Four senior bioengineering students from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) have emerged as winners in the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Coulter College for Healthcare Innovation competition. The team, consisting of Brady Killham, Juan Ramirez, Jeannette Santos, and Michael Ikefuna, received the Best Overall award for their project called FibGuard. FibGuard is a wearable, non-invasive atrial fibrillation early detection device. The UTA team competed against several other prestigious universities and presented their winning project at the BMES annual conference.
The UTA team was selected from the Bioengineering Department’s National Institutes of Health-funded clinical immersion program. Faculty advisors Jun Liao and Justyn Jaworski handpicked the team members, who had participated in summer clinical experiences at prominent healthcare organizations such as UT Southwestern, Arlington EMS, Texas Health Resources, and Arlington Memorial Hospital. The competition aimed to provide students with opportunities to network, collaborate, and learn from professionals in the biomedical engineering field.
Throughout the competition, the UTA team received guidance and feedback from mentors in the biomedical engineering and business sectors. The mentors played a crucial role in helping the team fine-tune their product and presentation. The UTA team’s novel enhancements to medical devices used in the treatment of sleep apnea allowed for the early detection of atrial fibrillation in high-risk patients. By focusing on sleep apnea, the team found a unique and effective approach to their project.
Overall, the UTA team’s success in the Coulter College for Healthcare Innovation competition highlights their exceptional performance, adaptability, and ability to learn during the competition. The team’s experiences in the clinical immersion program and interaction with mentors from the biomedical engineering and business industries contributed to their outstanding result.
