Biomedical Engineering Masters MSE | MS | MEng

After completing my Ph.D. at U-M, I built on my expertise in Biomedical Optics, which was the topic of my thesis.  I took a postdoctoral research position at Texas A&M in a lab that was developing non-invasive glucose sensing technology.  These fully implantable sensors sat 5 mm below the skin, and I was developing a wearable detector (like a wristband) that could read the signal from the sensor.  Continuous glucose monitoring without the need for a finger-prick blood measurement could greatly improve the lifestyle of diabetic patients, and alert them of sudden drops or spikes in blood sugar.  Our research group collaborated with a start-up company that was working on commercializing the technology.  This exposure taught me more about the business aspects of medical technology development. 

After 2 years at Texas A&M, I accepted a position at the large medical technology company Becton Dickinson (BD).  I continued working in the Diabetes field in my first role at BD, which was in Durham, North Carolina.  Type 1 diabetics often wear catheters that continuously infuse insulin in their abdomen.  I was working on reducing the inflammation that was incited by these insulin infusion sets, which would allow them to be worn longer before changing the catheter.  Working in a large company taught me a different work culture.  This was faster-paced, and I had more resources at my disposal.  Rather than executing the scientific work myself, I was planning experiments and generating new ideas, and collaborating with smaller companies and universities to conduct the work.

I then moved to another role in BD, this time located in Vernon Hills, Illinois.  Now I was doing project management for the development of a new kind of catheter.  This catheter is to be implanted in late-stage cancer patients to drain the pleural fluid that builds up around their lungs. Leading a project whose objective was to launch a product required me to develop new skillsets.  I had members on my team from non-engineering functions: regulatory, marketing, medical affairs. I also had to work with non-research functions like manufacturing and quality. I needed to develop business savvy, learning to think about the non-technical challenges that are required to commercialize products. I greatly enjoy being a leader in New Product Development teams and looking ahead, I hope to continue to grow as a leader in medical technology development.

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

I was happy to do a BSE in Mechanical Engineering, which taught me very good fundamental engineering skills.  It’s a very versatile major.  Doing an MSE and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering helped me specialize, and I see the power of Biomedical Engineering as enabling me to contribute creatively in highly interdisciplinary environments.  You can sit in a meeting with engineers, scientists, and clinicians and bridge the discussion among all of them.

Favorite Class

The most valuable class I ever took was ME 395, the junior-year lab class.  It was very tough, but the technical communication skills it taught me are what helped me stand out throughout my career.

Favorite Student Orgs

I was highly involved in student organizations throughout undergrad and grad school, and this was hugely impactful in my life.  I met the girl who went on to become my wife in Ingenieros.  I developed leadership skills through Epeians and Engineering Student Council, sometimes the hard way through mistakes, but better to make those mistakes in school than later.  I built strong networks that aid me to this day, and have many continuing friendships through them.

I am currently in a 2-year rotational program at Pall, focusing on R&D in biotechnology. I am approaching the tail end of my first rotation in new product development and will be moving into Pall’s biotechnology automation and analytics team. 

There are several projects that have been helpful to me. First and foremost was my time in BME’s graduate medical device product development course. I presented this project during my interview and I’m certain it was key in securing this job. It provided me with a strong background in understanding how products, not just medical devices, are developed and prepared me for the processes used at Pall. Second have been hard math/experimental based courses. Much of my work focuses on designing DOEs, executing, and making sense of the data. 

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

A graduate degree rounds out your education, you are aware of more than your peers and can draw from that pool to augment things you’ve learned in your undergraduate.

Advice to Students

Take courses with “skills” if you are dead-set on going into engineering/industry even if it’s not directly relevant to your program (i.e. CAD, programming, regulatory process, experimental design, STATISTICS, etc.). 

During my Ph.D., I worked with CRLT-Engin and at the Business School. After graduating with my Ph.D., I pursued three different interests – my scientific interests with a post-doc position in the Department of Chemistry, my teaching interests through an Instructional Consultant position at CRLT-Engin, and my coaching interests through a position at the Innovatrium. Through working on diversified projects and multi-disciplinary teams, I found avenues to pursue many of my interests professionally. It helped me understand what skills I had developed during my academic career and forced me to figure out what unique skills I had. Above all else, I found that I love problem-solving in any incarnation. After several years of post-graduation at UM, I decided to pursue an industry position in medical device design. I purposefully selected a small company that would function more like a start-up, enabling me to diversify my skills while experiencing numerous phases of the design process, from requirement development through validation.

Advice to Students

My advice to students is to think proactively. As you prepare for your next step in life, consider your competencies on a graph. You will have a range of competencies, from below average, to average, to above average. Understanding this spectrum is the first step because it will help you hone in on your unique abilities. The next step is to set a plan for improvement. Progress forward is often defined as eliminating your weaknesses or doubling down on your strengths. I think finding the middle is better. If the goal is to make forward progress, consider your skills like an inchworm. Find your strengths, identify how to improve, and move the head of the inchworm forward. Find your weaknesses, identify how to improve, and move the tail of the inchworm forward. By repeating this process, your inchworm is always moving forward. If you are pursuing a job, identify the skills that you possess that will immediately help the employer. When contacting the hiring manager, clearly state what you can help with and how you will do it. If possible, use projects you’ve completed to demonstrate those skills.

I currently manage a manufacturing plant, including staffing, value stream planning, improvements, and quality system work for a cGMP pharmaceutical vaccine production. I have worked for a small biotechnology company to perform process development and validation of a human stem cell-based product to treat cardiac myopathy and limb ischemia. I also worked at Pfizer researching small molecule cardio antagonists in animal models to identify new vasodilation compounds for cardiac treatment.

In 2017, I implemented a new state of the art serialization equipment to track and trace the full supply chain of the distributed vaccine. In 2017-2018, I transitioned the manufacturing staff into a new high throughput manufacturing capacity and implemented complete resource and staffing model changes. I also contributed to the Emergency Use Authorization of a new vaccine to protect against anthrax attacks.

What excites you about your career?

Working with a diverse group of people to solve challenging problems in the pursuit of improving healthcare and protect human life

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

• Likes: I love the campus and all of the team-based projects. The degree coursework was interesting and challenging. The analytical techniques and ways of problem-solving are directly applicable to the real world. The U of M culture is so warm and exciting.  
• Dislikes: Some courses didn’t always seem relevant or seemed to be unnecessarily difficult, requiring a huge grading curve. I didn’t really understand the purpose of making exams so difficult that such large curves were needed. I received a lot of parking tickets too, so the parking and North Campus bus schedule could be problematic.
• Favorite Events: UofM football and hockey games, tailgating
• Favorite Student Orgs: Phi Sigma Rho sorority, BME Society
• Favorite Classes: senior capstone course in BME

Advice for students

Enjoy your time in college, work hard and play hard. Working full time is nice but not nearly as fun at being in college, so be sure to reflect and have fun.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Camp, go hiking, play soccer and frisbee golf, read

I have spent the last 10 years working for the US FDA in various field operations related capacities as a Drug Specialist Investigator, Supervisory Investigator, and now Director of Investigations Branch. As the Director of Investigations Branch for the Division of Pharmaceutical Quality Operations III within the Office of Regulatory Affairs for FDA, I am responsible for all pharmaceutical operations within the US Midwest which typically consists of manufacturing facility inspections, investigations, and sample collections. My branch currently consists of nearly 40 investigators, supervisory investigators, and support staff who perform these operations. 

My most memorable experiences were those as a Drug Specialist Investigator for FDA. Highlights of these include a short rotation stationed at the FDA China Office out of Shanghai, China, providing courtroom testimony to support a pharmaceutical facility shutdown, and leading a facility inspection that resulted in public health protections that included a judicial consent decree of permanent injunction entered against the facility and recalls of drug products distributed to 15 different countries. 

What excites you about your career?

I am passionate about the work we do every day at the FDA to provide safe and effective medicines for the American consumer and protect public health. 

Have you received any awards? Name and year received?

The FDA and the US PHS have recognized my professional contributions with several awards. Examples include an FDA Outstanding Service Award in 2014, a USPHS Meritorious Service Medal in 2018, and multiple group awards throughout the years. 

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

• Likes: I loved the campus atmosphere and opportunities for exposure to a variety of experiences. Go Blue!
• Dislike: I don’t have any strong memories of my time at U of M that I didn’t like. 
• Favorite Classes: My senior and graduate innovative design courses through the BME department. These courses forced us to apply our engineering background and knowledge to technical problems, communicate effectively with relevant stakeholders, and present tangible proposals, mimicking professional career experiences. 

Advice for Students

Be open to what the future might bring. When some doors close, other opportunities may present themselves that were even better than imagined. I had always thought I would either enter industry as an engineer or perhaps medical school, but I am thrilled with the events that did not seem ideal at the time, but lead me to work at the FDA and for the US Public Health Service. 

What do you like to do outside of work?

With two young kids under the age of 3, I enjoy spending my time outside work playing with them and watching them grow. 

My first job out of school was as an R&D engineer at a small biodevice start-up in Ann Arbor. After funding cuts, I scrambled for a new position and ended up in the field of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring. I worked in many roles in that field ranging from front line neuromonitoring technologist to QA supervisor to Education Coordinator to Clinical Operations Director. During this progression, I realized that I had a passion for our healthcare system and was fascinated by how we could improve delivery, efficiency, and cost of care so I went back to school to get my MHSA in Health Management and Policy. I now work as the Program Manager for a 20 hospital member statewide collaborative working to improve patient care in the Emergency Department setting throughout the state of Michigan. 

I really believe that the combination of an engineering mindset and education along with real clinical experience puts me in a unique place to be able to help think through the real process problems that our healthcare system has from a logical and methodological approach while also using my clinical experience to understand that in the real world of taking care of patients, what makes sense in a conference room doesn’t always make sense on the floor or in the unit.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

Having an advanced engineering education has been an incredible tool for me to help see problems from all angles and to jump in and help solve them.

Advice to Students

Take your time to find the work setting that matches your true interests. As much as possible, take the time to go to the “Gemba” and do the actual work you are helping design. Focus on understanding the how and why – you can always look up the what. 

I currently work to help protect and commercialize biomedical technologies developed by researchers and clinicians at the University. When a new invention is created, I assess its market potential and patentability, craft patent strategy, market the technology to potential commercialization partners, and connect inventors with commercialization resources. When the right industry partner is identified, I draft and negotiate contracts to enable commercial development of the technology.

I worked for 6 years as a patent attorney and consultant, managing the IP portfolios of medical devices and digital health companies. During that time, I lived in San Diego, the Bay Area, and Seattle. I started my career as a patent attorney at Knobbe Martens, an IP boutique law firm. I then moved to Foley & Lardner, an international law firm with over 1,000 attorneys, before joining two other University of Michigan alumnae leading a startup IP consulting firm.

What excites you about your career?

Working with some of the leading researchers in the world is a real privilege. I have the opportunity to continuously learn about brand new technologies before they are even published. Many of the technologies in my portfolio are truly revolutionary, for example, showing promise in eliminating tumors non-invasively, repairing injured spinal cords, and minimizing brain damage following strokes. The life-changing potential of these technologies keeps me motivated to help move them out of the lab and into clinics and the marketplace.

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

• Likes: So many. Here are a few. Freshman year Welcome Week–Everyone was new and looking for friends and classes hadn’t started yet, so people were particularly welcoming and fun. Dorm living sophomore year–As sophomores, we got to choose our rooms, so many of my friends and I lived on the same floor. There were lots of innocent pranks and late-night conversations. Also: playing intramural sports (especially inner tube water polo!), exercising in the Rec Center, and running on the wooded trails of the Arb.   
• Dislikes: Exams–they might be necessary, but they’re never fun. Studying for them outside on the Diag on sunny April days made them a little better. 
• Favorite Student Orgs: Forming M-HEAL with my friends and competing on the U-M Mock Trial team

Advice for Students

Get to know your professors–they’re really interesting people. Attend office hours and ask them about their research and lives. 

I started out as a project engineer in 2006 at Stryker Orthopedics in Mahwah, NJ, designing hip replacements for ~7 years. I then moved to San Diego and have been a Quality Engineer for ~6 years at Nuvasive (a spine fusion company).

Day to day, I work with Research & Development to mitigate risks in their designs by doing tolerance analyses, conduct physical implant testing using Instron/MTS machines, resolve non-conformances when manufacturers make products out-of-spec, and help mitigate risks in the entire workstream of production (bar stock through machining to cleaning and packaging).

Advice to Students:

• Learn about machining processes (milling, lathing, laser-marking, 3D metal printing, 3D plastic printing)
• Learn how to technically communicate both in writing and speaking.  I remember rolling my eyes at this in Eng101 in 2001, but it is very important.
• Learn how to do tolerance analyses. All engineers at medical device companies need to do this A LOT to ensure that instruments will always work with implants.
• Learn Solidworks or Creo well.
• Learn FEA or at least the concepts behind why it is important.

My path was (and still is) one of an entrepreneur. I co-founded Quantum Signal while finishing up my Ph.D. in 1999, hoping to bring signal and image processing algorithms into wider application in a variety of fields of application. In the earliest years, the company scraped along doing consulting and minor development work for a very small number of clients, and I was the only full-time team member. As time went on, QS grew into a more full-fledged engineering research and development organization, taking on projects from both the government and the commercial sector, in fields as varied as automotive, defense, consumer products, and even entertainment! 

As the company grew, my role also grew from doing technical work and some business functions to being much more focused on the vision and business aspects. This included learning how to be a manager and leader, filling roles (such as business development, public speaker, and more) that were critical to growing the business into what it is today. Every project, program, and customer had (and still has) special nuances, thus in our business, it was never the same game twice and I am always learning and evolving. Working with team members that have experience from prior lives has also been helpful, and I am deeply appreciative of what I have and will continue to, learn from them. It was much, much harder to start and successfully run a small business than I ever expected when we first set out over 20 years ago, but the experience has been excellent and I will never regret choosing the path that I did.

Reflection on Time spent at UM

When I was in school, we worked on walking robots, created and ran a bagel stand, held weekly tech-talks, pulled engineering pranks, and generally burned the candle at three ends day and night, and that is exactly what someone should be doing as an engineering student. 

Favorite Student Orgs

IEEE- Students interested in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Eta Kappa Nu -Honors Society for Electrical and Computer Engineers, Tau Beta Pi- Engineering Honors Society

Advice to Students

• I was a heavy participant in a number of student organizations and strongly recommend it to anyone in school. They provide an outstanding way to build experience and create friendships and contacts that will last far longer than you might expect. 
• If I were to provide really solid advice it is this: dig deep into your engineering education and commit, give it 150%, don’t squander that which is a resource you cannot buy more of (time), and most importantly, have fun!!!

I started doing research when I was a freshman at UM through the UROP project and continued in the lab I was in through my second year. During my third year, I received the Sarah Maria Parker fellowship and worked in a lab that worked on developing multi-functional nanoparticles for drug delivery applications. I fell in love with the research and lab and decided to stay for my Ph.D. I was originally a pre-med student, but I really liked research and teaching and decided to become a faculty member. As the next step in my career path, I became a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard doing research in regenerative medicine, immunology, and tissue engineering. 

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

I loved the variety of organizations/groups that were available at Michigan; you are bound to find one you like. And, in the rare case that you don’t, or if you have a new idea, you can always make your own group. I also liked how open and understanding the administration was in the Engineering school and how willing they were to listen. 

• Favorite Student Orgs: I was part of the USAB (Undergraduate Student Advisory Board) in UM Engineering and I was always amazed at how much they valued our thoughts and suggestions and that they actually did something about them. 

What excites you about your career?

Contributing to the medical field; collaborating with healthcare workers.

Major Career Highlights

I started and sold three med device spinoff companies.

Awards

• UM Alumni Merit Award for BME; 2014

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

• Likes: Diversity of Research
• Favorite class: BME Instrumentation

Advice for Students

Visit businesses as much as possible; seek internships

What do you like to do outside of work?

Music, outdoor sports, reading