MICHR News & Event

Medical Innovation Center (MIC) Awarded $2M for Pediatric Device Consortium

Development of medical devices for children lags up to a decade behind similar devices intended for use in adults. Children differ in terms of size, growth and body chemistry and present unique challenges to device designers. In addition, small market sizes and perceived higher liability for pediatric devices limits make device hesitate to include them in their product portfolios.

Medical device legislation passed by Congress in 2007 established funding to be distributed as grants for nonprofit groups to help stimulate projects to promote the development and availability of pediatric devices. A panel of experts with experience in medicine, business, and device development reviewed 16 applications for the grants, three of which were selected for funding.

The FDA awarded the University of Michigan the largest of the three, two-year awards, totaling $2 million. The Michigan Pediatric Device Consortium, M-PED, will be operated out of the Medical Innovation Center (MIC), a multidisciplinary medical device commercialization center launched by Dr. James Geiger and his team in 2008, with ongoing support from MICHR. The FDA award will be used to fund:

  • Three members of the 2010/2011 MIC Fellowship class
  • Development of on-line educational modules covering challenges unique to pediatric devices
  • Hands-on assistance for pediatric device innovators through the MIC's Inventor Assistance Program
  • Two specific pediatric device innovations:
    • Dr. Bob Bartlett and Dr. Gail Annich - Nonthrombogenic Antiseptic Catheter for Neonates
    • Dr. Dan Teitelbaum, Diann Brei, PhD Mechanical Engineering and Jonathan Luntz, PhD Mechanical Engineering - Bowel Lengthening Device for Children Suffering from Short Bowel Syndrome
"We were able to highlight the existing structures and successes of the Medical Innovation Center," said Brenda Jones, MIC Managing Director. "We were also able to offer a collection of assets rarely found together on one campus: top-ranking schools of business, engineering, nursing, dental and medicine, side-by-side with one of the nation's finest children's hospitals and other major facilities of a world-renowned health system."

The MIC is now accepting applications for the 2010/2011 Fellowship class, post-graduates in business and engineering as well as an MD with at least two clinical years in an accredited residency program.
http://www.med.umich.edu/ummic/fellowship/index.shtml

The MIC is also offering tuition-free industry-sponsored fellowships.
http://www.med.umich.edu/ummic/industry/partner_program.shtml