University of Utah’s (@UofUHealth) Bench to Bedside program does it again! The unique healthcare innovation program developed by Dr. John Langell and his team at the University of Utah completed its 7th year in extraordinary fashion. For those in attendance, the backdrop of the State Capitol rotunda provided an incredible setting for the event.
This year, teams of graduate students from medicine, business, engineering and law unveiled 39 new medical technologies. Where else can you find such an impressive collection of technologies ranging from a catheter technology to show real-time imaging of the beating heart, a new speculum designed by women for women to improve the gynecological experience and a wearable patch to transmit patient vital signs to their healthcare provider in support of the hospital-at-home concept.
“Bench to Bedside has transformed my career trajectory and allowed me to accomplish things I didn’t think were possible,” said Alex Gerber, a graduate student in bioengineering and co-inventor of the Cardiac-CathCam that won first prize and was awarded $15,000 in milestone funding at this year’s event.
The Bench to Bedside program brings interdisciplinary teams of students, faculty and industry leaders together to innovate, create and translate important new medical technologies to the market place. In its seventh year, the program has developed over 180 new technologies, filed 111 patents and started over 35 companies. Perhaps more importantly it has trained more than 1,000 students in the program’s unique innovation and entrepreneurship approaches.
“These students are the seeds of the future in healthcare,” said Megan McIntyre, educational coordinator for the University of Utah Center for Medical Innovation that oversees the program.
Dr. John Langell, the surgeon and serial entrepreneur who runs the Center and its Bench to Bedside program, has a palpable passion for what he does. He credits the program’s successes to the interdisciplinary nature of the University of Utah Ecosystem.
“Universities train future business leaders to work successfully in companies composed of teams of expertise from all disciplines. Their individual expertise comes from university training programs, so why don’t universities also leverage interdisciplinary team capabilities instead of working in academic silos? We have done this in Utah!” said Langell.
“I believe the two keys to our success are our amazing students and our seamless collaborative partnerships with the Health Sciences Center, School of Business, Colleges of engineering and law and the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute,” Langell went on to say.
The powerful ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Utah is one-of-a-kind. Their technology solutions have garnered the attention of the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company and the American Medical Association among others.
What Dr. Langell and his team have created through the Center for Medical Innovation may very well be the most innovative and impactful team of engineers, business leaders, legal experts and healthcare leaders in the world. All of them working closely with industry partners from more than 60 companies have a single and dedicated mission—create solutions to our biggest healthcare problems that are affordable and accessible for all.
