Students headed for Team Gleason

It's a daunting prospect that Tulane University biomedical engineering seniors face — before graduating, they must create a device or technology that helps patients with disabilities.

Now, thanks to a grant from Venturewell, these students will have access to intensive summer training and an immersive internship to help them develop and design this innovative technology.

Design E-team leaders will spend time with patients and caregivers at the Team Gleason House for Innovative Living. Founded by Steve Gleason, a Tulane University alumnus who is a former New Orleans Saints player with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, this unique residential facility is designed to help people diagnosed with neuromuscular disorders.

“The goal is to experience where a technology isn't meeting a patient's needs,” said Anne-Marie Job, manager of the Bioinnovation PhD Program at Tulane.

Tulane students will be able to not only observe, but experience challenges as they work and volunteer with patients. By seeing patients on a daily basis, and in a space that is already equipped with the latest technology, students will be armed with a different perspective when thinking creatively and will see first-hand the needs of this unique patient population.

The grant will also allow students to spend their summer building a strong business and legal acumen through a series of seminars, lectures and bootcamps. They will meet regularly with teams of mentors and business and law students to discuss their ideas and designs.

“This grant will enhance an already great program,” Job said. “It will leave a lasting impression on our students, and they might even graduate with a technology that is ready for the marketplace.”

Job feels that this support will not only inspire students but prepare them for a future in innovative thinking.

Kirby Messinger is a communication/marketing officer in the Office of Development Communications.