So, what鈥檚 the next big medical breakthrough? Will it be a device or a drug? Or, perhaps, a new way for doctors to interact with patients? A 亚色影库 team that鈥檚 participating in this year鈥檚 Mayo Innovation Scholars Program might have some insight, but it can鈥檛 tell.
The program, in its 10th year, offers undergraduate science and business students the opportunity to study a Mayo Clinic invention and determine its potential marketability. The teams, bound by privacy agreements and lead by a graduate student, must then present their recommendations to the inventors and intellectual property officers at the clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
St. Kate鈥檚 business majors Alex Pederson 鈥17 and Meghan Lentsch 鈥16, along with biology majors Brianne Hintsala 鈥16 and Sarah Showalter 鈥16, and University of St. Thomas graduate student Any Montenegro 鈥13 鈥 who holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in financial management from St. Kate鈥檚 鈥 presented this March 10 morning.
They researched a proposed Mayo innovation in heart auscultation (listening to heart sounds), said Kurt Olson, associate professor of biology and physical therapy.
Olson guided the undergraduate students through the months-long project with John Pellegrini, professor of biology, and Sarah Rand, assistant professor of business administration.
鈥淭hey worked hard鈥 added Rand, 鈥渁nd did a great job today!鈥
Rebecca Hawthorne, director of St. Kate鈥檚 Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) program, served as graduate advisor.
MAOL student Tamara Larsen led the St. Thomas undergraduate team. They presented at Mayo Clinic on March 10. Hawthorne said the team鈥檚 project focuses on a computer-based medical technology.
Retired Medtronic executive John Meslow founded the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program, in conjunction with Mayo鈥檚 Office of Intellectual Property and the Minnesota Private College Council. 亚色影库 has participated in the program since 2009.
By Pauline Oo