VOLUME IX | SEPT 2014 | ISSUE 1
THEPIONEER.GATECH.EDU
PIONEER SPOTLIGHT Learn more about the Study Abroad Program in Limerick, Ireland.
THE COULTER DEPARTMENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF GEORGIA TECH AND EMORY
3
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
From the Editor in Chief PIONEER
Established 2007
EDITOR IN CHIEF Jackson Hair
Greetings everyone,
FACULTY SPONSOR Barbara Fasse, Ph.D.
For those of you returning from your summer breaks, welcome back! And to those of you who are just now matriculating, congratulations on your acceptance. Many of you are settling into your new schedules, and we at Pioneer wish you well in acclimating yourselves to these changes and hope that you find success in all of your endeavors this upcoming semester. The Pioneer staff has been busy this past month putting together a new issue to help welcome everyone back. We have articles on two of the finalist teams which competed in Inventure last spring, one of which designed the Sucette Smart Soother, a pacifier that can monitor body temperatures, and the other which worked on Better Walk, and an innovatively designed crutch. Additionally, Dr. Esfandiar “Essy” Behravesh, the director of the BMED 3110 and 3610 instructional lab courses, has continued our After Hours series to discuss his love of sailing and his family. We also have an editorial on comments we received from incoming freshmen at FASET, a new Biotech Review article, and a Program Spotlight on the Ireland study abroad from this past summer. In addition, Pioneer will be unveiling its new website in the coming weeks at thepioneer. gatech.edu, where we plan to grow our online presence. Our own Anirudh Joshi will be stepping up as our new Senior Online Writer to lead online content generation to supplement our monthly printed issues. Be looking out for this and more. To get updates about when new articles are posted online, feel free to like our Facebook page at facebook.com/gtpioneer or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/pioneergt. If you would like, you can also reach us at thepioneer@
gatech.edu.
OPERATIONS SECRETARY TREASURER PUBLIC RELATIONS
Steven Touchton, Jr Fatiesa Sulejmani
Hee Su Lee Tino Zhang
WEBMASTERS Josh Diaddigo
Ali Abid Liam Carter-Condon Jimmy Nguyen Liangyu Tao
STAFF WRITERS Jonathan Austin
Asana Adams Shi (Amy) Hui Anirudh Joshi Nina Mohebbi Dhara Patel Valeriya Popova Abigail Riddle Hifza Sakhi Linda Tian Iva Zivojinovic Tanvi Rao Abhinaya Uthayakumar
EDITORS Catherine Chou
Nader Abdullahi Andrew Akers Julie Chow Hardika Dhir Amanda Klinker Meera Nathan Kristen Weirich Melanie Yoshimura
LAYOUT EDITORS Marisa Casola
Until next time, Jackson Hair Editor-in-Chief
Joy Kim Kevin Bai Samridhi Banskota Sruti Bheri Candice Cheung Nikita Nagpal Wenjun Wu Yiran Zhao
Pioneer
INSIDE PIONEER RECENT PUBLICATIONS……………………….………….…………..…………...…...…..... 3 INVENTURE......................................…….…………………..…….…….……….......….…... 4 Partha Unnava
AFTER HOURS.................................…….…………………..…….…….……….......….…... 5 Esfandiar “Essy” Behravesh
EVENTS AND DEADLINES.....……………………………..………………………...……...... 5 BIOTECH REVIEW.……...................……………..…….……...……….…….....………….... 6 Diabetes
BME ANSWERS................................................................................................................. 6 EDITORIAL..........................………….…......…………...…………..……….………..…....... 7 PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT........………………..………………………..…..…...……….......... 8 Limerick Study Abroad
INVENTURE..........................……..……………………………………...……..................... 10 Rachel Ford and Frederick Grimm
That’s So BME.....................………….…......…………...…………..……….………..…....... 11
PHOTOGRAPHERS David Van Wanda Chen Tashfia (Tishi) Chowdhury Nate Conn Morgan Hinchey Haley Howard Paige McQuade Thomas Nguyen Tuan Nguyen Meghan Styles Hyunjun (Fred) Woo SPONSORSHIP Shanzeh Farooqui Sameer Mishra
Adams COLLABORATORS Karen Paul Fincannon
Courtney Lucas Ferencik Sally Gerrish Esfandiar Behravesh Ross Cummings Rachel Ford Frederick Grimm Sara Khalek Partha Unnava
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Journal
Article Title
Authors
Academic Radiology
A multiobserver study of the effects of including point-of-care patient photographs with portable radiography: a means to detect wrong-patient errors.
Tridandapani S, Ramamurthy S, Provenzale J, Obuchowski NA, Evanoff MG, Bhatti P.
Acta Biomaterialia
Oxidized alginate hydrogels for bone morphogenetic protein-2 delivery in long bone defects.
Priddy LB, Chaudhuri O, Stevens HY, Krishnan L, Uhrig BA, Willett NJ, Guldberg RE.
American Journal of Physiology
Poldip2 Controls Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration by Regulating Focal Adhesion Turnover and Force Polarization.
Datla SR, McGrail DJ, Vukelic S, Huff LP, Lyle AN, Pounkova L, Lee M, Seidel-Rogol B, Khalil MK, Hilenski LL, Terada LS, Dawson MR, Lassègue B, Griendling KK.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Intraoperative Near-Infrared Imaging Can Identify Pulmonary Nodules.
Okusanya OT, Holt D, Heitjan D, Deshpande C, Venegas O, Jiang J, Judy R, DeJesus E, Madajewski B, Oh K, Wang M, Albelda SM,Nie S, Singhal S.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Suture forces in undersized mitral annuloplasty: novel device and measurements.
Siefert AW, Pierce EL, Lee M, Jensen MØ, Aoki C, Takebayashi S, Fernandez Esmerats J, Gorman RC, Gorman JH 3rd, Yoganathan AP.
ATVB
Role of Flow-Sensitive microRNAs in Endothelial Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis: Mechanosensitive Athero-miRs.
Kumar S, Kim CW, Simmons RD, Jo H.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
Estrogen receptor-alpha 36 mediates the anti-apoptotic effect of estradiol in triple negative breast cancer cells via a membrane-associated mechanism.
Chaudhri RA, Hadadi A, Lobachev KS, Schwartz Z, Boyan BD
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
Signaling components of the 1α,25(OH)2D3-dependent Pdia3 receptor complex are required for Wnt5a calcium-dependent signaling.
Doroudi M, Olivares-Navarrete R, Hyzy SL, Boyan BD, Schwartz Z.
Biomaterials Science
Characterization of a multilayer heparin coating for biomolecule presentation to human mesenchymal stem cell spheroids.
Lei J, McLane LT, Curtis JE, Temenoff JS
Biomaterials
Heparin microparticle effects on presentation and bioactivity of bone morphogenetic protein-2.
Hettiaratchi MH, Miller T, Temenoff JS, Guldberg RE, McDevittTC.
Biomaterials
The modulation of cardiac progenitor cell function by hydrogel-dependent Notch1 activation.
Boopathy AV, Che PL, Somasuntharam I, Fiore VF, Cabigas EB, Ban K, Brown ME, Narui Y, Barker TH, Yoon YS, Salaita K, García AJ, Davis ME.
Blood
Acid sphingomyelinase is activated in sickle cell erythrocytes and contributes to inflammatory microparticle generation in sickle cell disease.
Awojoodu AO, Keegan PM, Lane AR, Zhang Y, Lynch KR, Platt MO, Botchwey EA.
Brain Connect
The Neural Basis of Time-Varying Resting-State Functional Connectivity.
Keilholz SD.
Curr Opin Chem Eng
The More Exotic Shapes of Semiconductor Nanocrystals: Emerging Applications in Bioimaging.
Lim SJ, Smith A, Nie S.
Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Redox processes inform multivariate transdifferentiation trajectories associated with TGFβ-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
Prasanphanich AF, Andrew Arencibia C, Kemp ML.
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
Phase-amplitude coupling and infraslow (<1 Hz) frequencies in the rat brain: relationship to resting state fMRI.
Thompson GJ, Pan WJ, Billings JC, Grooms JK, Shakil S, Jaeger D, Keilholz SD.
Frontiers in Neuroengineering
Deep brain stimulation macroelectrodes compared to multiple microelectrodes in rat hippocampus.
Arcot Desai S, Gutekunst CA, Potter SM, Gross RE.
Journal of the American Chem Society
On-demand optical immobilization of Caenorhabditis elegans for high-resolution imaging and microinjection.
Hwang H, Krajniak J, Matsunaga Y, Benian GM, Lu H.
Journal of Biomechanics
Computational simulations of flow dynamics and blood damage through a bileaflet mechanical heart valve scaled to pediatric size and flow.
Yun BM, McElhinney DB, Arjunon S, Mirabella L, Aidun CK, Yoganathan AP.
Journal of Biotechnology
Improved production of α-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) by a Bacillus subtilis whole-cell biocatalyst via engineering of l-amino acid deaminase and deletion of the α-KG utilization pathway.
Hossain GS, Li J, Shin HD, Liu L, Wang M, Du G, Chen J.
Journal Chem Neuro
Plexin a4 expression in adult rat cranial nerves.
Gutekunst CA, Gross RE.
J Control Release
Ocular delivery of macromolecules.
Kim YC, Chiang B, Wu X, Prausnitz MR
Journal of Immunology
Accumulation of serial forces on TCR and CD8 frequently applied by agonist antigenic peptides embedded in MHC molecules triggers calcium in T cells.
Pryshchep S, Zarnitsyna VI, Hong J, Evavold BD, Zhu C.
Journal of Medical Devices
Blood Damage Quantification in Cardiovascular Flows Through Medical Devices Using a Novel Suspension Flow Method.
Min Yun B, Aidun CK, Yoganathan AP.
Journal Motor Behavior
Short-term effect of crural fasciotomy on kinematic variability and propulsion during level locomotion.
Stahl VA, Nichols TR.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Simultaneous Imaging of Locus Coeruleus and Substantia Nigra with a Quantitative Neuromelanin MRI Approach.
Chen X, Huddleston D, Langley J, Ahn S, Barnum C, Factor SA, Levey AI, Hu X.
Methods Molecular Bio
Isolation and expansion of C-kit-positive cardiac progenitor cells by magnetic cell sorting.
French KM, Davis ME.
Nature Communication
Mapping the spatial distribution of charge carriers in quantum-confined heterostructures.
Smith AM, Lane LA, Nie S.
Nature Neuroscience
Noninvasive optical inhibition with a red-shifted microbial rhodopsin.
Chuong AS, Miri ML, Busskamp V, Matthews GA, Acker LC, Sørensen AT, Young A, Klapoetke NC, Henninger MA, Kodandaramaiah SB, Ogawa M, Ramanlal SB, Bandler RC, Allen BD, Forest CR, Chow BY, Han X, Lin Y, Tye KM, Roska B, Cardin JA, Boyden ES.
Nucleic Acids Research
Integration of mapped RNA-Seq reads into automatic training of eukaryotic gene finding algorithm.
Lomsadze A, Burns PD, Borodovsky M.
PeerJ
Single cell transcriptional analysis reveals novel innate immune cell types.
Kippner LE, Kim J, Gibson G, Kemp ML.
PLoS One
Low intensity, high frequency vibration training to improve musculoskeletal function in a mouse model of duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Novotny SA, Mader TL, Greising AG, Lin AS, Guldberg RE, Warren GL, Lowe DA.
PLoS One
Delivery of bioactive lipids from composite microgel-microsphere injectable scaffolds enhances stem cell recruitment and skeletal repair.
Das A, Barker DA, Wang T, Lau CM, Lin Y, Botchwey EA
Proceedings of National Acad of Sciences
Seamless modification of wild-type induced pluripotent stem cells to the natural CCR5Δ32 mutation confers resistance to HIV infection.
Ye L, Wang J, Beyer AI, Teque F, Cradick TJ, Qi Z, Chang JC, Bao G, Muench MO, Yu J, Levy JA, Kan YW.
Science Reports
A protective role of murine langerin(+) cells in immune responses to cutaneous vaccination with microneedle patches.
Pulit-Penaloza JA, Esser ES, Vassilieva EV, Lee JW, Taherbhai MT, Pollack BP, Prausnitz MR, Compans RW, Skountzou I.
Science Reports
Living biointerfaces based on non-pathogenic bacteria to direct cell differentiation.
Rodrigo-Navarro A, Rico P, Saadeddin A, Garcia AJ, Salmeron-Sanchez M.
Tissue Engineering Part A
Effect of Cell Origin and Timing of Delivery for Stem Cell-Based Bone Tissue Engineering Using Biologically Functionalized Hydrogels.
Dosier CR, Uhrig BA, Willett NJ, Krishnan L, Li MT, Stevens HY, Schwartz Z, Boyan BD, Guldberg RE.
Transplantation
Therapeutic Effects of a Non-β Cell Bioartificial Pancreas in Diabetic Mice.
Tiernan AR, Thulé PM, Sambanis A.
4
5 INVENTURE
AFTER HOURS
PARTHA UNNAVA: A PROFILE
CRUISE CONTROL
By Dhara Patel Undergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
By Esfandiar “Essy” Behravesh Instructional Lab Director in the Coulter Department
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I
don’t do still. If I am still, I fall asleep. I am not talking about physical stillness; mental stillness is what really puts me to sleep. No matter how much coffee I drink, if I am bored, then I am asleep. Put on a random TV show and I’ll be asleep in less than six minutes. I’ve checked multiple times with my FitBit – six minutes is all it takes.
artha Unnava is certainly on track to becoming a successful Georgia Tech alumnus. As a fifth year student, Partha and his good friend and former classmate Andrew Varghese founded the startup Better Walk, which produces crutches that allow the patient to rest his or her weight on the arms and apply lateral force in the armpit area. Partha first came up with this idea of a redesigned crutch after he broke his ankle playing basketball and needed crutches for a summer, during which time a continuous underarm pain led him to search for a better alternative. He decided to talk to various orthopedic surgeons and patients about their experiences, and after spending a weekend collaborating with different experts in a PBL room, Partha conceptualized a new design. Its secret? The crutch ends three inches under the armpit.
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am a great taste-tester of the baked goods that my wife makes. But most importantly, I love that I have the opportunity to spend time with those who matter to me. I enjoy exploring new things with my family and witnessing my progenies learn and expand their curiosity. It’s exciting and engaging, and I can’t wait to see how far they will sail.
Before I moved to Atlanta, sailing was my nirvana. I grew up in Florida on my family’s 48’ Trimaran. I used to lie on the trampoline for hours, watching the dolphins swim in our boat’s wake. Every wake, every movement, every experience was slightly different. I loved it, and I dreamt about sailing the open seas. I even selected a graduate school because it was close to the sea and took out a loan while a graduate student to buy my first true sailboat, Prudence. She was a 26’ Albin Vega, a hearty little boat built for endurance. She was the perfect boat for me! The quiet, salty wind in a sailboat brings back all of my memories of youthful exuberance and exploration.
So how did this lead to a startup? After designing the prototype, as well as doing several internships that Partha found somewhat stifling, he collaborated with Andrew and Frankie Swindell to found Better Walk – to “do something for real.” They moved on to become finalists in the Inventure Prize Challenge and were participants at the Maker Faire that was hosted by the White House. In fact, not only was Better Walk the only undergraduate team present at the fair, but it was also one of ten teams chosen to present its design to President Obama, who described it as “crazy.” Currently, Better Walk is on its next round of funding and is fine-tuning its crutch design, with the new prototypes expected to be market-ready by early next year.
When I sold Prudence, I bought my then-girlfriend, now-wife a ring, which I call Prudence II. Prudence II and its wearer are constant sources of engagement. I could not have made a more prudent decision in my entire life. I can definitively say that there has never been a dull moment with her. Because my wife and I are overeducated, we can only work in one of two cities, Atlanta or D.C. The problem is that Atlanta is landlocked, and D.C. is D.C.
Above: Parth Annava met Congressman John Lewis as a part of the first ever White House Maker Faire. (Photo: Submitted) Right: Parth Annava met President Barak Obama as a part of the first ever White House Maker Faire. (Photo: Submitted)
“Partha first came up with this idea of a redesigned crutch after he broke his ankle playing basketball.”
As a card-carrying member of the Dads with Two Daughters club, I gladly don’t get much sleep; the salty air has grown to become the tearfree strawberry scented shampoo for kids. That and work aside, I am an avid mountain biker, like to play poker, like to think that I am decent at first-person shooter (FPS) games, am a great short-order cook, and
EVENTS AND DEADLINES
Behravesh on his sailboat, Prudence. (Photo: Submitted)
SEPTEMBER
4 Bioengineering Seminar Series Dr. Konstantinos Konstantopoulos 11 AM — Petit Room 1128
9 Breakfast Club Dr. Loren Williams 8:30 AM — Petit Room 1128
5 Immunoengineering Seminar Series Tim Chang & Michael Baksh 9:30 AM — Petit Room 1128
11 The 10th Annual Georgia Tech Biotechnology Career Fair 1 PM — MS&E Building
8-9 All Majors Career Fair Campus Recreation Center
23 Bioengineering Seminar Series Dr. Kevin James 11 AM — Petit Room 1128
6
7
BIOTECH
EDITORIAL
FASTER AND CHEAPER TEST FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES
BEST MAJOR EVER
By Linda Tian Undergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
By Abhinaya Uthayakumar Undergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
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A
ccording to the International Diabetes Federation, there are currently 382 million people world-wide who suffer from diabetes, so it comes as no surprise that diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2010. Those with type 1 diabetes are unable to produce insulin, an important hormone needed to convert food into energy that the body can use. If left untreated, type 1 diabetes can lead to a variety of complications, such as damage to the kidneys, nervous system, heart, and feet.
in poorer countries where many with diabetes are currently undiagnosed because of how costly existing tests are. http://www.technologyreview.com/news/528961/a-chip-offers-a-faster-and-cheapertest-for-type-1-diabetes/, http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/toolkit/gp/facts-figures, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/basics/complications/ con-20019573
Scientists at Stanford University have now developed a new test for diagnosing type 1 diabetes that is both faster and less expensive than the current method, which takes several days to process and costs hundreds of dollars. The current diagnostic process involves sending patients’ blood samples to a lab. The blood is then tested using radioactive elements, which detect the autoantibody that attacks insulin-producing cells and causes type 1 diabetes. This type of testing is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. With the new test, however, a doctor or nurse diagnoses patients simply by placing their blood on a chip roughly the size of a business card and adding a chemical that gives off a fluorescent signal when in contact with the auto-antibody. The chip has a glass plate coated with nanoscale amounts of gold, which serve to enhance the fluorescent signal and make the test more reliable. The use of such a chip shortens the diagnosis process to only a few hours, making it a much more convenient option. It is a very cost-efficient option at only $20 and could be especially beneficial
BME ANSWERS
Schematic showing spatial relationships on the plasmonic Au substrate. (Photo: Zhang, et al. Nature Medicine)
By ALPHA ETA MU BETA - The BME Secret Society
1. I’m really interested in joining a research lab or doing an internship/co-op. When should I start getting involved in these? Before jumping into all of the amazing things BME has to offer, it is helpful to first get adjusted to Tech and become comfortable with the course load and other commitments. However, it is never too early to begin learning about what sorts of things you are interested in! BME is a great major because there are so many different ways to get experience outside of class, including research in one of the many labs on or off campus, internships and co-ops with various companies, and healthcare opportunities such as at a hospital or a clinic. In fact, a good starting point is to talk to upperclassmen about their experiences. You can also go online to learn about different labs or companies, and the BME academic office is full of resources, including our fantastic advisors, to help you find things to suit your interests. In spring semester, freshmen can look at applying for internships, seeking out research labs they find interesting and emailing the professor, or reaching out to nearby clinics or hospitals about the possibility of volunteering or working. For upperclassmen interested in pursuing these opportunities, it’s also never too late to start! 2. How can I get to know my professors? One of the best things you can do while at Tech is to get to know your professors, both inside and outside the BME department. Professors usually know their material and can also help you get involved in research, for example. Having good relationships with professors is also very helpful when applying for jobs, graduate school, or medical school, as all of these will require multiple letters of recommendation. For many students, it can be challenging to develop these relationships. One way to get to know professors is simply by going to office hours. Every professor has office hours - time specifically set aside specifically for students - so take advantage of it! Most professors, especially ones in the BME department, love talking to students and will make time to talk to you about class, personal interests, and anything else. If there is a professor whose class you especially enjoy, consider getting coffee or inviting him or her to lunch!
Abhinaya Uthayakumar is an undergraduate writer for the Pioneer publication. (Photo: Morgan Hinchey)
I
t is that time of year again when Georgia Tech welcomes its new class and prepares them for the next chapter of their lives! Just as in previous years, many of the entering biomedical engineering freshmen have misconceptions of what they will be required to do and what kinds of careers they may pursue. These misconceptions mainly exist because, unlike computer science or other subjects to which students are directly exposed in high school, biomedical engineering does not have a clear path. While some freshmen believe biomedical engineering is the “merging of all the sciences to effectively and efficiently solve a problem or create a product,” others say that it “bridges the gap between innovation and engineering, which is extremely necessary and important in today’s day and age.” One student simply stated biomedical engineering as the “starting point to [his] future career. The first step.” Regardless of perspective, however, many freshmen have chosen biomedical
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engineering for its engineering aspect. This is a wise choice as, contrary to popular belief, jobs available to BME students go beyond medicine and purely research-related fields and vary from training to hospital support in Health IT to consulting, program development, and product development. In fact, more than half of alumni take the industry route and work in jobs, such as quality and regulatory affairs and government. Specifically, some evaluate the safety and efficiency of the medical devices while others build software that helps organizations provide better healthcare. At the same time, about ten percent of Georgia Tech’s biomedical engineering students pursue medical school taking their love for engineering sciences to another level. This adaptability, to which many upperclassmen and alumni can attest using examples from Problems in Biomedical Engineering I (BMED 1300) and Conservation Principles in Biomedical Engineering (BMED 2210), is truly one of the greatest advantages of the major; biomedical engineers graduate with many career options. As a matter of fact, interviewed upperclassmen further emphasized the growing importance of biomedical engineering in current society from artificial organs to computer modeling of physiological systems. It is evident that the growing focus on health issues along with an increased concern for costeffectiveness will drive demand for better medical devices and equipment designed by biomedical engineers. Meanwhile, with biomedical engineering’s flexibility and its growing outreach, it only seems to intrigue more new students. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Tech-old adage continues to ring true; BME is in fact the Best Major Ever.
BME ANSWERS CONTINUED... 3. What kinds of careers do BMEs pursue after college? For many freshmen, BME seems like a wildly fascinating, futuristic major but one that doesn’t have a clear-cut path after graduation. This, for the most part, is true; BME is such an encompassing major that there are many areas BMEs can enter after leaving Tech. Among the most prominent include research at graduate school, one or more of a master’s degree, PhD and medical school, or the biomedical industry. Within each of these, there are many different pathways which can be tailored to fit specific interests. For example, within industry, BMEs can go into medical device development, drug design, and consulting. As such, while at Tech, it is very helpful to get exposure in different areas to get an idea of what you find most appealing. To this end, getting involved in research, interning/co-oping, and working in a healthcare setting are great things to try out. It is also worth noting that there are BME graduates who go into entirely different things as well; the world is open to you when deciding your post-graduate plans.
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8 PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
MAR ISSUE SEPT ISSUE51
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
HAVE YOU GOT THE “GIFT OF GAB?”
experience wasn’t constrained to just the classroom; students were also able to tour the manufacturing floors of companies such as Boston Scientific, Cook Medical, Abbott, and Medtronic and visit the National University of Ireland (NUI) of Galway and learn more about the PhD/research opportunities offered there. Clearly, it is no coincidence that site for the program was chosen to be Ireland, a hotbed of biomedical innovation responsible for producing 80% of the global supply of stents.
off a parapet and kiss the Blarney Stone in the hopes of also being given “the gift of the gab”. This past summer, Sara Khalek and Ross Cummings, two participants in the AE/BME Study Abroad in Limerick, Ireland, also partook in this tradition. While they may not have been endowed with an eloquence so legendary and fabled as that of MacCarthy, both students came back with plenty of stories and experiences from their time abroad. With regards to traveling and delving into Irish Culture, both Sara and Ross agreed that they did not experience much of a “culture shock”. According to Ross, “[Ireland] is very similar to the US in most respects - just cleaner and more beautiful everywhere you look”. One major change that Sara notes, however, is that “much of the social life [is] surrounded around bars - even on the University of Limerick campus, they have multiple bars where people within Limerick would meet, talk, and listen to music.” As for attractions, both travelers found
In the end, both Sara and Ross have no regrets about being a part of this program. In fact, to all those who are considering studying abroad through the BME Ireland program, Ross gives this bit of encouragement and advice: “If it fits the classes you need, don’t hesitate. Just go.” At the very least, it would never hurt to have the chance to give that mossy, oft-kissed rock a quick smooch should you ever find yourself on the wrong side of a cuppa’ tea with the Queen of England.
By Jonathan Austin Undergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
I
King John’s Castle, Limerick. (Photo: Nathan Cummings)
n the late 1400’s, a man by the name of Cormac MacCarthy, once King of Munster, sought to fend off the Earl of Leicester who, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth I, desired to take possession of the king’s castle. The king, being rather poor in speech, feared his inability to properly communicate would cause him to forfeit his land. One day, an old woman advised the King to kiss the first stone he saw that morning, promising him that he would be endowed with a great eloquence. Sure enough, upon kissing the stone, the king was able to amaze the Earl with his words and ably distract him. After the Earl had made many visits, all futile, the Queen demanded of the Earl an explanation. The ensuing report was filled with so many excuses, “blarney,” that the Queen simply let MacCarthy keep his lands, never to be questioned again. In the years since, many people have traveled to MacCarthy’s castle to dangle
some interesting things to do. Two of Sara’s favorites were biking along the Sky Road, a weaving road which runs through the Irish countryside and cliff tops, and sitting right on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s most visited natural attraction, which towers more than seven hundred feet at its highest over the Atlantic coast. Ross, on the other hand, fondly remembers touring the “rough” bits of Belfast and learning how to play Hurling, a sport of Gaelic origin and considered by many to be the fastest of all team sports, at a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club in Dublin. Of course, as with any Study Abroad, the “study” part of the program took its fair share of time. During the week, each class ran a hefty 2-3 hours, four days a week. In addition, many of the courses, such as Biotransport (3300) and Systems and Modeling (3510), came from the tailend of the curriculum. As Ross put it, “the compressed schedule was a challenge and balancing work and side trips was not always easy … you’re in for the long haul.” The BME
Scenic View on the Ring of Kerry. (Photo: Nathan Cummings)
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“If it fits the classes
you need, don’t hesitate. Just go.”
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10 INVENTURE
MAR ISSUE SEPT ISSUE51
INVENTURE
we got around those by leveraging the vast network of expertise available.” She also added to it by saying it was essential to be resourceful since funding is limited and taking advantage of campus resources like the Invention Studio and the BME Machine Shop helped them.
PEARLY WHITES, PACIFIERS, PARENTS, AND PATENTS
T
By Anirudh Joshi Undergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
he startup culture at the Georgia Institute of Technology has been booming in recent years and one such example of that is Sucette – a new startup co-founded by Rachel Ford and Frederick Grimm. Based out of the basement of the Ford Environmental Science & Technology Building, this startup is looking to make waves in the infant care market. Their central product at the moment is a pacifier that promises to relieve stress from first time parents. The pacifier helps diagnose infant fever by changing its color. The colorchanging feature is also incorporated in the front of the pacifier to signal to parents that the surroundings are too hot for the infant and that there is potential for heat exhaustion. This elegant solution to a serious societal problem was first conceived in BMED 2300,
one of the design based classes in the biomedical engineering curriculum. Though it was initially a class project, the team saw the potential in this idea and took it further by competing in the Inventure Prize Competition. Having now won second place in the 2014 edition of the Inventure Prize, the team has taken the next major step towards commercialization by participating in Startup Summer, Georgia Tech’s 12-week program for undergraduate teams to go from ideas to launched startups. They commented that, as engineering students, we tend to get caught up in the technology that defines the product rather than the value it provides the customer. Startup Summer has helped them by guiding them through a customer discovery process where they were able to learn what consum-
The next step for Sucette is to pitch the idea to investors at the end of the summer, and they will also be attending the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas to market their product. The founders did have some great advice for students who are looking to launch startups. One of the main inputs was to take full advantage of Georgia Tech’s resources. Georgia Tech has one of the world’s best startup incubators where students are free to discuss their ideas with experts. Making full use of these resources while in college can be instrumental in turning startup dreams into reality. Another point they added was to never be discouraged by the ‘Tech bubble’ because an idea that may seem ‘common-place’ at Tech could be a world changing idea.
ers actually need. This was essential to their progress and even helped center their focus. Initially Sucette was focused on a pacifier that would reduce the adverse dental and skeletal effects that are commonly associated with current pacifiers. However, after talking to the consumers, they found that the temperature sensing aspect of the pacifier clicked and the team shifted focus to that feature instead. Though the color-changing feature is impressive, what really adds value is the fact that parents do not have to worry about guessing when their child is sick. It was this value proposition that has moved Sucette forward. Sucette’s journey was not entirely smooth, and on some of the challenges the team has faced, Rachel responded by saying, “We have had many technical challenges, but
After taking home the second place prize in the 2014 Inventures Prize competition, Rachel Ford and Frederick Grimm are passionate about what lies in the future for Sucette, the startup company they co-founded. (Photo: Morgan Hinchey)
THAT’S SO BME...
The Sucette start-up created an innovative pacifier that features a temperature-sensitive aspect that alerts parents when their child is running a fever or in a high-temperature environment. (Photo: Submitted)
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Startups like Sucette are an inspiration to all of us. It takes passionate and motivated people to successfully manage a startup – and the founders of Sucette clearly demonstrate this. The story of how they got to where they are is a testament to the resources and facilities that Georgia Tech provides. Here is to hoping for good news for Sucette and Georgia Tech’s startup community.
Need a job or co-op/ internship? Lookout for these events! Getting Job with a BME undergraduate degree
September 3rd | 5:30 PM-7 PM | Whitaker 1214 GT Career Fair
September 8th | 9:30 AM- 4 PM | CRC ASME Career Fair
September 9th | 6 PM- 8 PM | SC Ballroom AiChE Clearing House
September 10th | 3 PM-5:30PM | MS& E Biotechnology Career Fair
September 11th | 1 PM- 5 PM | MS & E