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The Quarter at Aggie Square Biomedical Engineering cohort wrapped up their 10-week experience on Dec. 6 with a presentation of three medical prototypes for growth-accommodating heart valves, noninvasive glucose monitors and stroke-detection devices. The students chose the concepts to solve complex health challenges they encountered.

"Invaluable is the only way to describe the program’s experience and the impact to my academic career,” said Isaac Albrecht, a third-year student. “Not only did I observe and learn about surgeries up close, but I made several connections in the medical field, which in turn presented me with an opportunity to kickstart my career in tissue engineering research."

Early successes

Three student teams designed and presented their devices to industry leaders and entrepreneurs along with �鶹��ý faculty and leaders at the Launch Space. The teams shared the research, design and marketing plans for their devices and then answered questions about the feasibility, costs and realistic device applications. While the is only four years old, previous cohort’s projects were recognized for their transformative results. One cohort went on to win the .

“I take immense pride in witnessing the remarkable transformations of our students from the beginning to the end of the quarter,” said , lead faculty coordinator for the program and professor of surgery and biomedical engineering. “The clinical observations have a profound impact, evident in the newfound confidence students display, the knowledge gained through direct interactions with surgeons in the operating room and the innovative ideas and proposals they presented at Friday’s celebration event.”

Quarter at Aggie Square limits the biomedical engineering Experience to just 12 students.  Faculty from both and the lead the program's three courses — Clinical Needs in Health Care Settings, Aspects of Medical Device Design and Manufacturing, and Entrepreneurship in Biomedical Engineering.

Quarter at Aggie Square provides undergraduate students opportunities to study and learn across the causeway in Sacramento. The academic program is a part of , the planned innovation hub on the �鶹��ý Sacramento campus, in development now, to create new opportunities for research and public service.

Expanding horizons

The biomedical engineering experience started out focusing on engineering and clinical application; but in 2023, the program revised courses to include business principles focused on the basics of manufacturing and engineering design. Aaron Anderson, the director of the �鶹��ý , initially proposed the idea and supported the program through mentorship with the center.

“The biomedical engineering experience offers students the opportunity to take �鶹��ý classes while observing surgeries and clinical procedures at �鶹��ý Health,” said , Quarter at Aggie Square director. “The dedicated faculty team draws themes between coursework and clinical practice. This provides students professional networking opportunities and they learn from leaders in health care and entrepreneurship.”

One faculty member, , an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and surgery, said at the December event: “I might have become an entrepreneur instead of a professor if I had such an option available to me.”

Quarter at Aggie Square, a unit of the , provides unique and immersive experiences for students to delve into fields and areas of study usually reserved for upper-division courses. Quarter at Aggie Square experiences are available to undergraduate �鶹��ý students at no additional cost beyond their tuition.