New Medical Technology Emerges from Quarter at Aggie Square Program

The Quarter at Aggie Square Biomedical Engineering cohort wrapped up their 10-week experience with a presentation of three medical prototypes for growth-accommodating heart valves, noninvasive glucose monitors and stroke-detection devices. The students chose the concepts to solve complex health challenges they encountered.

"Invaluable is the only way to describe the program's experience and the impact to my academic career," said Isaac Albrecht, a third-year student.  "Not only did I observe and learn about surgeries up close, but I made several connections in the medical field, which in turn presented me with an opportunity to kickstart my career in tissue engineering research!"

Three student teams designed and presented their devices to industry leaders and entrepreneurs along with UC Davis faculty and leaders at the Aggie Square Launch Space Dec. 6. The teams shared the research, design and marketing plans for their devices and then answered questions about the feasibility, costs and realistic device applications. While the Quarter at Aggie Square Biomedical Engineering at the Health Campus Experience is only four years old, the previous cohort's projects were recognized for their transformative results. One cohort went on to win the 2023 Big Bang! Competition.

"I take immense pride in witnessing the remarkable transformations of our students from the beginning to the end of the quarter," said Aijun Wang, lead faculty coordinator for the program and professor of surgery and biomedical engineering. "The clinical observations have a profound impact, evident in the newfound confidence students display, the knowledge gained through direct interactions with surgeons in the operating room and the innovative ideas and proposals they presented at Friday's celebration event."

Quarter at Aggie Square limits the biomedical engineering Experience to just 12 students.  Faculty from both UC Davis Health and the College of Engineering lead the program's three courses — Clinical Needs in Health Care Settings, Aspects of Medical Device Design and Manufacturing, and Entrepreneurship in Biomedical Engineering.

Quarter at Aggie Square provides undergraduate students opportunities to study and learn across the causeway in Sacramento. The academic program is a part of Aggie Square, the planned innovation hub on the UC Davis Sacramento campus, in development now, to create new opportunities for research and public service.

The biomedical engineering Experience started out focusing on engineering and clinical application; but in 2023, the program revised courses to include business principles focused on the basics of manufacturing and engineering design. Aaron Anderson, the director of the UC Davis Student Startup Center, initially proposed the idea and supported the program through mentorship with the center.

"The biomedical engineering experience offers students the opportunity to take UC Davis classes while observing surgeries and clinical procedures at UC Davis Health," said Brianne Holden, Quarter at Aggie Square director. "The dedicated faculty team draws themes between coursework and clinical practice. This provides students professional networking opportunities and they learn from leaders in health care and entrepreneurship."

One faculty member, Jinhwan Kim, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and surgery, said at the event, "I might have become an entrepreneur instead of a professor if I had such an option available to me."