Cockrell - Department of Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering = BME = "Best Major Ever!"

Support the transformation of human health by contributing to the Department of Biomedical Engineering’s fundraising campaign for our Clinical Biodesign and Senior Capstone Biodesign programs. Our department is dedicated to developing clinically translatable solutions that improve human health. Your donation will help us train the next generation of biomedical engineers, both in the classroom and the lab, by funding essential prototyping for our programs.

Our undergraduate Capstone Biodesign seniors design and build prototypes for solutions proposed by project sponsors from industry, medicine, and academia. Through hands-on, guided collaboration, participants tackle real-world healthcare challenges such as AI-powered diagnostic tools, mobility assistance devices and health monitoring instruments.

Click here for a Capstone group project overview, and scroll down for the summary presentation video!

BME’s Clinical Biodesign program pairs Biomedical Engineering graduate students with 3rd year Dell Medical students. Working together, they identify clinical needs, create and test solutions, and develop business plans to bring their solutions to market.

What do these BME students all have in common?

• David Oh secured a permanent position at ClearCam, Inc. through his BME Capstone Biodesign project. He now leads multiple projects, enhances manufacturing processes, conducts V&V testing, analyzes statistics, and assists in launching new SKUs.
• Laurenz Quito transformed her industry internship into a BME Capstone Biodesign project. She plans to leverage both experiences to pursue a BME master’s degree, focusing on the Biodesign Portfolio course and medtech entrepreneurship.
• Kathleen Schmidt is excelling in her BME Capstone Biodesign course while completing her industry internship. She is gaining valuable industry insights and mentorship, advancing AI applications, and leading a research project, showcasing exceptional R&D and project management skills.
• Maansi Srinivasan graduated from BME in just 3 years and has been a driving force behind AI model development in her role as Medical Innovations Engineer at ClearCam, Inc. She is now pursuing medical school with a vision to blend medicine and healthcare entrepreneurship.
• Alex Whitman turned the project from his Clinical Biodesign Portfolio class into a patent and a pitch, then used his experience from the Texas Biodesign program at the Texas Innovation Center to form a new company, LumiPath, Inc., that is now raising seed funding.

Their journeys exemplify the transformative power of our programs, making them the future of medtech innovation.

"The [Clinical Biodesign] program has taught me how biodesign can improve patient care. As a future physician, I now have the skills to identify clinical needs and approach the development of innovative solutions. [Clinical Biodesign] has provided me with a unique opportunity to explore a field that most medical students are not exposed to, and I plan to apply the tools I've gained throughout my career." - Gaurav Gomber, Year 3 Dell Medical student.

"Being at the intersection of innovation and medicine allows me to translate the latest technological advances to tools that create a tangible and meaningful difference for patients, Austinites, and the world at large... I’m grateful for the opportunity to build skills across disciplines in order to provide the highest level of care possible to those who need it the most." - Quinton Pham, Dell Medical School, MD/MSE Candidate '26.

Together, we can drive innovation and transform healthcare. Your support for BME’s Biodesign programs empowers the next generation of biomedical engineers and medical professionals to create life-changing solutions. Join us in making a lasting impact on human health. Donate today and be a part of the future of medical technology!