Alumni of the NeuroDesign Innovation Fellowship

Creating new products for sick people is the reason I got into biomedical engineering in the first place. I spent many years trying to understand the science behind how the brain works and now I feel like I am in a place where I want to take that knowledge and turn it into something that makes someone’s life a little easier. This fellowship has allowed me to understand how someone goes about doing that. The really cool part is that we learn how to identify what people need and match that need with the right solution not through just reading about it but by actually going through the process.

My name is Stathis Kondylis, I am from Scottsdale, Arizona. I studied biomedical engineering at Arizona State University, then attended University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. I am currently a 4th year neurosurgery resident at Cleveland Clinic pursuing a career in Functional and Epilepsy surgery. I have always been fascinated with discovery, and cultivated this through research projects in epilepsy and movement disorders. I found that my favorite part of these projects was creating something that other people can use, such as an algorithm to detect seizures or a software package that analyzes pathological brain waves in patients with Parkinson’s disease. This fellowship has been a perfect outlet for my desire to translate creative energy into marketable products that can positively influence people’s lives. I am looking forward to carrying the problem identification and product development skills I learn through this program through the rest of my clinical career.

My name is Patrick Smith and I am from Avon Lake, Ohio. I attended The Ohio State University, where I received my Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a specialization in medical product development. My previous work in the medical device field instilled in me a drive to continue generating the high caliber of innovation that arises from multidisciplinary collaborative efforts in the clinical space. Through my previous exposures to the Biodesign process, I have come to appreciate the unique opportunities and insights that result from working directly with caregivers and patients in developing useful solutions to clinical needs. It is my hope that this fellowship is just one step in a long and prosperous career in the medical technology innovation field. My goal is to continue seeking out experiences that allow me to create meaningful impacts to all aspects of patient care through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Swarna Solanki