: For Students, Faculty, and Staff 
As with all good partnerships, the path towards relationship-building is marked by moments of opportunity, shared interests, and perfect timing. This is the story of the partnership between the Visible Heart® Laboratories (VHL) and the Health Sciences Library (HSL), which has brought new collections to the library and greater access to the VHL’s exceptional resources.
In 2020, John Brigham (a then graduate student studying library science) completed an internship at the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine. Since graduating, his work has moved a few floors down in an adjacent building where he works as the VHL Heart Library Curator, alongside the lab’s Director, Dr. Paul Iaizzo.
John Brigham demonstrates 3D scanning techniques using plastinated human hearts and 3D prints. Photo credit: Adria Carpenter.
Over time, continued connections between VHL and HSL have offered opportunities to explore scans of real human hearts in virtual reality and peer into the bindings of centuries-old texts. Recently, a chance meeting at a library exhibit led to a tour of VHL for Nicole Theis-Mahon, HSL Collection Coordinator. During the tour, the shared goal of providing access to resources to support learners, research, and innovation was made clear. “It only seemed natural to talk about how the Libraries can help promote what the VHL offers,” says Theis-Mahon.
The value of learning from real human anatomies
The VHL’s resources are designed to fit different learning styles and complement traditional classroom and dissection-based learning. “The Visible Heart Laboratories specialize in creating hyper-realistic content in a variety of formats,” says Iaizzo.
Dr. Paul Iaizzo works with electrophysiology fellow Dr. Jorge Reyes and PhD candidate Neal Duong to discuss catheter placement in human heart procedures. Photo credit: Adria Carpenter.
“The VHL is such a rich and unique resource,” says Theis-Mahon about the scanning technologies, 3D models, and collection of real human anatomies from donated organs that form the foundation of the VHL’s resources. “It was fascinating to see how the VHL is continuing to build on the history of heart and cardiac research at the University of Minnesota,” she says.
Expanded collections in a variety of formats
And now some of the VHL content is available through HSL. “We have developed sets of educational 3D prints that show off high-resolution and very accurate human anatomy,” says Brigham. “We have shared one of these prints with the Library so students can check it out in addition to other 3D models,” he adds. The hand-painted 3D printed heart is now available at the HSL library service desk.
After demonstrating the VHL’s 3D printing capabilities, incoming Medical School student Madeline Wethington and Dr. Javier Navarro show the final, hand painted model of a human heart. Photo credit: Adria Carpenter.
Additionally, the Library has added the VHL’s Atlas of Human Cardiac Anatomy to its A-Z database list. The Atlas includes hundreds of videos and still images of functional anatomy from the inside and outside of the heart. Theis-Mahon speaks to the value of this addition to the collection, “While the Libraries has some anatomical atlases available online, we did not have anything that focused specifically on the heart or cardiac anatomy.” “The use of real hearts is also unique since many of the library’s online atlases feature drawings or animations,” she explains.
Next up: the Library is exploring ways to make the VHL’s collection of 3D printer files readily accessible so students, faculty, and others can use HSL’s Makerspace to print their own models for hands-on learning based on human hearts from a variety of different patient backgrounds. HSL is also looking at ways to make the VHL’s virtual reality (VR) experiences available through its VR Studio.
The VHL has created a virtual reality experience that allows participants to practice transesophageal echocardiography, which is a commonly used, but technically complicated imaging technique. Practicing in virtual reality allows students to practice the technique in low-risk environments so they can be better prepared to provide high-quality patient care. Photo credit: Adria Carpenter.
Providing top-tier resources
“The Health Sciences Library and the Visible Heart Laboratories have the shared interest in providing access to our resources — it only seems natural to talk about how we can help promote what VHL offers,” remarks Theis-Mahon of the partnership.
The hand-painted 3D printed heart from VHL is now available for check-out at the Health Sciences Libraries service desk on the 5th floor of the Philips-Wangensteen Building (PWB). Photo credit: Adria Carpenter.
Dr. Iaizzo agrees, and notes how the HSL creates an extended community to provide top-tier resources to as many individuals as possible, “Librarian connections with different anatomy teachers and courses can create new partnerships within the University’s system, highlighting the great work we are doing right here on campus.”
Working together, VHL and HSL are realizing their collective vision of making a positive impact in more students’ educational paths for improved healthcare training, practice, and patient care.
