UTEP engineering students design, create spinal implants

Mechanical engineering students at UTEP took on a class project for 15 weeks that could easily make an impact in the biomedical field. Two dozens students showed the final products of their artificial spinal disk implants. Students designed and developed their own spinal implant, conducted three design review presentations, completed a design history file, and tested prototypes of their designs. “The challenge was to actually create a device that would be implanted using surgical procedures for a replacement to the disk,” said Raudel Avila, one of twenty-four student who took the class that was offered for the first time. The implants were built with a 3D printer. The class was a partnership between the university and the venture capital firm, Fountainhead Investment Partners. Brian Kieser, a managing partner with the firm has ties to UTEP, he was once a student at the university. Kieser said his group is focused on funding ideas in the biomedical field. “As we have grown our businesses, we’ve found the need to hire and bring on more engineering people. Why not go to UTEP?,” Kieser said. The students know how this will help put UTEP in the national spotlight and help get theirs careers started sooner. “This class makes us shine among other students that are competing for those types of positions in this particular industry,” said Avila. The project got students to acquire more experience that will help put them in the front of the line when they begin to search for jobs. Kieser said these are the kind of projects that engineers work on well into their career. “We have been very impressed with the students and we’re excited to continue to plan more courses and expand the program,” added Kieser. The class incorporated medical device design including healthcare requirements that would be compliant with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Additionally, students had the opportunity to utilize traditional manufacturing methods, with a basic introduction to quality control. A design surgeon from San Antonio who has worked with the FDA came to El Paso to observe and help the students through out the course of the semester. “This is who we want to design the next phase of what’s coming in medicine,” said Dr. Frank Kuwamura, III. In 2015, Fountainhead transitioned to a venture capital firm, with initial funds focused on companies that are accessing innovative technologies from all industries and applying them to the science of medicine with the intention of disrupting the industry while also advancing patient care.