About
Michael Degnan, MSc
Anaplastologist, medical illustrator and Buffalo native.
Training and practice
- 2005BFA in Medical IllustrationCleveland Institute of Art, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic. First time observing surgery; interned with ocularist Fred Harwin, an introduction to prosthetic eyes.
- 2008Internship in anaplastology and medical sculptureWith Juan Garcia in the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, as its first intern. The program is now an MS in Anaplastology.
- 2008Schuler School of Fine Arts, BaltimoreAtelier drawing and sculpting methods, including silverpoint and cast drawing.
- 2012MSc in Maxillofacial & Craniofacial Technology, King's College LondonFirst American candidate and graduate, in the Department of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics. Specialized in congenital conditions and areal metrology (3D measurement for quality control). As part of the degree, joined a medical charity trip to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, assisting in providing more than 50 prosthetic eyes in two weeks.
- 2019Founded Buffalo Center for AnaplastologyAfter seeing the need to serve a larger patient population in the region. Now BCAX Labs, serving a broad patient group that includes facial, ocular and body (somatic) prostheses.
Why BCAX Labs
Access and equity in care
Michael founded BCAX Labs to provide access to and increase healthcare equity in prosthetic care for patients from every area of healthcare: congenital conditions, illnesses such as cancer, and trauma.
Prosthetic rehabilitation for these conditions can include facial prostheses as well as body (somatic) prostheses, such as tracheostomy prostheses, fingers and toes (digits), hands, and parts of the leg and torso.
Approach
Traditional and digital
Anaplastology combines art, medicine and science. Michael's training includes extensive atelier work in old-master techniques alongside the digital tools BCAX Labs uses every day: 3D scanning, modeling and printing.