Capstone as a Vehicle for Translational Research

Timothy Allen, Ph.D.

David Chen (UVA Coulter Director)

Shayn Peirce, Ph.D.

The DEPARTMENT of BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERINGSchool of Engineering and Applied Science School of Medicine

Clinical Problem: Otitis Media with Effusion (OME)

• Fluid in middle ear

• Untreated, OME can cause permanent hearing loss and speech and language difficulties – seen most commonly in children

• Symptoms of ear pressure, fullness, hearing loss, and balance difficulties

Myringotomy with ventilation tube insertion:

• Decreases pain• Restores hearing • Prevents reaccumulation

of fluids• Ventilates middle ear space• Improves balance

Current Standard of Care Treatment

Clinical Need: Improve existing surgical technique

•Instruments unable to hold and precisely manipulate the small ear tubes; multiple instruments required to insert the tube risk of damage to ear canal

Biomedical EngineeringShayn Peirce-Cottler, Ph.D.Anu RoyLisa KillenDanielle Gause

Orthopaedic SurgeryMichael Pannunzio, M.D.Kornelis Poelstra, M.D.Otolaryngology Brad Kesser, M.D.

It started with a BME Capstone Team...

Prototype 1A Prototype 2A

Early Prototypes

It continued with a Capstone Team...

Prototype 1B

Biomedical EngineeringShayn Peirce-Cottler, Ph.D.Isi AzekeCraig ContaAshley DavenportKristen MelnyczukTrevor RoyceDaniel Walters

NursingDeborah Conway, R.N., M.S.N.

Otolaryngology Brad Kesser, M.D.

Provisional Patent

NDAs

Identify PotentialLicensees

Pre-clinical Trial, Clinical Trial, &International Licensing Deal

Chinchilla Model

Time Required for Ear Tube Insertion

Tim

e (s

eco

nd

s)Standard of Care

PROTOTYPE 1B

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

p = 0.062

Capstone as a Mechanism for Upstream Innovation

• How can we involve BME undergraduates in translational

research?

• How can involving our undergraduates in translational

research bolster an environment of innovation?

• Research for credit• Capstone sequence

– “Project Fair”

– Topics include design, IP, market research, and FDA regulation

– Fall Proposal & Spring Capstone Symposium

• Novel design-for-credit course (“D-teams”), funded by NCIIA

• Many of our students are medically-motivated… and creative!• Interdisciplinary Solutions Workshops• High-throughput (Capstone “incubator” for new ideas)

Projects Resulting in… Number of Projects

Scientific Peer Reviewed Publications

(Papers & Abstracts)20

Provisional Patents Filed 10Full Patent Applications (U.S. and

International) 3

U.Va. BME Capstone Design Achievements over Three Years (avg. 53 students/yr)

Challenges

• Intellectual property (…who owns it?)

• Timing issues related to the academic calendar

• Continuing the project over consecutive years

and offering the same types of “design”

experiences