Bomze ’22 Designs New Medical Instruments

MONICA BOMZE ’22, who recently graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering and a minor in robotics, presented research for a new instrument for minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery (MILS).

Bomze, whose research verified the feasibility of the new instrument, presented her findings at the 2022 Design of Medical Devices Conference in Minneapolis. The American Society of Chemical Engineers also published Bomze’s findings in Frontiers in Biomedical Devices as part of the conference proceedings.

MILS is a technique in which a surgeon inserts a thin, cameraequipped surgical device into the abdomen or pelvis through one or more small incisions. These procedures result in fewer infections and instances of scarring or pain.

While a student, Bomze worked on the project with Professor Carl Nelson from the University of NebraskaLincoln through a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program funded by the National Science Foundation.

Titled “The Experimental Validation and Design Refinement of a Disposable, Articulated, Surgical Instrument,” her research included experimenting, mathematical modeling, analysis and design, allowing her to apply the technical knowledge and skills she gained at Clarkson toward something impactful and fulfilling.

“I love engineering and problem solving,” Bomze says. “I wanted to use that to help others.”

Bomze said that her research challenged her due to the independent nature of her work. She learned to trust herself, even when everything didn’t go as planned. She presented her progress weekly for the biomedical engineering

program — and, when progress turned to failure, she realized that it still kept her on the track to discovery.

At the conference, Bomze presented her findings in the Advances in Surgical Tools session, followed by a question-and-answer session. She also competed in the Five-Minute Pitch competition, promoting the surgical tool as a viable commercial product to prominent companies in the medical device industry.