Biomedical Engineering Alumna Receives Stanford Fellowship

Racquel Redwood

,

University of Cincinnati

College of Engineering and Applied Science

biomedical engineering

’12 alumna, recently received the

Biodesign Innovation Fellowship

to

Stanford University

’s prestigious

Byers Center for Biodesign

.

Redwood, who also received her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Cornell University (’13), was selected based on her experience, passion and innovative drive.

Each year, a new cohort of Biodesign Innovation Fellows learn a project-based approach for identifying important healthcare needs, inventing innovative diagnostics, devices or other health technologies to address them and preparing to bring those products into patient care through start-up, corporate or other implementation channels.

“I’m honored and excited about the fellowship,” stated Redwood. “When I received the call from Biodesign, I cried, thanked God and then called my mom.”

Redwood developed her product, Pengueeni™, alongside classmate, Joel Fladen, during their senior capstone course through the

Medical Device Innovation Entrepreneurship Program

(MDIEP). They worked alongside designers Casey Schneider and Lily DaMota from the UC

College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning

.

The product is a penguin-shaped finger-lancing device attachment for pediatric diabetics. The device’s child-friendly penguin mold vibrates to reduce pain and apprehension in young patients. Redwood states that the product demonstrates her ability to thrive through ambiguity.

“I find that navigating Pengueeni™ is thrilling because there are many unknowns and I am constantly learning,” stated Redwood.

She regards some of the highlights of working on the product being; writing and filing the utility patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and Patent Cooperation Treaty, organizing an advisory board comprised of experts within pediatric emergency medicine, information technology in healthcare, medical education and intellectual property, recruiting support for market research, collaborating with doctors at Cincinnati Children’s hospital, partnering with the local Cincinnati American Diabetes Association camp and conducting a formative usability investigation with more than seventy-five campers.

Recognition for Pengueeni™ includes; UC Medical Device Innovation Award, Cincinnati Innovates Award, Innov8 for Health Idea & Business Plan Competition Winner, American Dreamers Podcast and feature in an article in the Cincinnati Business Courier.

Redwood looks forward to the Biodesign program and sees it as a way to further develop her skill-set. She acknowledges that she has much more to learn in order to continue developing Pengueeni™ and future devices.

“I envision positively impacting more people worldwide by creating medical devices that empower the user by incorporating not only ergonomics, but human psychological needs into design,” states Redwood.