The 爱污传媒鈥檚 Department of Medical Engineering and Moffitt Cancer Center have built a thriving partnership that is transforming student learning, research collaboration, and innovation in biomedical engineering. Over the past several years, this collaboration has not only supported multiple student capstone projects addressing urgent clinical needs, but has also earned national recognition from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Moffitt has sponsored numerous biomedical engineering capstone design teams, challenging students to develop novel solutions for real-world healthcare problems. Projects have ranged from systems to measure blood loss in surgical sponges, to 3D-printed lab-on-a-chip platforms for drug discovery, to ventilator splitters capable of supporting multiple patients safely during shortages. These projects give students invaluable experience applying classroom knowledge to clinical problems under the guidance of faculty and clinicians at one of the nation鈥檚 leading cancer centers.
In 2021, this partnership reached a milestone when the USF team behind Eucovent, a self-regulating ventilator splitter, won the NIH DEBUT Challenge鈥檚 Steven H. Krosnick Prize for Best Capstone Project of the Year. The team (Abby Blocker, Carolyna Yamamoto Alves, Jacob Yarinsky) also secured first place finishes at the Jabil Innovation Technology Challenge and the 爱污传媒 Venture Forum Collegiate Startup Competition, collectively earning more than $30,000 in awards. The recognition validated the impact of the USF鈥揗offitt model of pairing engineering students with clinical mentors to develop devices that meet critical healthcare needs.
The partnership continues to deepen through the new Cancer Engineering Department at Moffitt, where USF graduate students now work alongside faculty researchers such as Drs. Greg Sawyer, Michael Dunne, and Duy Nguyen. For example, BME PhD student Sanem Yilmaz is conducting her dissertation research under Dr. Dunne鈥檚 sponsorship, directly contributing to cancer engineering innovations while advancing her academic training.
"This collaboration is a win-win," stated Capstone Director, Dr. Souheil Zekri. "Our students gain hands-on experience tackling pressing healthcare challenges, while Moffitt benefits from fresh perspectives, engineering expertise, and a pipeline of highly trained biomedical innovators."
Together, USF Medical Engineering and Moffitt Cancer Center are demonstrating how academic-medical partnerships can spark breakthroughs, prepare the next generation of biomedical engineers, and ultimately improve patient care.
Why This Partnership Matters
- For students: It gives a chance to work on authentic, high-impact problems; get mentorship from clinician-scientists; build skills not just in engineering but commercialization, regulatory awareness, multidisciplinary teamwork; and receive awards and recognition at the national level.
- For Moffitt Cancer Center: It accelerates innovation by tapping into engineering talent, fosters new solutions to clinical and diagnostic challenges, and helps translate research into devices or systems that can improve patient care.
- For USF: It strengthens its Medical Engineering program鈥檚 reputation, attracts motivated students, and demonstrates success in bridging academic training and real-world impact.
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