Come and join the Closing event of the Impact Implants program on November 6th, 2026.
With the JTF-initiative reaching its final stage, we come together to highlight the shared achievements and partnerships driving the future of personalised implants and medical technologies.
Participation is free of charge; however, registration is not without obligation. Badges, lunch and drinks will be arranged. Additionally, spots are limited. Therefore, we count on you to inform us if you cannot attend.
9:30 Welcome and Registration
10:00 Day opening – Welcome by Dr. Elena Merlo and Dr. Jan Willem Veldsink | UMCG Innovation Center
10:10 Session 1: The Innovation journey of Jaw Implants
♦ In the first part of the session, you can here directly from the stakeholders involved how the optimizing the complete workflow for next-generation patient-specific jaw implants, highlighting the power of collaboration between healthcare, research, and industry.
♦ After a short coffee break, in the second part of the session, experts from the material side will share about their developments and their learnings through the years on their efforts to make more functional implants with higher infection resistant properties.
Project partners involved:
12:00 Break Lunch, networking and showcase corner
13:30 Session 2: The innovation journey of complex reconstructions
♦ This session is focused on the creation of patient-specific implants for complex pelvic, wrist, and knee injuries. Through advanced design, rapid manufacturing, and rigorous testing, customized implants can be delivered within days, improving treatment outcomes and reinforcing the region’s leadership in personalized healthcare innovation. We will also touch upon the steps to deliver individualized medical devices for patients with airway problems using 3D technology.
Project partners: RUG, WITEC, UMCG 3D Lab, Trauma Surgery, Pulmonology, and Orthopedics.
14:30 Coffee and networking
14:45 Session 3: Closing presentation: what we have achieved and what is next
♦ Assoc. Prof. Joep Kraeima, the program leader, will deliver a plenary presentation and reflect on what the ecosystem has achieved and share about those questions that still remain open for future investigations.
♦ The lecture will be followed by the launch of the new joint venture between WITEC, BAAT Medical and UMCG, given by Eric Vos, CEO of WITEC.
♦ The last part of the session will see representatives from the clinic, the region and the industries to engange with participants in a open discussion about the roles of ecosystems in the future of medical devices and personalised solutions in MedTech.
16:00 Meet & connect, informal drinks
If you have any question, please feel free to reach out via implants@umcg.nl.
We hope to see you at the event on November 6th!
