turning concepts like surgical 3D printing and digital workflows into clinical realities for Veterans. 

Whether talking about bio printed bone grafts, precision-designed surgical models, regenerative tissue scaffolds, or the long-term vision of printing viable human organs—these solutions and technologies have the power to radically improve care for Veterans with complex injuries, chronic conditions or limited treatment options. And the VA is committed to turning great ideas like these into scalable, equitable solutions that reach Veterans no matter where they live. 

“Our goal is to ensure local advancements—like bioprinting—don’t stay local,” said Zhang. “This work allows frontline teams to test, refine and scale solutions that benefit the entire VA health care system.”

At the heart of this innovation is partnership: X_Labs collaborates with academic, clinical and industry leaders—including Advanced Solutions Life Sciences, VA Puget Sound’s bioprinting partner—to ensure breakthroughs like BioBone are safe, scalable and ready to transform care.

VA Puget Sound was an early pioneer in this space. In 2019, it launched the system’s first 3D printing effort—transforming one prototype into a dynamic ecosystem supporting personalized surgical tools and clinical planning. Today, that effort is producing real-world solutions that reduce operative time, increase surgical precision, and cuts costs—like dental solutions -  by approximately 25%.

Unlike many innovations that remain siloed, VA’s model is to build on scalability and sharing. Through initiatives like VA’s Shark Tank competition and Diffusion of Excellence, projects that take root in one VA facility are nurtured and spread across the country.

It’s also about culture. “This isn’t just about technology—it’s about building a culture of curiosity and co-creation,” said Ripley. “Where engineers, clinicians and Veterans come together to design solutions grounded in science, humanity and real-work need.” 

The work complements VA’s broader legacy of innovation—from first successful liver transplant to the nicotine patch and implantable cardiac pacemaker. Now, with bioprinting, VA Puget Sound is helping redefine what’s next for Veteran care.

“VA Puget Sound is helping shape a future where Veterans don’t just get care—they get care designed specifically for them,” said Ripley. 

VA Puget Sound is comprised of 10 care sites across Western Washington, with 160,000 Veterans enrolled to primary care. It expands its care reach through nine centers of excellence and five regional hubs. It is a teaching facility with University of Washington a primary affiliation and offers an award-winning R&D program—the VA’s 4th largest. 

VA Puget Sound X_Labs was established June 15, 2020, in partnership with the Veterans Health Administration Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning, as an innovation incubator designed to promote early collaboration between VA, academia, start-ups and industry. Today, X_Labs is leading the way in integrating advanced manufacturing into everyday clinical operations.