09/27/2021- IEM Annual Conference leverages new pillar structure
For the first time, the 2021 IEM Annual Conference was hybrid. This made it accessible to dozens of online participants, including faculty from UMN partners Morgan State and UC Riverside.
In the morning, participants were treated to an update on IEM from Director John Bischof and three keynote presentations from UMN faculty who bring engineering and medicine together: Dr. Jerrold Vitek, Dr. Carla Pavone, and Dr. Tim Schacker. IEM also welcomed two new Industrial Fellows (Dr. Farzad Azimpour of Edwards Life Sciences and Roxanne Gil of Medtronic) and two IEM Doctoral Fellows (Mathew Rynes and Gaura Saini).
In the afternoon, all faculty-level participants were able to take part in one of four breakout rooms organized by the IEM pillars SRI, Inspire, PEO, and Innovation. Graduate students were able to attend the Student Career Development session and interact with a live panel of professionals representing industry, academia, and alternate career paths. For most of the students, the Conference ended with a poster session and competition.
08/31/2021- IEM makes its first appearance at the Minnesota State Fair
For the first time, IEM had the opportunity to showcase itself at the Minnesota State Fair in the main UMN building. Although Minnesotans may have been enticed by the prospect of free water bottles on an 82 degree day, they stayed for the hands-on science labs, games, displays, and an appearance by Goldy. Teams from the Bakken Medical Devices Center, the Visible Heart Lab, and the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute joined IEM to provide engaging, creative learning opportunities to exemplify the intersection of engineering and medicine at UMN. Personnel from ATP-Bio provided hand sanitizer mini-bottles and introduced fairgoers to the basics of cryopreservation.
07/30/2021- Will Durfee named Interim Director of BMDC
Dr. Will Durfee, longtime professor of Mechanical Engineering and Co-Director of IEM’s Clinical Engagement program, became Interim Director of the Bakken Medical Devices Center (BMDC) on July 1.
Durfee replaced long-time BMDC Director Art Erdman, who stepped down to focus on IEM’s new Innovation Pillar, which he is co-directing. BMDC will be a part of the new Innovation Pillar, so “Erdman’s long experience will continue to help guide BMDC now and into the foreseeable future,” says IEM Director John Bischof.
As Interim Director, Durfee aims to guide BMDC along its current path of translational medical technology development and medical technology innovation education for both UMN and the medical technology industry. “I will also contribute to positioning BMDC as an integral part of IEM with a renewed mission and vision so that the University will be a recognized leader in medical technology innovation,” says Durfee.
07/30/2021- IEM launches its new Innovation Pillar
After a year of conversation and planning, IEM launched an Innovation Pillar on July 1. The Co-Directors of the new Pillar, Dr. Carla Pavone and Dr. Art Erdman, aim to accelerate translation and commercialization of UMN’s medical research.
The Innovation Pillar becomes a fourth major division of IEM, after Strategic Research Initiatives, Professional Education and Outreach, and the Inspire Program.
Pavone and Erdman, along with IEM leadership and two faculty members of IEM, have met regularly over the past year to draw up a strategic plan for the new Pillar. The plan, which is still under development, will focus primarily on inspiring potential innovators at UMN and helping them navigate the many University and local resources to drive their ideas into the marketplace. “We don’t want to duplicate the University’s amazing resources like the Technological Leadership Institute and multiple programs at Carlson School of Management,” says IEM Director John Bischof. “But we realize that many potential innovators at the University – especially in the Med School – still don’t get the help they need, and many don’t think about commercialization at all despite having fantastic ideas for innovative technologies.”
The Innovation Pillar will include the Bakken Medical Devices Center (BMDC), which is currently being led by Interim Director Will Durfee after Erdman stepped down to focus on the new Pillar. “BMDC is a key part of the new Pillar,” says Bischof. “We want to build on its long-term success and have it drive even more innovation for UMN and industry researchers.”
05/06/2021- BMDC to Join the Innovation Pillar of IEM
Bakken Medical Devices Center to join the Innovation Pillar of the Institute for Engineering in Medicine. Read the press release here
04/30/2021- Medical School Dean Jakub Tolar discusses the Inspire program with Inspire Co-Directors Rhonda Franklin and Chris Pennell
INSPIRING STUDENTS TOWARD STEM CAREERS
VP Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD, discusses the importance of inspiring students toward STEM careers with Institute for Engineering in Medicine's Inspire Program co-directors Rhonda Franklin, PhD, IEM and Christopher Pennell, PhD.
04/27/2021- New Method Preserves Viable Fruit Fly Embryos in Liquid Nitrogen
The new method, developed by a team led by IEM scientists John Bischof and Tom Hays, is a huge breakthrough for the hundreds of institutions that maintain over 100,000 different live fruit fly strains.
Read the UMN Research Brief
Read the Nature Communications paper
04/22/2021- New Organ and Tissue Preservation Center Launched!
IEM is proud to host the new Organ and Tissue Preservation Center established by the Biostasis Research Institute.
Read the press release
Watch the KSTP segment
01/05/2021- A Swift Response
IEM ENABLES RESEARCHERS TO COLLABORATE MORE EFFICIENTLY
A collaborative and swift COVID-19 response here on the UMN campus is one of IEM's proudest accomplishments of 2020.