Privacy Policy

BDBiomedical, Lda ("Black Drop Biomedical", "we", "us", or "our") operates the BioPrintHub platform (the "Platform"), an online repository for 3D bioprinting models, protocols, and associated scientific materials. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, the Lei n.º 58/2019 of 8 August (Portuguese data protection law), and other applicable legislation.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have regarding your data. Please read this document carefully. By using BioPrintHub, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

For the purposes of the GDPR, the data controller responsible for your personal data is:

Company

BDBiomedical, Lda

Platform

BioPrintHub

Country

Portugal

Contact email

blackdropbiomedical@gmail.com

Postal address

Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal

If you have any questions or concerns about how we process your personal data, please contact us at the email address above.

We collect personal data in the following categories:

3.1 Data You Provide Directly

• Name and email address (account registration)
• Mobile number (optional, if provided)
• Professional affiliation, institution, and area of research (optional profile fields)
• Content you upload, publish, or share through the Platform (e.g., STL files, protocols, descriptions, images, G-code)
• Communications you send us, including support requests, feedback, or survey responses

3.2 Data Collected Automatically

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Device type, operating system, and browser information
• Pages visited, time spent on the Platform, and navigation patterns
• Referring URLs and search queries that led you to the Platform
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

3.3 Data From Third Parties

• If you register or log in using a third-party service (e.g., ORCID, Google, or institutional SSO), we may receive basic profile information from that provider, subject to your permissions and their privacy policy
• Public professional profile information relevant to your use of the Platform

We do not intentionally collect special categories of personal data (such as health data, genetic data, racial or ethnic origin, or political opinions) unless explicitly and voluntarily provided by you as part of scientific content uploaded to the Platform.

We collect your personal data:

• When you create an account or update your profile on BioPrintHub
• When you upload, share, or interact with content on the Platform
• When you access our website. Our website also uses cookies; to find out more about the use of cookies and how you can manage them, please read our cookie policy
• When you contact us or we contact you to take part in surveys, competitions or promotions
• When you contact our customer support team
• When you engage with us on social media (by mentioning/tagging us or by contacting us directly)

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

• To create, verify, and manage your BioPrintHub account
• To provide, maintain, and improve the Platform and its features
• To personalise your user experience and recommend relevant content
• To monitor Platform performance, conduct analytics, and identify areas for improvement
• To detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access
• To respond to your support requests, questions, and feedback
• To send transactional notifications (e.g., account confirmations, upload status updates)
• To send marketing communications where you have opted in, and to offer relevant products and services
• To facilitate AI-powered features (e.g., content suggestions, protocol assistance), with appropriate disclosure
• To conduct research and compile aggregated, anonymised statistics about Platform usage
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share information with trusted third-party service providers that help us operate the platform, including:

6.1 Service Providers (Data Processors)

• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers (servers located within the EU/EEA where possible)
• Email and communication tools used to send notifications and support messages
• Analytics platforms to understand how users interact with the Platform
• AI and machine learning service providers for optional Platform features

All processors are bound by data processing agreements ensuring GDPR-compliant handling of your data.

6.2 Legal and Regulatory Authorities

We may disclose your data to courts, regulators, or law enforcement agencies if required by law or to protect our legal rights, the rights of our users, or the safety of the public.

6.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganisation, or sale of assets, your personal data may be transferred to the successor entity. We will provide notice and, where required, seek your consent.

6.4 Academic and Research Partners

Where you have explicitly consented, we may share anonymised or aggregated data with academic or research partners for scientific purposes related to 3D bioprinting and biomaterials research.

As a data subject under the GDPR and Portuguese law, you have the following rights:

• Have your personal information processed fairly, legally, and in a transparent manner
• Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, along with information on how it is processed
• Be clearly informed about how your data is used
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data without undue delay
• Request deletion of your personal data where it is no longer necessary for the purposes collected, or where you withdraw consent, subject to legal retention obligations
• Request that we temporarily pause processing of your data in certain circumstances (e.g., while accuracy is contested)
• Object at any time to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes
• Object to decisions made solely by automated processing (including profiling) that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you
• Where processing is based on your consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal
• Lodge a complaint with the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD), the Portuguese supervisory authority, at https://www.cnpd.pt, or with any other competent EU supervisory authority

BioPrintHub uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the Platform and improve your experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Strictly Necessary

Essential for the Platform to function. Cannot be disabled. Includes session management and security tokens.

Functional

Enable enhanced functionality and personalisation, such as remembering your preferences and login status.

Analytics

Help us understand how users interact with the Platform (e.g., pages visited, errors encountered). Data is aggregated and anonymised where possible.

Marketing

Used to deliver relevant promotions and measure campaign effectiveness. Only deployed with your prior consent.

You may manage or withdraw your consent to non-essential cookies at any time through our Cookie Preference Centre, accessible in the footer of the Platform, or by adjusting your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality.

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill legal, accounting, and security obligations.

Account information may be retained while your account remains active. Upon account deletion, we may retain certain information for a limited period where required by law, for fraud prevention, dispute resolution, or legitimate business purposes.

Users may request:

• Access to the personal information we hold
• Correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion of their account and personal data
• Export of their personal information, where applicable

Requests can be submitted by contacting us at blackdropbiomedical@gmail.com.

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These include:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS) and at rest
• Access controls and role-based permissions for internal staff
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability monitoring
• Incident response procedures in compliance with GDPR Article 33 (notification of breaches to the CNPD within 72 hours where required)

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is entirely secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you without undue delay.

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, tools, or services (including scientific databases, repositories, and institutional portals). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through BioPrintHub. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites.

BioPrintHub may offer AI-assisted features such as content recommendations, protocol suggestions, or search enhancement. Where such features involve processing your personal data:

• We will clearly identify when AI features are in use
• We will not make solely automated decisions that produce significant legal or equivalent effects without providing you with the right to human review
• Data shared with third-party AI service providers is governed by data processing agreements and subject to appropriate safeguards
• You may opt out of AI-powered features through your account settings

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, applicable law, or business practices. We will indicate the date of the most recent revision at the top of this document. If any material changes are made, we will provide appropriate notice where required. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we collect, use, and protect your information.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal data, you may contact us at:

blackdropbiomedical@gmail.com

If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your data unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the CNPD:

Supervisory authority

Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD)

Website

https://www.cnpd.pt

Address

Av. D. Carlos I, 134 – 1.º, 1200-651 Lisboa, Portugal