NEOMED’s NEOvations Bench to Bedside program has been named the recipient of a $116,500 grant from the Hudson, Ohio-based Burton D. Morgan Foundation, which will help provide financial support of the program over the next two years.

The NEOvations Bench to Bedside program helps student learn the initial process of creating medical technology to meet the needs of the patient, through idea creation, prototype design, business/marketing analyses and commercialization. Students interact closely with mentors, such as physicians, health care providers, clinical partners and industry leaders to identify a patient’s need at the bedside and aid in their search for a medical solution. The program provides the intellectual environment, resources and education to successfully develop novel medical solutions.

“We are extremely appreciative of the generosity and support of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, which helps so many meaningful organizations in our community,” said Fayez Safadi, Ph.D. “This grant will allow us to continue building the program and offer unique learning experiences and opportunities to students within NE Ohio to enhance their entrepreneurship in medical innovation.”

The program began in 2020, with the first academic year being capped off with the inaugural NEOvations Bench to Bedside Competition in August. Each team presented their medical technology to investors and leaders in the health care industry, which quickly resulted in four patent filings, one trademark filing and one copyright filing.

Winners from the inaugural competition in August 2021:

• First place: $10,000 – SACCAVI  (Ernesto Solorzano Zepeda, Gabrielle Robinson; Tim Nagy; Muhammad Islam; faculty advisor Fayez Safadi, Ph.D.)
• Second place: $5,000 – Sutha (Tayluer Streat-Ricchuiti; Manaswini Chennoju; Jessi Martin; Tim Knezevich)
• Third place: $2,000 – OsTech (Trinity Samson; Alyssa Basdavanos; Muhammad Islam; physician advisor Eric Miller, M.D., Summa Health)
• People’s Choice: $1,000 – Cellula Technologies (Gina Tubo; Su Kim; Brian Foresi; Camille Mukkassa; Czarina Legitimas; Olivia Mullen)

For more information, email NEOvationsB2B@neomed.edu.