Meet the student teams that participated in the 2025 Health Innovation Pitch Event:
Sutech
It is estimated that thirty percent of breast cancer patients may experience recurrence following initial tumor removal. Our paclitaxel-loaded sutures provide sustained drug release at the tumor site to eliminate lingering cancer cells. Currently, up to 60% of these patients are required to receive adjuvant chemotherapy which can cost patients up to $16,000 per month. Sutech will benefit patients with cancers that have high rates of recurrence, such as breast cancer, reducing recurrence after tumor removal by allowing for local, post-excisement delivery.
SmartMesh TM
Each year in the U.S., approximately 950 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients undergo lung transplants – the only surgical option shown to extend survival in advanced cases. The procedure carries significant risks: 12-14% in-hospital mortality and up to 50% complication rates within the first year. Recovery is further challenged by irregular, declining lung function, resulting and inconsistent drug delivery with unreliable with traditional nebulizers. SmartMeshTM technology overcomes these barriers with real-time, breath-adaptive aerosol delivery, dynamically adjusting output to the patient’s breathing pattern. SmartMeshTMÂ enables consistent, targeted drug deposition deep in the lungs – maximizing therapeutic impact, minimizing waste, and supporting safer, smoother recovery for high-risk IPF transplant patients.
HumaMouse
Over 88% of drugs that succeed in animal studies fail in clinical trials, largely due to poor translation and limited predictive power of traditional mouse models. Humanized mice with functional immune systems are the gold standard, but they’re expensive and time-intrusive to produce. HumaMouse offers a cost-effective solution with an engineered monoclonal antibody for studying bispecific anitbodies and human immune responses in cancer. This approach improves preclinical accuracy, accelerates therapeutic development, and enhances translational relevance in oncology research.
Quick Freeze
Each year, an estimated 90 million units of red blood cells (RBCs) are utilized in transfusions worldwide, yet storing and transporting RBCs remains a significant challenge. Quick Freeze revolutionizes blood preservation by using ultra-fast cooling technology to eliminate traditional preservatives, simplifying the “free-to-transfuse” process and keeping red blood cells healthy and ready for immediate use. By making blood transfusions rapidly deployable, Quick Freeze addresses critical gaps in healthcare delivery, improving outcomes for patients in remote locations, military operations, and emergency scenarios.
