Finalist from across the country made presentations and discussed their device ideas with the APDC review committee, an audience of peers, and the engineering and medical community in attendance.
The Atlantic Pediatric Device Consortium (APDC) hosted its fifth annual innovation competition at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Engineering on Oct. 21. Finalist from across the country made presentations and discussed their device ideas with the APDC review committee, an audience of peers, and the engineering and medical community in attendance.
Five Virginia-area professionals served as judges: Susan Kornstein, M.D., co-founder and executive director of the VCU Institute for Women's Health; P. Worth Longest, professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering at VCU; Carrie Roth, president/CEO and executive director at Virginia Biotechnology Research Park; Jennifer Rhodes, M.D., director for the Center for Craniofacial Care of Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and the VCU Vascular Birthmark Clinic; and Eleanor Goode, chair of the Children’s Hospital Fund in Richmond.
“At the VCU School of Engineering we’re dedicated to cross-disciplinary education. It’s no surprise to see what creative solutions come from collaboration between businesses, engineers and pediatric care professionals,” said L. Franklin Bost, MBA, IDSA and executive associate dean for the School of Engineering. “This event is where pioneer innovations get the funds needed for commercialization. I’m certain that any of these proposed devices can spark diagnostic advancements and can meaningfully impact patients’ quality of life.”
At the end of the all-day event, five of the innovators were selected for seed grant awards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
Meet The Winners and their Pediatric Medical Device Projects
IV Line Light: a method for the immediate identification of a specific infusion line in a pediatric intensive care setting — presented by Hans Utz from CHS Ventures.
Improving Chest Wall Rigidity in Very Preterm Infants: a computer model of premature respiratory mechanics that examines the mechanical effects of changes in the compliance of the chest wall and lungs over time — presented by Henry Rozycki, M.D, from VCU
The BUDDY Button: a low-profile gastrostomy device that provides reliable trans abdominal fixation to address the significant needs in enteral feeding — presented by Saja Al-Dujaili, Ph.D.; and Jonathon Campbell, MSc from the University of Michigan
MitraCath: a nitinol stented, adjustable device that can be mounted into a small gauge catheter and delivered on a beating heart — presented by Muralidhar Padala, Ph.D.from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology
StethAid: an automated point-of-care identification of a vibratory murmur, also known as Still’s murmur, in children — presented by Raj Shekhar, Ph.D.; and Robin Doroshow, M.D. from Children’s National Healthcare.
