Engineering Solutions in Surgery
Designed to foster innovation and strengthen the collaborative efforts between faculty from Rice and BCM's Department of Surgery, this joint seed fund program focuses on advancing surgical research and education. The seed grants should lead to self-sustaining, nationally competitive research programs that will address critically important problems related to surgery. New call for proposals will be announced in April, 2025.
Awarded Projects
2024 -Two projects were selected for funding. More information.
"Parity-Time-Symmetric Wireless Transfer Systems to Eradicate Driveline Infections in Cardiac Assist Device."
- Joseph Cavallaro, PhD professor of electrical and computer engineering, Rice University.
- Dr. Iki Adachi associate professor, Department of Surgery, BCM.
- Nobuyuki Kurita, PhD associate professor, Department of surgery, BCM.
"Structural Engineering of CeO₂/Perovskite Heterostructures for Tumor Imaging and Oxidative Stress Modulation via 3D-Printed Nanoneedle Patches Enabled Precision Delivery."
- Jun Lou, PhD professor, department of materials science and nanoengineering, Rice University.
- Ghanashyam Acharya, PhD associate professor, department of surgery, BCM.
2023 - Two projects were selected for funding.
"Pathogenesis of Primary Graft Dysfunction in Lung Transplantation: Identifying Molecular and Cellular Biomarkers and Causal Effect of Sex."
- Meng Li, PhD assistant professor of statistics, Rice University.
- Gabriel Loor, MD associate professor, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, BCM.
"Systemic Biomarkers and Modern Multimodal Machine Learning Algorithms for Stroke Prediction in Heart Failure Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support."
- Vladimir Braverman professor of computer science, Rice University.
- Nandan Mondal assistant professor of surgery, BCM
2021 - Three projects were selected for funding.
"Self-charging Wireless Pulse Sensor Integrated Vascular Graft for the Real-time Monitoring of Acute Thrombosis and Occlusion."
- Pulickel M. Ajayan, PhD, chair of materials science and nanoengineering, Rice University.
- Crystal Shin, PhD, assistant professor, Michael E.DeBakey Department of Surgery, BCM.
"Pathogenesis of Primary Graft Dysfunction in Lung Transplantation: Identifying Molecular and Cellular Biomarkers and Causal Effect of Sex."
- Meng Li, PhD assistant professor of statistics, Rice University.
- Gabriel Loor, MD associate professor, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, BCM.
"Detecting Human Performance Deficiencies in Surgical Simulation Training Using Intelligent Multi-Modal Sensors."
- Vaibhav Unhelkar, PhD assistant professor of computer science, Rice University.
- James Suliburk, MD associate professor, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, BCM.
2018 -Three projects were selected for funding.
"Multifunctional 3D Printed Biomesh for Surgical Hernia Repair."
- Pulickel Ajayan professor of engineering, Rice University.
- Ghanashyam Acharya associate professor of surgery, BCM.
"Gene delivery of reprogramming factors to injured hearts to improve cardiac function."
- Junghae Suh Professor of Bioengineering, Rice University.
- Dr. Todd Rosengart professor and chair, department of surgery. BCM.
"Sustained local IL2 “Living Drug Therapy” enhances virus-like particles vaccine efficacy in controlling pancreatic cancer in preclinical animal models."
- Omid Veiseh professor of bioengineering, Rice University.
- Qizhi Cathy Yao professor of surgery, BCM.