Medical Device Innovation
Wednesday, April 11, 9:00-10:30, Ski-U-Mah, McNamara Alumni Center

Organizer: Saurav Paul, PhD, Medical Devices Center Innovation Fellows Program Director, University of Minnesota

"Is It A Device?"
Anantanand Rambachan, Professor and Chair of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies, St. Olaf College

"Legal Issues in Medical Device Innovation"
Ruth Okediji, Law School, University of Minnesota

"Medical Device Innovation and Entrepreneurism"
Michael Hoey, NxThera, Inc.

Session Abstract:

This session presents a global perspective on three critical aspects of medical device innovation from ideation through successful commercialization.

Session Organizer Bio:

Saurav Paul, PhD, Medical Devices Center Innovation Fellows Program Director, University of Minnesota
Dr. Saurav Paul is the Director of Innovation Fellows Program at Medical Devices Center, University of Minnesota. He has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and MS in Civil Engineering from University of Minnesota, MS in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, and BS in Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur, India. He received his JD from William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, with an emphasis in Intellectual Property law and Medical Device Amendment. He was the top inventor at St. Jude Medical’s Atrial Fibrillation Division and has over 130 U.S. and international patent publications.

Speaker Bios:

Anantanand Rambachan, Professor and Chair of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies, St. Olaf College
Dr. Anantanand Rambachan is Chair and Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies at St. Olaf College, Minnesota, where he has been teaching since 1985. He received his MA and PhD in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds, U.K. Professor Rambachan is an author and scholar and has been involved in the field of interreligious relations and dialogue for over twenty-five years. He is a trustee on the Board of the Council for Parliament of the World's Religions, an active member of the World Council of Churches, the International Advisory Council for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, and the Theological Education Committee of the American Academy of Religion. Professor Rambachan also serves as an advisor to the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. Professor Rambachan has lectured extensively at The Vatican and other parts of the world including: Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, India, Trinidad, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Spain, Canada and the U.K. Professor Rambachan's lectures have also received worldwide media attention through a 25-lecture series broadcast by the BBC. The University of the West Indies recently awarded Professor Rambachan with the Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. He has also been honored with the Chaconia Gold Medal, Trinidad and Tobago's second highest national honor for public service.

Ruth Okediji, Law School, University of Minnesota
http://law.umn.edu/facultyprofiles/okedijir.html

Michael Hoey, NxThera, Inc.
Michael is a former academic researcher at the University of Minnesota and now a full-time medical device innovator and entrepreneur. He founded Tsunami MedTech, an intellectual property and technology development company along with six medical products companies: Varix (now Veniti), Aegea, Fraqtal, Uptake, Venturix and NxThera. Additional companies founded on his technologies include Salient Surgical, Minnow Medical (now Vessix Vascular), and ASI.

Presentation Abstracts:

"Is It A Device?"
The word “device” conjures in our mind a mechanical contrivance manufactured to serve a particular purpose. “Medical” reminds us that such a device assists in the diagnosis or cure of a disease or other condition. Such devices, however, are conceived first in the depths of the human mind and nurtured there before actual production. The reasons for the conception of such devices are obviously diverse, but this presentation will affirm that such work can be inspired, creative and enriched with meaning when we are cognizant of its deepest and most fundamental purposes. 

"Medical Device Innovation and Entrepreneurism"
Innovation begins early in life by filling your skills and knowledge “toolbox” with a wide assortment of experiences and education. Additionally, the driving force behind medical device innovation has to be fueled by a developed medical expertise, a vision and passion. This presentation will discuss a view on innovating as well as methods to realize the value of that innovation from technology licenses to entrepreneurism.