News
University Launches Center for Developing Medical Devices and Other Medical Innovations
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The University of Rochester is combining its medical, engineering, and entrepreneurial expertise to create the Center for Medical Technology Innovation (CMTI). A collaboration of the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the School of Medicine and Dentistry, CMTI will also make use of the University's Center for Entrepreneurship as it coordinates activities to develop technological solutions to clinical problems.
Ankur Chandra, M.D., the medical director of
CMTI, said a recent development at the University of Rochester Medical
Center validates the importance of the center's approach. Since multiple medical conditions such as aortic aneurysms can now be
addressed by inserting devices through blood vessels - rather than by open surgery - larger catheters are needed to place through the
femoral artery in the thigh, the point where the devices are inserted. One of our students, Rachel Rakvica, noticed that the larger
openings allowed for newer techniques to close the artery - a novel approach that did not require incisions,
said Chandra. We've
obtained a provisional patent, with the hope of further developing the technology.
Amy Lerner, the academic director of
CMTI, has had a great deal of experience guiding students in the
medical device development process. An associate professor of biomedical engineering, Lerner directs the senior design course,
a year-long program in which teams of students partner with clinicians, companies, and other institutions to solve real-world
engineering problems. The new center will be critical in helping take student and faculty design solutions to the next step,
said Lerner. We'll work closely with industry to address design challenges, which will also help prepare our students for careers in healthcare.
The executive director of CMTI will be Greg Gdowski, who earned a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Boston University and worked as a research fellow at Blue Highway, an engineering services company in Syracuse. Gdowski believes the new center will increase the national visibility and stature of the University of Rochester and its biomedical engineering program. He added, It will also help foster growth and collaboration between faculty at the Hajim School and those at the Medical Center.
Projects by Engineering Students Shown on Video
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Each spring, seniors in computer science, optics, biomedical, computer and electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering at the Hajim School present the projects they have worked on all year. Students work in teams to solve a problem brought to them by a customer from outside the University. See below for the video of their projects.
Hajim Design Day Students Featured on WHAM13 News and YNN
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Engineering students, Silvia Perucchio (Mechanical Engineering) and Doug Clift (BME) spoke with WHAM 13 News about Hajim Design Day 2012 and the design project they are working on. Hajim Design Day 2012 was held on Thursday, May 3 and showcased engineering students Real-World solutions for the community. YNN also featured Hajim Design Day 2012 as the students got to show off their products during today's Design Day at the school.
Student teams at the University's Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have been partnering with local companies and institutions over the past year to solve real-world engineering problems. The students demonstrated their results from 12-2 p.m. in the Munnerlyn Atrium of Robert B. Goergen Hall. To learn more about this event see the Hajim Design Day project images.