capstone project for medical field

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2021/2022 Medical Technology Capstone Projects

Our capstone projects have a focus on medical technologies and devices, as well as health and multidisciplinary projects. Projects come from academics and companies, thereby giving students the opportunity to work on and provide solutions to relevant issues and questions.

Project List

1—clemex microscope enclosure.

Clemex Technologies Inc.

matthieug [at] clemex.com (Matthieu Guihard)

Clemex is presently building its own microscope dedicated to specific needs, the objective being to reduce the overall cost of such system for a particular industry.

As seen in the image, the system involves a X/Y stage, a light path (objective, lens and tube, camera, ring light) and a motorized Z-Axis, all assembled on a common plate.

The proof of concept has been done and works. Only the motorized Z-axis will be changed during the summer rendering the system more compact.

Next step of the project will be to design and build an appealing enclosure that merges functionalities such as hardware settings, stage mobility, sample accessibility, visual appearance and other requirements as described in a future specifications document.

2—Development of a Test Load for Whole Body Plethysmography

taylor.wilson [at] scireq.com (Taylor Wilson)

Introduction

SCIREQ Inc. is a recognized world leader in the respiratory research community as a producer of innovative tools that help scientists acquire novel insights into the lungs. The use of rodents and other small animals in respiratory research has been vital in leading to scientific discovery and development benefitting humankind. Whole body plethysmography (WBP) is a standard method for studying pulmonary function in conscious, spontaneously breathing laboratory subjects. The barometric plethysmography technique measures flow and pressure changes that occur while the subject is breathing, before and after exposure to a pharmaceutical or other challenges. WBP is the least invasive method of studying pulmonary function and consists of placing the subject in a chamber, where they can move freely and explore while a pressure transducer measures the flow and pressure changes caused by their breathing. It is often used for longitudinal studies where the subjects are studied for multiple hours on successive experiment days.

Why a Test Load?

In plethysmography, it is difficult to troubleshoot some issues because the signals generated by the subjects can be noisy due to a number of factors such as the lab environment, movement of the subject etc. A test load is used to model the the expected usage of equipment, by simulating the signals the equipment is designed to measure. For the case of WBP, the test load would need to simulate a small animal’s breathing patterns. Currently, we are using a 1 mL syringe to simulate a signal for our WBP by oscillating the plunger rapidly, which is not very accurate. It is difficult to accurately test the system when the signal itself is not consistent. Having a characterized test load will help with in-house testing, calibration and trouble shooting at customer sites.

Capstone Project

The goal of the CAPSTONE project is to develop a test load for use with WBP systems. The test load should be able to generate flows using an actuator at various frequencies. The design must meet a specific set of criteria in the areas of size, flow generation, system integration, manufacturability, cost, and ease of use. Your design will be tested by SCIREQ engineers and has the potential for becoming a standard product that is shipped with every WBP sale.

You will get to work with our team of engineers in a collaborative Agile work environment and be able to leverage our manufacturers’ capabilities to make your design a reality. As your mentors, we are available to you for questions, discussion, and regular project meetings. We are looking for an innovative, motivated team who want to make a global impact with this practical research application. Working with SCIREQ, you will gain valuable hands-on experience, joining a diverse and inclusive team whose philosophy is rooted in courtesy, honesty, integrity, and fairness.

3—Development of Rat "Soft Restraint" for Use in Inhilation/Exposure Tower

taylor.wilson [at] scireq.com (B) ben [at] scireq.com (en Urovitch)

SCIREQ Inc. is a recognized world leader in the respiratory research community as a producer of innovative tools that help scientists acquire novel insights into the lungs. The vital use of rodents and other small animals in respiratory research has led to scientific discovery and development benefitting humankind. One typical application is inhalation/exposure, where subjects are exposed to a controlled atmosphere, exploring the effects of external compounds (e.g., toxins, pharmaceuticals). Controlled inhalation/exposure is used to research asthma, pulmonary disorders, infectious disease, air pollutants, tobacco, cannabis, vaping, pharmaceutical development, among others. One method of controlled delivery is via a nose-only inhalation setup. Subjects are restrained, limiting exposure to their snout and allowing for more accurate results due to limited body exposure, more control, and lesser quantities of pharmaceuticals or toxins being used.

Restraints in Mice

An industry standard for exposure studies involves nose-only inhalation restraining devices which are typically rigid, fully enclosed, and include a plunger that forces the subject forward. This form of restriction may result in the subject producing irregular body heat or abnormal breathing. In extreme cases, the subject may attempt to retreat within the restraint, causing itself harm.

SCIREQ has developed SoftRestraints for mice to minimize some of the negative effects of typical restraints. The open mesh has proven to be gentler yet secure, imposing little-to-no compression to the torso and therefore does not impede chest movements. Subjects body is also exposed to the environment allowing for better heat dissipation.

The goal of the CAPSTONE project is to develop a soft restraint for rat use. Rats have unique challenges for restraining; their size, weight, and temperament being some. The restraint may follow SCIREQ’s pre-existing technology or could be an entirely new design. The approach and strategy is up to you. The design must meet a specific set of criteria in the areas of subject sizes, system integration, ability to sterilize, manufacturability, and ease of use. Consequently, your design will be tested by the technicians that work with live subjects and the researchers who use SCIREQ’s equipment.

4—Design and Optimization of Thought Technology eVu-TPS Physiological Sensor

Thought Technology Ltd.

hal [at] thoughttechnology.com (Dr. Hal Myers)

eVu-TPS was initially designed in 2007 and was one of the first Bluetooth-enabled finger-worn physiological monitoring devices. The unit monitors heart rate/HRV, finger temperature, skin conductance, and respiration from one fingertip and uses apps on Android, iPhones and PC’s to acquire and provide Biofeedback. It has been designed, along with all our equipment, to comply with medical regulatory requirements in many countries.

We are seeing an uptake by clinicians in the use of the devices to remotely train their patients, mostly because of Covid-19, because of the relatively low cost and ease of use compared to our general line of products.

Currently, our manufacturing cost with all packaging and isolated charger costs is too high compared to desired market retail price. Our engineering team believes this cost is achievable with some of the following changes:

• Change the design from an architecture incorporating front end signal monitoring and a separate analog to digital converter and microprocessor to using the capabilities of some BLE Bluetooth chips to perform these functions, thereby eliminating a significant amount of circuitry.
• Since the original design incorporated a standard Bluetooth module, it required a battery capable of significant power. The new design will use BLE, so the size and cost of the battery can be reduced.
• Change the PPG (photoplethysmograph) monitoring from discrete Infrared LED/photocell components to an inexpensive all-in-one module that monitors not only PPG, but also oximetry.
• Consider incorporating EKG monitoring using a finger on the opposite hand touched to a conductive part of the case.
• Redesign the printed circuit board layout and finger plate electrodes to be easily manufacturable in quantity.
• Redesign the case to be thinner and less obtrusive.
• Redesign the charging technique. The goal is to charge directly from a 5v USB-type source to a case that would isolate the fingers from the electrodes.

Preferable Qualifications of ECE Students

• Electronic design experience, ideally for low-level biologic signals
• Firmware experience
• Some app development skills - although the app is already developed, we may need to add the extra EKG signal.

Preferable Qualifications of MECH Students

Industrial design to make the case smaller and easier to manufacture

• Parts for prototypes
• Guidance by an experienced team of electrical, mechanical, and firmware engineers. The exciting opportunities for those working on this project includes the opportunity to design a product for real-world applications, thus preparing them to move easily into companies requiring these skills.

Non-Disclosure Agreement Requirement

Since this project is a currently sold product, we require a non-disclosure agreement from students and faculty working on the project, and the requirement that if students want to present the project to others, that circuitry be shown only in block diagram form without schematics or specific components or firmware.

Links to Some of Thought Technology’s History and Products

eVu-TPS: Triple-Physiology Sensor

Reward and Signal view of eVu-Senz App on Android

How to work remotely using ZOOM

MyOnyx 4-Channel Encoder System: 1 minute overview

Dr. Hal Myers presenting about Biofeedback and Neurofeedback at a McGill EE lecture

History of Thought Technology

5—Design and Implementation of State-of-the-art Medical Device MEMS Sensor Interface

nizar.kezzo [at] nxtsens.com (Nizar Kezzo)

An emerging field of microscopic devices that combine both mechanical and electrical components is seen across a wide range of industries including the biomedical field. These devices are known as Micro Electro-Mechanical System or MEMS. MEMS are able to sense, control and actuate on the micro scale and generate effects on the macro scale [1]. The highly miniaturized and integrated MEMS devices are used to add ‘eyes and ears’ to medical equipment. The ability to actively monitor biometric patient data in real-time can provide great benefit to physicians, first responders, and medical professionals everywhere in their mission to improve patient outcomes.

Our flagship product, the MY01 device, is one such example. MY01 is an FDA approved biomedical pressure monitor, which functions by inserting an active pressure sensor into the patient’s muscle. Continuous pressure readings serve as an aide to diagnosis of Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) [2], which is dangerous and difficult-to-detect condition prevalent in patients suffering from high-energy trauma such as bone fractures.

The MY01 device uses a MEMS sensor to measure pressure in the patient’s muscle. MY01 Inc. is seeking to further improve the accuracy and reliability of the MEMS element to deliver next generation ACS diagnostic tools to the hands of physicians. The scope of the project includes designing a MEMS sensor interface development board alongside a user application. The development board shall explore different MEMS sensor and interface architectures. This will involve an embedded system design.

We are seeking a team to work with us in developing new and improved ways of interfacing technology with the human body. This project aims to further unlock the potential of modern sensors in the biomedical field by offering enhanced visibility in difficult-to-access areas of our anatomy.

[1] "An Introduction to MEMS (Micro-electromechanical Systems)," PRIME Faraday Partnership, 2002.

[2] C. P. M. Osborn and A. Schmidt, "Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome," JAAOS - Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeos, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. e118-e114, 2020.

6—Conceptual Design of Cutting-Edge Insertion Methods for Modern Biomedical Sensors

christopher.agellon [at] nxtsens.com (Christopher Agellon)

Advancements in modern sensing technology creates the need for new and innovative methods for in-vivo implantation of biomedical sensing elements. The ability to actively monitor biometric patient data in real-time can provide great benefit to physicians, first responders, and medical professionals everywhere in their mission to improve patient outcomes.

MY01 Inc. is seeking to design and prototype safe and effective tools to “introduce” or “insert” our cutting-edge sensors into patients in need of enhanced monitoring capabilities. The envisioned system should be portable, light-weight, intuitive to use, and can be administered with a high degree of reliability.

Our flagship product, the MY01 device, is one such example. MY01 is an FDA approved biomedical pressure monitor, which functions by inserting an active pressure sensor into the patient’s muscle. Continuous pressure readings serve as an aide to diagnosis of Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) [1], which is dangerous and difficult-to-detect condition prevalent in patients suffering high-energy trauma such as bone fractures.

To learn more, visit our website .

[1] C. P. M. Osborn and A. H. Schmidt, "Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome," JAAOS - Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. e108-e114, 2020, doi: 10.5435/jaaos-d-19-00270.

7—Design of an Ophthalmic Imaging Device with Data Processing Algorithms

Remote Optical

oliver.wumartinez [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Oliver Wu Martinez) , jeremy.zwaig [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Jeremy Zwaig) , angela.wong2 [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Angela Wong) , athithan.ambikkumar [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Athy Ambikkumar) , leonard.levin [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Leonard Levin)

The Motivation

Currently in North America, there is a lack of ophthalmologists. We are creating a remote and asynchronous eye exam to assist ophthalmologists and help patients. Patients will access our imaging device at their local medical centers. The captured data will then be sent to an ophthalmologist who can diagnose the patient equivalently to an in-person slit lamp exam.

Hardware component (2 MECH students): Students will be tasked to build a state-of-the-art imaging device utilizing pre-existing imaging technology that has not been exploited in the field of ophthalmology. Students will use their experience and creativity to design, build and optimize an optical system with this new technology for front of the eye diagnosis.

Software component (2 ECE students): Develop a data processing method for the raw data collected by the novel imaging device. Downstream goals for the software will be to manipulate and transform imaging data to allow for a dynamic eye exam with a user interface equivalent to the slit lamp exam.

Requirements: Looking for students with an interest in domain-specific data compression, use of GPU, field logic array, mathematics, Python or C, and/or miniaturization (previous experience in any of these fields is an asset).

8—Design and Integration of an Automatic Sash Positioning System

rrivera [at] bedco.ca (Robert Rivera)

Bedcolab is a manufacturer of laboratory casework systems and fume hoods for research centers. We service universities, the pharma and biotech industries as well as government and other industrial labs.

We are looking to update our Vanguard line of fume hoods. Our objective is twofold. Technically, we wish to design and integrate a more cost-effective sash positioning and closing system that would involve motion detection and possibly electro-magnetic applications. From a design perspective, our objective is to give our hood facing a more technical appearance. Because the sash positioning system will be integrated in the sash, and will impact the esthetics of the hood facia, we feel that both objectives will need to be addressed simultaneously.

The project will involve two teams: Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering. Both teams should work in close collaboration and coordination.

Deliverables

• To design a sash positioning mechanism and integrate it into existing fume hood (MECH);
• To modify existing design of the fume hood, as needed, to accommodate the new positioning system without altering the performance of the fume hood (MECH);
• To select and integrate sensors needed for the position control (MECH, ECE);
• To develop control algorithms for sash positioning with motion detection feedback (ECE);
• To design and integrate electrical/electronic control system (ECE).  

9—Design and Validation of a Minimally Invasive Hallux Valgus Correction System

Pega Medical

melinda.a [at] pegamedical.com (Melinda Ayvazian, Eng.)

Under the supervision of Pega Medical, the engineering team will be challenged to develop and optimize the design of implants and instruments necessary for the minimally invasive treatment of Hallux Valgus, based on the Bosch percutaneous technique, and device idea presented by Dr. Gdalevitch, MD, FRCS(C).

The objectives of the project are to work within ISO13485 requirements to build the DHF/DMR of the product, complete the design of a minimally invasive implant, with possible IP protection, complete the design of a functional external fixator system and all annex instrumentation, and validate the design in the operating theater with the collaborating surgeon.

Description of Design Component

PHASE 1: Design Inputs and Schedule

• Development of design inputs for the implant and instruments
• Establishing a project schedule

PHASE 2: Preliminary Design of Implants

• Development of ideas for the implant (brainstorming)
• Preliminary evaluation of risks/ potential harms
• Design Review for selection of preliminary concept and refinement of selected concept
• Patent research and preliminary drafting

PHASE 3: Preliminary Design of Instruments

• Development of ideas for the instrumentation (brainstorming)
• Drafting of preliminary Surgical Technique

PHASE 4: Preliminary Prototype Manufacturing and Verifications

• Design and Development of 3D functional models
• Establishing the validation plan for verifications (FEA, Calculations, etc) and bench testing validations (design and quoting of simplified prototypes, design of testing jigs, development of testing protocols)
• Rapid prototyping of parts (if applicable)
• Testing of preliminary implant models and instrument models
• Clinical validation of system with collaborating surgeon

PHASE 5: Final Concept of the Implant

• Optimization of final concept of the implant
• Preparation of engineering drawings
• Update to risk management

PHASE 6: Final Concept of the Instruments 

• Update to risk management  

Economic and Societal Impacts

The current market for Hallux Valgus correction proposes over a hundred different techniques, but no clear consensus on the best approach to treatment. The majority of techniques are open techniques with either plate or screw devices being used for fixation of the bone’s segments after correction of the IM and HV angles. The objective of the new medical device would be to offer a unique percutaneous device that will correct the deformity by application of translation and rotation around the CORA, maintain the ROM of the first toe, reduce affect on surrounding soft tissues, reduce pain of the patient, and reduce the risk of reoccurrence of the deformity.

Requested or To Be Developed Skills of the Student Team

Creativity, problem-solving skills, mechanical CAD design (Solidworks), organizational approach, structural analysis, teamwork, communication skills

10—OpSens Guidewire Shaping Tool

maxime.pdeland [at] opsens.com (Maxime Picard-Deland) , Medical Technology Specialist

OpSens Inc. is a manufacturer of interventional guidewires instrumented with fiber-optic sensors. One application of such wire is to support the delivery of heart valve prosthesis in a patient by a transcatheter approach, i.e. by guiding the prosthesis in the blood vessels. This minimally invasive procedure allows to replace a diseased heart valve through a small incision in the patient skin, instead of an open-chest surgery. The pressure sensor at the tip of OpSens guidewires allows to measure the pressure drop induced by the diseased valve, and to compare it with that of the new prosthesis. This pressure gradient and other pressure-based clinical metrics are important information to guide the physician clinical decisions.

OpSens has already developed a straight guidewire for the replacement of aortic valves. The company wants to develop a new guidewire with a curved shape that would allow to guide valve prosthesis through more complicated access, such as the transseptal access for mitral valve replacement. Ideally, the straight guidewire would be modified by a tool at the end of the fabrication steps to give it the desired curved shape, thus minimizing modifications to assembly lines. This tool could also be provided directly to the hospitals, allowing the physician to shape the guidewire with a curve specific to the patient anatomy.

The main objective of the project is to design a tool that allows shaping a curve into a 0.035" OD guidewire by inducing a controlled plastic deformation to the guidewire, without damaging the PTFE coating. Secondary objectives are: 1) to model the shaping parameters with the guidewire mechanical properties, allowing to shape different guidewire products into different curves, and 2) to provide a tooling concept that can be used in a sterile environment by the end-user (the physician).

11—Development of Anthropomorphic and Tissue-Mimicking Dynamic Arterial Phantoms

rosaire.mongrain [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Rosaire Mongrain)

For surgical training, virtual surgical planning and numerical model validation, reproducible synthetic arterials mockups (phantoms) are needed. These models need to replicate the mechanical properties of native tissue (hyperelastic, anisotropic, heterogeneous). The large deformation, the layered structure and pathological degradation of the vessel need to be mimicked. In this regard, we initiated the development of anthropomorphic tissue-mimicking mockups (TMM) that exhibit the major mechanical, anatomical and pathological characteristics of vessels. The TMM is made of a cryogel, polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C), which has excellent biocompatibility and is suitable for imaging modalities. By varying the parameters during cryogel fabrication, it possible to tailor the mechanical strength of PVA-C to that of human arteries. The project aims particularly at developing a dedicated CAM to activate the phantom and reproduce the physiological displacements of the myocardium wall during heart beat contractions.

12—Development of a Natural Energy Powered Ventilator

The project consists of designing a low-cost yet efficient mechanical ventilator for use in localities where modern conditions of steady reliable electric grid is not available. The ventilator must be compact and must not require electricity. The device should utilize any energy source readily available such as human power, water current, wind, etc. The main challenge is to design the product with high medical standards while maintaining a flexible range of operation to minimize adverse effects of mechanical ventilation. The technology aims at combining Zeolite materials to enhance O2 concentration and exploit the ventilator rotor concept to generate the needed conception. The Capstone project aims at developing further concepts, optimizing and testing the design for the target operating regime (0-40 cmH2O, up to 1000 ml, respiratory rate 4-45 bpm, flow rates 0-100 lpm). The main objective is to design parts of the new ventilator, assemble and test the ventilator efficiency.

13—Design of a Drug-Eluting Coating for Vascular Technology using Carbon Nanotubes

Implanted medical devices (stents, heart valves, heart pump[s) are usually coated for releasing medical compounds to control thrombogenesis (blood clots) and inflammation. Current coatings technologies rely on polymer carrier (porous or in solution). These are associated with limitations (toxicity, carrying capacity) which restrict its use to certain conditions.

We developed a new paradigm for drug elution based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The concept is to generate a controlled density and intertwined structure of CNTs to achieve entrapment of the chemical compound (in analogy to a carpet structure). Preliminary results have shown the potential of the concept for controlled retention and release of a drug compound.

The objective is to design a testing rig to assess the drug elution from the nano-coating. This needs to reproduce the artery flow flow conditions and allow for fluid sampling for the concentration analysis.

14—Addition of Abdominal Muscles into a Robotic Spine

mark.driscoll [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Mark Driscoll)

In the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Lab (MD 163) there is a robotic spine which is driven by pneumatic muscle contractions. In brief, an air compressor fills the muscle bladders imparting controlled contraction of select muscles related to spine. In turn, this moves and controls the position of the robotic spine upon which we can conduct experiments. However, the robotic spine is missing a “six pack” (muscles not …) while its abdominal region is present. The role of the Capstone team will be to figure out how to include the presence of abdominal muscles (rectus and transverse abdominus as well as internal and external obliques) into the robotic spine. Ideally, they should have an active element to them in order to control contractions. They may also be adjustably passive. The Capstone team are encouraged to dream up any solution they come up with! Specifically, the team are expected to study the problem at hand, propose their own solution, build it, and then test it. Many solutions are feasible and the team of the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Lab look forward to working with the selected group.

15—Safety Assessment of Robotic Spine Set-Up

In research, safety should always be a forefront consideration. In the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Lab (MD 163) there is a robotic spine which is driven by pneumatic muscle contractions. In brief, an air compressor fills the muscle bladders imparting controlled contraction of select muscles related to spine. In turn, this moves and controls the position of the robotic spine upon which we can conduct experiments. The Capstone project will consist of assessing the current experimental set up in order to make safety recommendations should the system ever fail. That is the project consists of interpreting, proposing, developing, and testing a failsafe system in place. The Capstone team are encouraged to think outside the box. For example, the solution could be an accessible enclosure which only allows experiments to be conducted when secured. Many alternatives exist. The team will be responsible for determining the specifications and will be given independence towards what solution they converge on to best meet the clients “want”.

16—Oscillating Device for Postural Correction of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

natalie.reznikov [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Natalie Reznikov)

This oscillating device is a physiotherapy appliance for clinical conditions having abnormal muscular tone in the face and neck region and a habitual (acquired) abnormal position of the lower jaw (mandible) and neck. The first prototype has been designed and assembled by a Capstone team in 2020-2021 . This is the the second iteration of the project where we expect to improve the performance and physical characteristics of the device.

This biomedical device lowers the muscular tone of the craniofacial complex by applying mechanical vibrations in the range 100-300 Hz. Such vibrations induce relief in habitual muscular tone and thus alleviate posteriorly misplaced (retrognathic) occlusion of the mandible, and clenching of teeth. When the mandible regains its physiologic position where teeth are normally out of contact at rest, the backwards displacement of the tongue and the pharynx is also expected to diminish – thus improving breathing. It is expected that applying vibration in short bouts will alleviate dental clenching, temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction, obstructive sleep apnea, certain varieties of neck pain, and will improve head posture and facial appearance in the subject.

Expected improvements of the design:

• alternative source of vibrations within approximately the same range of frequency and amplitude;
• weight reduction;
• noise reduction;
• anatomically accurate design of contact parts;
• implementation of safety measures;
• aesthetically gratifying layout.

The final design should be suitable for clinical trials on healthy and affected volunteers.

Current appearance of the device:

17—Epipen Redesign

moshe.ben-shoshan [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan) and mark.driscoll [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Mark Driscoll)

Current auto deployment epinephrine devices are bulky and expensive. These devices must be carried by those with severe allergies in order to halt an anaphylaxis reaction, should one occur. These devises comprise a fixed dose of epinephrine, a pre-loaded mechanism to deploy a needle of fixed length, and a means to deliver the epinephrine through the needle when deployed. Many other design solutions present feasible alternatives to the conventional designs used in market today. The role of the present design project would be to miniaturize the above design while maintaining the same reliable outcome. Furthermore, a means of auto emergency notifications should also be integrated into the design.

18—Accurate Dosing for Oral Immunotherapy

moshe.ben-shoshan [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan)  and  mark.driscoll [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Mark Driscoll)

Food allergies are very prevalent in Canada with over 3 million know cases while anaphylaxis is increasing annually. This poses a particular challenge both in management and treatment. Over the last decade a trend in deterrent treatments has been adopted where allergens, in controlled amounts, are given to the patient with the goal of desensitization. This is known as oral immunotherapy (OIT). The challenge with this process is the ability to provide controlled amounts of the allergen to the patient. More specifically, for example, only [0.03-0.1] mg of egg or milk protein can elicit a reaction. This provides a target desensitization of at least multiple times these amounts to offer protection, with a safety factor, when considering accidents or cross contaminations. Thus, it is the objective of the capstone group to devise a means to enable accurate dossing of common allergens with the aspiration of facilitating and encouraging more widespread practice of OIT.

19—Design and Manufacture of a Prototype 3D Bioprinting Device

showan.nazhat [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Showan Nazhat)

The aim of this MEDTEC capstone design project is to build a prototype biofabrication/3D bioprinting instrument based on a McGill-led technology, gel aspiration-ejection (GAE). GAE has been demonstrated to be highly effective in generating tissue-like bioinks based on fibrillar collagen and other proteins. In the GAE approach, precursor isotropic hydrogels, prefabricated from a range of collagen concentrations, are aspirated into a capillary through the application of negative pressure, thereby simultaneously inducing both compaction and mesoscale anisotropy on the hydrogel. This is facilitated by aspirating the fibrillar collagen component of the hydrogel into the capillary thereby expelling the excess casting fluid used in the collagen self-assembly process. By subsequent reversal of the pressure, dense collagen gels can be controllably ejected. Precise bioink properties can be predicted through a mathematical compaction factor whereby collagen bioinks with modular density and anisotropy, seeded cell density and temporal functionality can be modelled and biofabricated.

The capstone project team will ideally be composed of four highly motivated engineering students, one student each from Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Bioengineering to collaborate on designing and building the prototype instrument.

20—Design and Prototyping of a Dynamic Range of Motion Assessment Tool for the Shoulder

carl.laverdiere [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Carl Laverdière) , Orthopaedic Surgery resident (main contact person) paul.martineau [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Paul Martineau) , Orthopaedic Surgeon

It is clinically challenging to measure the range of motion of patient’s limbs consistently between observers. At the moment, the two best tools to assess range of motion while following a patient is a goniometer (pretty archaic, look it up) or eyeballing (obviously inaccurate).

Thus, the objective of this project is to design an apparatus capable of quantifying and tracking the range of motion of the arm from the shoulder joint quickly and accurately. The characteristics needed from the clients are quantitative data in 3 dimensions (x,y,z), a graphical representation of this data as well as a mean to compare with previous tests performed by the same patient. The design team is welcome to brainstorm on potential solution, however they need to keep in mind the portability, ease of use in the clinical setting as well as cost.

The aim is for this device to be used in the orthopaedics clinic to quantitively assess the patients pre-operatively, post-operatively and throughout their rehabilitation process to help the patients get better.

21—Design of Intervertebral Disc Bioreactor with Precise Complex Loadings

jianyu.li [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Jianyu Li) , Lab of Biomaterials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Damage of Intervertebral discs (IVDs) have been proven to cause lower back pain. One of the major causes of IVD damages is the complex mechanical loadings experienced during daily activities. This complex loading includes axial compression, torsion, flexion, extension, and lateral bending. To understand the effect of complex mechanical loadings to IVD damage and develop effective treatments, ex vivo culturing of the entire disc organ using bioreactors are in high demand. Though the effect of static and dynamic axial compression has been studied extensively, little is known about the biomechanical response of IVD under the condition of dynamic complex loadings. Due to this fact, it is necessary to develop an IVD bioreactor capable of applying these complex load cases. This project aims to develop a new organ culture loading system with high loading accuracy and resolution. The loading system is expected to consist closed-loop control with real-time load and displacement readouts. The culture system is expected to have the ability to accommodate for both human and bovine IVDs. It is necessary to be biocompatible and include culture media and gas exchange systems. The performance of this bioreactor will be further validated in parallel ex vivo studies of bovine IVD and will be later incorporated with cell-laden hydrogels to study the effects of dynamic biomechanical environments on cellular functions.

22—An In-Vitro Testing Platform for Evaluating the Sealing Performance of Adhesive Sealants

jianyu.li [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Jianyu Li) , Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Wound closure is a fundamental and practically important problem, underpinning many health issues such as hemorrhage, which account for 10% of death globally, thus calling for strong and robust adhesive sealants. The commercially available tissue sealants such as TISSEEL, COSEAL and DURASEAL are commonly used for halting the surgical bleeding and closing the wound. Naturally, human body produces biological sealants such as blood clot, which also plays an important role in hemostasis and wound healing. The cohesion and adhesion energies are important metrics for evaluating the sealing performances of the above-mentioned adhesive sealants. However, due to their ultra-soft and brittle nature, the conventional testing specimen for measuring adhesion energy, such as the peeling test, is not applicable. It is therefore desired to design a novel testing apparatus which can accurately measure the adhesion/cohesion energies of the sealants regardless of their softness and brittleness. The project requires four undergraduate students to design and prototype a testing platform which can be used to measure the adhesion energy of the adhesive sealants. Briefly, the testing platform includes bulging up a thin film of adhesive sealant by pumping in liquid and using cameras to capture the bulging profile, from which the adhesion energy of the adhesive can be estimated. The tasks include the design of the testing rig, 3D printing and assembly of the parts and camera calibration, and finally the validation test. The students will have the chance to work with mechanical engineers, bioengineers, chemists, biologists, and surgeons.

23—Utilizing Machine Learning Algorithms to Explore Aspects of Surgical Expertise on a VR/AR Surgical Spine Simulator

Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Lab - Professor Mark Driscoll and Sami Alkadri (PhD Student)

mark.driscoll [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Mark Driscoll) , sami.alkadri [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Sami Alkadri) (PhD student)

Teaching hospitals are realizing the risk of conventional surgical training methods; thus, researchers are exploring the promising results exhibited by virtual reality (VR) pilot training systems for its adaptation to the medical field. The great complexity and high demand of spinal surgeries led to the increased interests in developing novel VR simulators for spinal procedures. Recently, machine learning algorithms are coupled to surgical simulators to give further insights into aspects of the surgical performance that differentiate levels of expertise. Often, deeper subsets of machine learning, such as artificial neural networks (ANNs), might be needed to correctly learn complex non-linear patterns within the given dataset. When combined to virtual reality surgical simulators, the algorithm not only has the potential to correctly predict the different surgical classes, but it can also provide a deeper insight into the impact of the different performance metrics on the classifications. The outlined project is part of the development of a VR/AR surgical training platform to train orthopedic and neurosurgeons in advanced spinal surgery techniques. The platform is developed by McGill University in affiliation with CAE Healthcare and DePuy Synthes (part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices).

Project objectives include developing and employing multiple machine learning algorithms and subsequently compare their performance to the already developed Neural Network Model. Furthermore, explore data augmentation techniques to amplify the small dataset deployed in the project.

Students with machine learning and computational background is preferred.

24—In-Vivo Low Profile Percutaneous Tissue Homogenizer

louis-martin.boucher [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Louis-Martin Boucher)

The goal of the project is to be able to generate a self-tumoral vaccine, in-vivo, by homogenizing/mixing an ablated tumor in the liver with an immuno-stimulant (adjuvant). Normally to do this, one would need to excise the tumor, homogenize it with the adjuvant ex-vivo and then use this as a vaccine. However, this demands very special techniques of sterility and tissue processing, not easily available and prohibitively costly.

In interventional radiology, we routinely ablate tumors in the liver, leaving the dead tumor in place. The idea is to try to use the dead tumor left in the liver to stimulate the immune system. This requires some mechanism to mix the ablated tumor in-vivo with the adjuvant. This would be done via a percutaneous access.

The system we are looking for is a low-profile system (that could be engaged through a 15g needle) into the ablated tumor under US guidance. Needle length would have to be approximately 20 cm in length. Once the homogenizer needle is in place it would have to be able to inject a specific volume of immunostimulator (gelified liquid) while mixing/homogenizing this with the ablated tumor. The system would need to be controllable in such a way that a relatively specific volume of tissue is mixed/homogenized so that we do not damage the normal liver around the ablated tumor, whether time based or speed based. Ideally, the system would need to be autoclavable/sterilizable.

We have published the idea in a previous publication. See "Carias et al., Ex Vivo Study of Experimental Method Toward Future In Vivo Tissue Processing for Self-Anti-Tumoral Vaccinations, Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2021 May;44(5):818-821.doi: 10.1007/s00270-020-02736-7. Epub 2021 Jan 27." For this we used a basic thrombectomy device that consists of a rotating wire, but at low speed and which was insufficient to optimally mix the tumor with the gellified liquid. We are therefore at a road block presently and the design of this system will allow us to move forward in developing a technique to use someone's own ablated tumor, in-vivo, to generate a anti-self vaccine, allowing us to create personalized medicine with universal tools, a possible game-changer in the fight against cancer.

Department and University Information

Design of medical technologies.

126 Medical Capstone Project Ideas You Can Use

Oct 11, 2022

Oct 11, 2022 | Topics

You’ve spent years in school and finished your medical degree. However, you still need to complete one last thing before being able to call yourself an M.D, a capstone project. You will be able to use your skills and knowledge to succeed in a career as a physician or researcher. As with any other research project assignment, choosing what topic to focus on for this project can be difficult—but don’t worry! We’re here with some ideas for the best medical capstone projects.

I believe you are a medical student looking for capstone project ideas. Check out our list of ideas for medical capstone projects that you can use for your research.

Best Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• The Effect of Marijuana on Patients with Epilepsy
• The Benefits of Online Medical Records in Improving Patient Care
• Diabetes and Obesity: How Are They Connected?
• Gene Therapy for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention in Women
• Does E-cigarettes Cause Cancer or Not?
• Improving Hemodialysis Access in Rural Areas through Portable Dialysis Units (PDU) and Home Healthcare Packages (HHP)
• Helping Seniors Stay Independent by Giving Them Control Over Their Health Care
• How Social Media Affects the Safety of Nurses
• How Nursing Leadership Affects Healthcare Service Providers

Interesting Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• Obese patient retention at a primary care facility
• Medical nursing students’ experience with debridement in the ER
• How nurses can improve the physical exam of patients with cancer
• Health service utilization of geriatric patients in rural areas of America
• Patient perceptions of emotional support from physicians during cancer treatment (particularly breast cancer)

Simple Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• A study on the effect of art therapy on patients with chronic pain
• The impact of a new policy for patients with frequent emergency department visits
• How to improve communication between nurses and physicians about patient care
• A comparison of the effects of different types of exercise for heart failure patients (particularly those who are obese)
• The effects of obesity on the development of diabetes in a primary care facility
• The effect of social media on the safety of nursing practitioners
• How patient-reported outcomes affect patient satisfaction and knowledge of cancer treatment
• Factors that influence physical exam skills for medical students
• Patient perceptions about emotional support at different stages during cancer treatment
• Diversion rates in communities with substance abuse problems

Easy Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• What is the current state of vaccination in your country? (Intermediate)
• How effective are flu vaccines at preventing flu? (Advanced)
• What is the best way to treat Crohn’s Disease? (Beginner)
• How useful is the internet for researching medical information about diseases and conditions? (Intermediate)
• Do mobile apps help people manage their chronic illnesses better than traditional methods like paper diaries? If so, which types of apps work best, and why? (Advanced)
• Do older adults prefer online video courses or in-person workshops for self-care support?
• Concept and evidence-based practices for nurse leaders
• The quality of life lived by those with congestive heart failure

Controversial Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• Should people with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease be tested for the APOE4 gene? (Intermediate)
• Is it ethical to use genetic testing as part of a criminal investigation? (Advanced)
• How do doctors and patients decide when to stop treatment for terminal illnesses? (Intermediate)
• How do medical professionals handle the complex decision-making process in palliative care?
• The safety of medical implants
• The ethical implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in medicine
• Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care
• The long-term consequences of genetic testing on children’s health and well-being
• How the legalization of assisted suicide will affect healthcare systems, including those with access to palliative care services or hospice facilities

Compare and Contrast Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• Treatment of Chronic Pain in Patients with a History of Addiction vs. Non-Addicted Patients
• The Effects of High-Frequency Electrical Stimulation on Chronic Pain
• The Efficacy of Acupuncture vs. Traditional Pain Medications for Patients with Back Pain
• Effectiveness of Alternative Therapies for the Management of Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle Syndrome (PGPS)
• Comparison Between Chiropractic Manipulation Treatments and Laser Therapy in Children With Headaches
• The Effectiveness of Adhesive Capsulotomy vs. Narcotic Analgesic Therapy in Patients with Chronic Pain

Medical Capstone Project Ideas for College

• The Effect of Rhinoplasty on Aesthetics and Function in Patients with Nasal Breathing Problems
• The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Comparing the Efficacy of Lidocaine versus Placebo for Treating Trigeminal Neuralgia
• The Role of Physical Activity in Reducing Symptomology Associated with Fibromyalgia Herniated Disc Treatment
• Designing an app for elderly people living alone.
• Creating a mobile healthcare system to track patients’ progress after surgery or treatment procedures.
• Establishing a brand new method of diagnosing cancer by using artificial intelligence technology.
• Building an app will help people determine their blood pressure and heart rate without difficulty.
• Develop software that analyzes mental health information from multiple sources (e.g. emails, texts, voice messages) to identify whether an individual has a mental disorder.

Innovative Clinical Medicine Capstone Project Topics

• Developing a mobile app to monitor the body temperature of people suffering from fever and other infections.
• Establishing a system that can help visually impaired people get their prescriptions refilled without having to visit a doctor’s office.
• Creating an artificial intelligence-based system that could analyze MRI scans and help doctors diagnose cancer early on.
• Building software for identifying various skin conditions using images taken with standard cameras or smartphones
• Scalable, low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic device for identifying and monitoring systemic bacterial infections
• Mobile phone application to augment the treatment of patients with severe mental illness
• Virtual reality (VR) training in pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for non-medical community members
• A novel method for the biopsy of cancerous tumors uses ultrasound-guided imaging technology instead of an incisional approach.
• Evaluation of a novel drug delivery system that can be used in conjunction with pacemakers to treat arrhythmias
• Professional development and validation of a pathway to provide high-quality palliative care services at a large urban academic medical center

Medical Capstone Project Ideas for Health Promotion

• Conduct a study on the effects of stress on medical students.
• Investigate the role of social media in health promotion.
• Create a program to help high school students adopt healthy habits and attitudes.
• Conduct research into smoking cessation programs for patients with chronic pulmonary disease
• Research the effects of smoking on pregnant women and their fetuses.
• Develop a program to educate people about the dangers of mixing alcohol and prescription drugs.
• Analyze the effectiveness of community-based Vs hospital-based health care.
• Identify factors that influence children’s ability to learn in school.

Medical Capstone Project Ideas for Mental Health

• The role of technology in people’s lives (and how it affects mental health)
• How certain types of social media affect mental health (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
• How the stigma surrounding mental health affects those with it and their loved ones
• A comparison of cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, meditation, and other methods used for treating depression and anxiety disorders.
• The role of stress in mental health disorders and how certain therapies can reduce it
• The effectiveness of different types of therapy for treating depression and anxiety disorders

Women’s Health Capstone Project Ideas

• The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Pregnancy Outcomes in African-Americans
• A Comparative Study of the Effects of Exercise on Mood, Depression, and Anxiety in Young Women with and without Eating Disorders
• A Review of the Literature Regarding Female Genital Hygiene Products: Are They Safe? Do They Work? What Alternatives Are There to Traditional Hygiene Products?
• Examining the Relationship between Age at Menarche and Body Mass Index in Adolescent Girls
• A study of self-reported breast cancer screening behaviors among women ages 18-50 found that there were some differences by gender.

Pediatric Medical Capstone Project Topics

• The effect of vitamin D supplementation in infants on their immunity to infections
• Weight loss programs in obesity among obese children and adolescents
• The effect of omega-3 fatty acids in treating ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• The role of dietary fiber and feeding on children’s health status and growth development
• Effects of childhood stress on the immune system
• The effect of obesity on children’s mental health and cognitive development

Patient Falls Capstone Project Ideas for Nursing

• The effect of patient falls on their recovery time and the impact on the hospital’s cost.
• The role of medical staff in preventing patient falls
• The factors that contribute to patient falls among hospitalized children
• How to prevent patient falls in children with mental health issues
• Develop a patient falls prevention program for a hospital and implement it.
• Create an instructional video on how to prevent falls for your local senior center or nursing home.
• Research the use of automatic electronic bed alarms in preventing patient falls
• Literature review on the effects of sedation on postoperative cognitive function during hospitalization
• Strategies that can be used to reduce the risk of patients injuring themselves while hospitalized due to their medications.
• Identify barriers that prevent nurses from conducting follow-up assessments after discharge from hospital admission (e.g., lack of time resources available).

Emergency Medical Capstone Project Ideas

• Design a study to determine if emergency medical personnel can improve their response time by using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) during cardiac arrest incidents where the victim is not breathing and has no pulse.
• Conduct a peer review of current protocols for treating patients with burns and develop recommendations for improving patient care
• Evaluate the use of automatic electronic bed alarms in preventing patient falls
• Strategies for reducing iatrogenic risk factors associated with patients’ medications while they are hospitalized in order
• How can automated medical devices be improved to prevent falls and reduce hospital-acquired infections?
• Analyze how nurses can collaborate with other healthcare providers to increase awareness of the limitations associated with their current care protocols.
• “An Analysis of EMS Personnel Roles During a Mass Casualty Event”
• “The Effectiveness of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in Rural Regions”
• “A Comparison Between Law Enforcement Officers’ and Firefighters’ Response to Patient Safety Events”
• “The Importance of Pre-Hospital Trauma Care in a Mass Casualty Incident: A Case Study”
• “A Comparison of EMS Personnel Roles During a Mass Casualty Event”

Medical Surgery Capstone Project Ideas

• A study of the relationship between healthcare, social media, and policy.
• A comparison of surgical outcomes for patients who have insurance versus those who do not have insurance.
• In the aftermath of America’s new state of health care reforms, what do medical students think about the value of their health education?
• The use of robots in surgery and its effect on patient outcomes, both physically and psychologically (e.g., anxiety level).
• How Artificial intelligence can improve surgical outcomes by creating better training videos, 3D model reconstructions, or even virtual environments where surgeons can practice before operating on real patients.
• “How can we use technology and data science for better patient care?” There are many ways to improve healthcare with technology, such as using predictive analytics to improve patient safety, giving patients digital access to their health records, or creating an app to help manage chronic conditions.

Nursing Informatics Capstone Project Ideas

Nursing informatics is the study of how information technology affects professional nursing. Computers and other electronic devices are becoming increasingly essential for nurses to know how to use them in their jobs. Here are ideas for capstone projects in this field:

• Use technology to help people in your community who don’t have access to healthcare or medical information.
• Find out if there are any health problems in your area that can be solved with technology.
• In what ways can wearable tech help patients receiving treatment at home post-op? For example, can it track if people are taking their medication on time?
• Design a telemedicine tool that doctors can use to treat patients remotely. Ask doctors what features they would like/need in such a tool, and use that feedback to guide
• Design an app that helps patients remember to take their medications and keep up with their appointments.
• Create a way for nurses to communicate across borders without having any prior knowledge about each other’s languages.
• The use of cloud computing and information technology in the growth of the healthcare industry.

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We hope you’ve found this list of medical capstone project ideas helpful in your search for the perfect topic. If you’re still feeling a little stuck, we’re here to help students design a winning medical capstone project. We know how difficult it can be to develop an idea, so contact us today if you need some assistance!

With a passion for education and student empowerment, I create blog content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of students. From study hacks and productivity tips to career exploration and personal development

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Capstone Project Ideas in Nursing: Exploring Innovative Approaches to Healthcare

Introduction to nursing capstone projects.

The dynamic landscape of healthcare requires nursing students to demonstrate practical knowledge through capstone projects. These projects provide an opportunity to delve into a unique aspect of nursing and contribute towards improving the healthcare system. Selecting the perfect topic for your nursing capstone project ideas can be challenging, but we’re here to help! This comprehensive guide will introduce Nursing Capstone Projects Ideas, how to choose them, and several promising themes to explore.

What is a Nursing Capstone Project?

A nursing capstone project is the pinnacle of your academic journey, marking the transition from student to full-fledged healthcare professional. This project provides a platform for students to apply classroom learning to a real-world clinical scenario, driving them to expand their knowledge and refine their nursing skills.

The capstone project isn’t just about showcasing what you’ve learned—it’s about contributing to the nursing field by exploring and addressing a critical healthcare issue. Capstone projects vary in nature. They can take the form of evidence-based practice (EBP) projects where students identify a problem in healthcare, review the current literature on the topic, and propose a solution based on their findings. Alternatively, they may involve research studies where students design and carry out a study to contribute to nursing knowledge.

Furthermore, nursing capstone ideas for different projects offer an opportunity to specialize in a specific area of interest within the vast nursing field. Be it pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency nursing, or community health, this project enables you to delve deeper into a chosen niche, strengthening your expertise.

Nursing capstone papers are hands-on learning experiences that significantly augment your understanding of nursing theories, models, and frameworks. They push you to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and research skills, making you adept at evidence-based practice.

How To Write Nursing Capstone Projects Ideas

Indeed, writing a nursing capstone project requires significant planning, research, and execution. This is not a task that can be completed overnight—it’s a process that will test your analytical and problem-solving skills. Here are the steps to use when writing Ideas for a nursing capstone project:

Step 1: Identify the Problem

The first step in any nursing capstone project is identifying a real-world issue relevant to the nursing field. It could be a gap in patient care, an operational inefficiency, or even an unexplored area of nursing practice. To identify a problem worth exploring, you can reflect on your clinical rotations, speak to professionals in the field, or review recent nursing literature.

Step 2: Select a Topic

Once you have identified the problem, the next step is to narrow it down into a specific topic for your capstone project. This specific area of interest should align with your career goals. Remember, the more passionate you are about the topic, the more motivated you will be throughout the process.

Step 3: Develop a Proposal

After selecting a topic, the next step is to develop a project proposal. This proposal should outline the problem you have identified, the objectives of your project, the methods you plan to use to address the problem, and the expected outcomes. Your proposal will require approval from your faculty advisor before you can move forward.

Step 4: Conduct Extensive Research

Now comes the part where you roll your sleeves and dive deep into nursing research. This involves thoroughly reviewing relevant literature, data collection, and analysis. You’ll need to gather and evaluate evidence to support your proposed solution. Please keep track of all your sources; you’ll need to reference them in your final report.

Step 5: Implement the Project

Depending on the nature of your project, you may need to implement your proposed solution in a real-world setting. This could involve initiating a new nursing intervention, developing a program, or testing a new approach to patient care.

Step 6: Write the Final Report

After collecting and analyzing your data, it’s time to write your final report . This report should include an introduction presenting the problem and research objectives, a literature review, a detailed description of your methodology, findings, discussion, and conclusion. Be sure to adhere to your institution’s formatting guidelines.

Step 7: Presentation

Often, nursing capstone projects also require an oral presentation upon completion. This is your chance to share your work with your peers, faculty, and sometimes even professionals in the field. Ensure to rehearse thoroughly, know your content, and be ready to answer questions.

How To Choose Topic For Capstone Project?

Choosing the right topic ideas for your nursing capstone project is critical to your capstone journey. A well-chosen topic can engage the process and yield more impactful results. Here are some key considerations to help guide you in making this significant decision:

Identify Your Interests and Strengths

Start by reflecting on your nursing education and clinical experience so far. Are there specific areas or specialties that you find particularly engaging? Are you passionate about pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health, surgical nursing, or public health? Your capstone project is an excellent opportunity to further explore and specialize in an area you are passionate about. Moreover, working on a topic you love can make the rigorous capstone process more enjoyable and less overwhelming.

Consider the Practical Implications

While personal interest is essential, it’s also crucial to consider the practical implications of your potential topic. Ideally, your capstone project should address a real-world problem in nursing or healthcare and contribute towards improving patient care. Ask yourself, “How will this project potentially impact the nursing field? Will it contribute to better patient outcomes or advance nursing practice?”

Feasibility is Key

Feasibility is another essential consideration when choosing a capstone topic. Given your time frame, resources, and available data, you want to ensure that your selected topic can be thoroughly explored. Ambitious projects are admirable, but remember that it’s better to thoroughly explore a narrower topic than to scratch the surface of a broader one barely.

Seek Feedback

Once you have a potential topic, seek feedback from your instructors, peers, and mentors. They can provide valuable insights, help refine your ideas, and guide you toward a viable and impactful project.

Be Flexible

Finally, remember to stay flexible. As you delve deeper into your topic, you might need to adjust your research question or tweak your project’s focus. That’s perfectly okay and part of the learning process.

Ideas Of Capstone Project Topics For Students

There are countless topics students can choose for their capstone projects. Below are some of the best nursing capstone project ideas.

Noteworthy Capstone Project Ideas For Nursing

• The Impact of Nurse-led Health Counseling on Lifestyle Diseases
• Effective Pain Management Strategies for Oncology Patients
• Role of Nurses in Enhancing the Quality of Palliative Care
• The Influence of Family-centered Care on Patient Outcomes
• Holistic Nursing Approaches to Chronic Disease Management
• Exploring the Role of Nursing in Care Coordination
• Understanding Nurses’ Roles in Patient Advocacy
• The Effects of Spiritual Care in Nursing Practice
• Exploring the Role of Nursing in Home Care
• Analyzing the Importance of Patient Education in Nursing Practice
• Impact of Continuing Education on Nurses’ Professional Development
• The Role of Nursing in Managing Alzheimer’s Patients
• Impact of Nurse-led Interventions on Medication Adherence
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Infection Control
• Understanding Nurses’ Roles in Health Promotion and Prevention

Health Promotion Project Ideas For Nursing Students

• Assessing the Efficacy of Community Health Programs on Childhood Obesity
• Exploring the Role of Nurses in HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaigns
• Influence of Health Promotion Initiatives on Mental Health Outcomes
• Evaluating the Impact of School-based Health Promotion Programs
• Role of Nursing in Promoting Physical Activity Among Elderly Patients
• Nurse’s Role in Promoting Healthy Eating in Communities
• Impact of Health Promotion Strategies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
• The Role of Nurses in Sex Education and STI Prevention
• Examining the Effect of Nurse-led Exercise Programs on Patients with Arthritis
• Effectiveness of Nurse-led Health Check-ups in Early Disease Detection
• Impact of Health Education on Medication Adherence in Elderly Patients
• Role of Nursing in Preventing Alcohol and Substance Abuse
• Effectiveness of Health Promotion Campaigns in Reducing Stigma Around Mental Health
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Family Planning Services
• Role of Nurses in Health Education for Patients with Diabetes

Nursing Capstone Project Ideas for Mental Health

• Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Patients with Anxiety Disorders
• The Impact of Group Therapy on Patients with Bipolar Disorder
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Assessing the Effect of Nurse-led Mindfulness Techniques on Stress Reduction
• Exploring the Role of Nursing in Substance Abuse Treatment
• The Impact of Nursing Interventions on Quality of Life for Schizophrenia Patients
• Examining the Effect of Art Therapy on Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• The Role of Nurses in Managing Insomnia in Psychiatric Patients
• Nursing Interventions for Patients with Eating Disorders
• Exploring the Impact of Family Therapy on Patients with Personality Disorders
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Nurse-led Psychoeducation for Patients and Families
• Role of Nursing in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Mental Health Disorders
• The Impact of Nursing Care on Long-Term Mental Health Outcomes
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Community Mental Health Services
• Role of Nurses in Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention

Capstone Project Topics on Nursing Burnout

• Evaluating the Impact of Flexible Work Schedules on Nursing Burnout
• Assessing the Role of Peer Support Programs in Reducing Nurse Burnout
• Understanding the Correlation Between Nurse-Patient Ratios and Burnout
• The Impact of Organizational Culture on Nurse Burnout
• Studying the Effect of Mindfulness Programs on Nursing Burnout
• Evaluating the Efficacy of Stress Management Workshops in Reducing Burnout
• Role of Leadership in Managing Nurse Burnout
• Impact of Emotional Intelligence Training on Nurse Burnout
• The Effects of Work-Life Balance Initiatives on Nursing Burnout
• Assessing the Relationship Between Nurse Burnout and Medical Errors
• Exploring the Role of Continuing Education in Preventing Nurse Burnout
• Nurse Burnout: A Comparative Study of Different Specialties
• Evaluating the Role of Resilience Training in Reducing Nurse Burnout
• The Impact of Nurse Burnout on Job Satisfaction
• Understanding the Link Between Nurse Burnout and Patient Satisfaction

Women’s Health Capstone Project Ideas

• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Breast Cancer Screening Programs
• The Impact of Nurse-led Counseling on Postpartum Depression
• Exploring the Effect of Health Education on Women’s Knowledge of Cervical Cancer
• Assessing the Role of Nurses in Reproductive Health Services
• The Impact of Nursing Care on Women’s Health During Menopause
• The Role of Nurses in Health Promotion for Pregnant Women
• Examining the Impact of Nurse-led Support Groups for Women with Infertility
• Understanding the Role of Nursing in Domestic Violence Prevention
• Evaluating the Effect of Nurse-led Interventions on Maternal Mortality Rates
• Nurse’s Role in Managing Hormonal Imbalances in Women
• Exploring the Impact of Nursing Care on Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• The Role of Nurses in Managing Pre- and Postnatal Care
• Examining the Efficacy of Nursing Interventions on Prenatal Nutrition
• The Role of Nurses in Fertility Counseling and Treatment
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Managing Endometriosis

Pediatric Nursing Capstone Project Topics

• The Impact of Nurse-led Asthma Education Programs on Pediatric Asthma Control
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Managing Childhood Diabetes
• Exploring the Efficacy of Nurse-led Interventions for Childhood Obesity
• The Impact of Pediatric Nursing Care on Neonatal Mortality Rates
• Nurse’s Role in the Early Detection and Management of Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Evaluating the Impact of Nurse-led Parental Education on Childhood Vaccination Rates
• Assessing the Role of Nurses in Pediatric Pain Management
• The Effect of Nursing Care on Quality of Life for Children with Chronic Illnesses
• Role of Nurses in Pediatric Palliative Care
• The Impact of Nurse-led Interventions on Adherence to Treatment in Pediatric Patients
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Managing Pediatric Mental Health
• Assessing the Impact of Nurse-led School Health Programs on Children’s Health Outcomes
• Role of Nurses in Managing Childhood Allergies
• Evaluating the Impact of Nurse-led Play Therapy on Hospitalized Children
• Exploring the Role of Nurses in Supporting Families of Children with Special Needs

Patient Falls Nursing Capstone Project Ideas

• Evaluating the Impact of Nurse-led Fall Prevention Programs in Hospitals
• The Role of Nurses in Fall Risk Assessment for Elderly Patients
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Bed Alarms in Reducing Patient Falls
• Understanding the Link Between Medication Administration and Patient Falls
• The Impact of Patient Education on Fall Prevention
• Evaluating the Efficacy of Physical Therapy in Reducing Falls Among Hospitalized Patients
• Role of Nursing in Implementing Fall Prevention Protocols
• The Impact of Environmental Modifications on Patient Fall Rates
• Examining the Effect of Multifactorial Interventions on Patient Falls
• The Influence of Cognitive Assessment on Fall Risk Management
• Understanding the Relationship Between Staffing Levels and Patient Falls
• Assessing the Impact of Mobility Aids on Fall Rates in Hospitals
• Role of Nurses in Managing Fall Risks in Patients with Neurological Disorders
• The Effect of Patient and Family Education on Falls Prevention in Home Care
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Post-fall Care and Management

Emergency Nursing Capstone Project Ideas

• Examining the Role of Nurses in Triage Decision-making
• Assessing the Impact of Rapid Response Teams on Patient Outcomes
• The Role of Nurses in Managing Disaster Response
• Evaluating the Efficacy of Advanced Life Support Training for Emergency Nurses
• The Impact of Nursing Interventions on Patient Satisfaction in the ER
• Understanding the Role of Emergency Nurses in Pediatric Care
• Assessing the Role of Nurses in Preventing Medication Errors in the ER
• The Effect of Nurse-led Crisis Intervention in Emergency Care
• Role of Nurses in Emergency Mental Health Care
• The Impact of Simulation Training on Emergency Nurses’ Competency
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Airway Management in the ER
• The Impact of Emergency Nursing Care on Trauma Patient Outcomes
• Understanding the Role of Emergency Nurses in Pain Management
• Examining the Efficacy of Telemedicine in Emergency Nursing Practice
• The Impact of Nurse-led Rapid Assessment on Patient Flow in the ER

Medical Surgery Capstone Project Ideas

• The Impact of Preoperative Nursing Interventions on Postoperative Outcomes
• Role of Nurses in Managing Postoperative Pain
• Assessing the Efficacy of Nurse-led Patient Education on Surgical Complication Rates
• The Impact of Nursing Care on Post-surgery Recovery Times
• Exploring the Role of Nurses in Pre- and Postoperative Patient Assessment
• Understanding the Influence of Nursing on Surgical Wound Healing
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Surgical Risk Assessment
• The Impact of Nursing Interventions on Postoperative Delirium
• Exploring the Role of Nurses in Managing Perioperative Hypothermia
• Assessing the Efficacy of Nurse-led Preoperative Counseling on Patient Anxiety
• The Role of Nursing in Reducing Postoperative Infections
• Understanding the Impact of Nursing on Patient Satisfaction in Surgical Care
• Assessing the Role of Nurses in Postoperative Rehabilitation
• Exploring the Influence of Nursing on Nutrition Management in Surgical Patients
• The Role of Nursing in Palliative Care for Surgical Patients

Excellent Nursing Capstone Project Ideas BSN

• Exploring the Role of BSN Nurses in Promoting Patient Safety
• The Impact of BSN Education on Patient Outcomes
• Evaluating the Role of BSN Nurses in Care Coordination
• Understanding the Influence of BSN Education on Nursing Leadership Skills
• Assessing the Impact of BSN Nurses on Reducing Hospital Readmissions
• Evaluating the Role of BSN Education in Promoting Evidence-Based Practice
• The Impact of BSN Nurses on Interdisciplinary Communication in Healthcare Teams
• Understanding the Influence of BSN Education on Nursing Ethics
• Evaluating the Role of BSN Nurses in Managing Chronic Disease Care
• The Impact of BSN Education on Quality Improvement in Healthcare
• Exploring the Role of BSN Nurses in Health Education and Promotion
• Understanding the Impact of BSN Education on Global Health
• Assessing the Role of BSN Nurses in Community Health
• Evaluating the Influence of BSN Education on Culturally Competent Care
• The Role of BSN Nurses in Improving Healthcare Access

Latest Nursing Capstone Projects Ideas

• The Role of Nurses in Telehealth: An Emerging Trend
• Assessing the Impact of AI Technology on Nursing Practice
• The Influence of Social Media on Health Promotion: A Nurse’s Role
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Precision Medicine
• The Impact of Digital Health Records on Patient Safety and Care
• Exploring the Role of Nurses in Remote Patient Monitoring
• Understanding the Impact of Smart Devices on Nursing Care
• The Role of Nurses in Using VR Technology for Pain Management
• Assessing the Impact of Automated Medication Dispensing Systems on Patient Safety
• The Role of Nurses in Genomic Medicine
• Evaluating the Impact of E-Learning on Nursing Education
• Exploring the Role of Nurses in Disaster Management in the Era of Climate Change
• Understanding the Impact of Advanced Diagnostics on Nursing Practice
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in the Integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• The Impact of Health Informatics on Nursing Practice

Examples of Capstone Projects For Nursing

• A Quality Improvement Project on Reducing Medication Errors in Hospitals
• Implementing a Nurse-led Health Education Program for Diabetic Patients
• Evaluating the Impact of a Fall Prevention Program in a Long-term Care Facility
• Implementing a Nurse-led Smoking Cessation Program in a Community Health Setting
• A Research Project on the Correlation Between Nurse Staffing Levels and Patient Outcomes
• Developing a Peer Support Program for Nurses to Reduce Burnout
• Implementing an Infection Prevention Protocol in an ICU
• Evaluating the Impact of a Nurse-led Weight Management Program for Obese Children
• A Research Project on the Impact of Palliative Care Training for Nurses on Patient Satisfaction
• Implementing a Nurse-led Pain Management Protocol in a Surgical Unit
• Evaluating the Impact of a Skin Cancer Screening Program in a Community Health Center
• A Quality Improvement Project on Reducing Patient Wait Times in an ER
• Developing a Nursing Protocol for the Care of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
• A Research Project on the Impact of Continuing Education on Nursing Competency
• Implementing a Nurse-led Health Promotion Program for Pregnant Women

Capstone Nursing Ideas For Professionals

• Investigating the Role of Nursing Leadership in Improving Patient Safety
• Evaluating the Impact of Interprofessional Collaboration on Patient Outcomes
• Developing a Nurse-led Wellness Program for Healthcare Professionals
• Understanding the Impact of Advanced Nursing Education on Healthcare Quality
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Health Policy Development
• Implementing a Nursing Mentorship Program in a Healthcare Facility
• Evaluating the Role of Nurses in Reducing Healthcare Disparities
• Understanding the Impact of Evidence-based Practice on Healthcare Delivery
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Palliative and End-of-Life Care
• Developing a Nursing Ethics Education Program for Healthcare Professionals
• Assessing the Role of Nurses in Chronic Disease Management
• Implementing a Culture of Safety Initiative in a Healthcare Facility
• Evaluating the Role of Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care Delivery
• Understanding the Impact of Nurse-led Intervention on Patient Satisfaction
• Examining the Role of Nurses in Healthcare Innovation

Creative Nursing Projects Ideas

• Designing a Mobile App for Patient Education and Health Monitoring
• Creating a Virtual Reality-Based Pain Management Program
• Developing a Creative Art Therapy Program for Mental Health Patients
• Implementing a Community Art Project for Health Promotion
• Creating a Digital Storytelling Project for Pediatric Patients
• Developing a Music Therapy Program for ICU Patients
• Creating a Digital Health Game for Diabetes Education
• Developing a Creative Writing Program for Patients with Dementia
• Implementing a Photovoice Project for Community Health Assessment
• Creating an Interactive Web-Based Health Education Platform
• Developing a Theater-Based Health Education Program for Adolescents
• Creating a Virtual Support Group for Patients with Chronic Illnesses
• Developing a Garden Therapy Program for Elderly Patients
• Implementing a Dance/Movement Therapy Program for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
• Creating a Pet Therapy Program for Hospitalized Patients

Nursing Leadership Project Ideas

• Assessing the Role of Nursing Leadership in Reducing Medical Errors
• Implementing a Leadership Training Program for Charge Nurses
• Examining the Impact of Nursing Leadership on Interprofessional Collaboration
• Understanding the Influence of Transformational Leadership on Nursing Team Performance
• Assessing the Role of Nursing Leadership in Quality Improvement Initiatives
• Implementing a Nurse Leader Mentorship Program
• Examining the Impact of Nursing Leadership on Patient Satisfaction
• Understanding the Influence of Leadership Styles on Nurse Job Satisfaction
• Assessing the Role of Nursing Leadership in Change Management
• Implementing a Leadership Development Program for Novice Nurses
• Examining the Impact of Nursing Leadership on Patient Safety Culture
• Understanding the Influence of Nurse Leaders on Health Policy
• Assessing the Role of Nursing Leadership in Conflict Resolution
• Implementing a Leadership Program for Diversity and Inclusion in Nursing
• Examining the Impact of Nursing Leadership on Healthcare Innovation

Nursing Capstone Projects Examples For Undergraduates

• Developing a Peer Tutoring Program for Nursing Students
• Understanding the Impact of Simulation Training on Nursing Student Competency
• Examining the Role of Cultural Competency Education in Nursing Practice
• Implementing a Health Screening Program on a College Campus
• Assessing the Impact of Stress Management Interventions on Nursing Student Well-being
• Creating a Peer Support Program for First-Year Nursing Students
• Understanding the Influence of Clinical Preceptorship on Nursing Student Confidence
• Evaluating a Community Health Promotion Project Led by Nursing Students
• Assessing the Impact of Interprofessional Education on Nursing Student Perspectives
• Creating a Study Skills Workshop for Nursing Students
• Understanding the Influence of Reflective Practice on Nursing Student Development
• Evaluating a Nursing Student-led Health Education Program in a School Setting
• Assessing the Impact of a Mentorship Program on Nursing Student Success
• Implementing a Self-Care Initiative for Nursing Students
• Understanding the Influence of Nursing Student Volunteer Work on Professional Development

Senior Project Topics on Nursing

• Assessing the Impact of Geriatric Nursing Training on Elderly Patient Care
• Understanding the Role of Nurses in Promoting Healthy Aging
• Implementing a Fall Prevention Program in a Senior Living Community
• Assessing the Impact of a Memory Care Program on Dementia Patient Outcomes
• Understanding the Role of Nurses in End-of-Life Care for Seniors
• Implementing a Nutrition Education Program for Seniors in a Community Setting
• Assessing the Impact of a Physical Activity Program on Senior Health
• Understanding the Role of Nurses in Medication Management for Seniors
• Implementing a Health Screening Program for Seniors in a Community Center
• Assessing the Impact of a Home Safety Assessment Program on Senior Falls
• Understanding the Role of Nurses in Assisting Family Caregivers of Seniors
• Implementing a Health Literacy Program for Seniors
• Assessing the Impact of a Nurse-led Chronic Disease Management Program for Seniors
• Understanding the Role of Nurses in Promoting Mental Health in Seniors
• Implementing a Community-Based Senior Health Promotion Project

Nursing Informatics Capstone Project Ideas

• Evaluating the Impact of Electronic Health Records on Patient Care
• Understanding the Role of Nursing Informatics in Quality Improvement
• Implementing a Nurse-led Telehealth Service for Chronic Disease Management
• Assessing the Impact of Clinical Decision Support Systems on Patient Safety
• Understanding the Role of Nursing Informatics in Enhancing Interprofessional Communication
• Evaluating the Implementation of a Mobile Health App for Patient Engagement
• Assessing the Impact of Health Information Exchange on Care Coordination
• Understanding the Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Evidence-Based Practice
• Implementing a Digital Health Literacy Program for Nurses
• Assessing the Impact of Data Analytics on Healthcare Delivery
• Understanding the Role of Nursing Informatics in Disaster Management
• Implementing an Artificial Intelligence Tool for Patient Triage
• Assessing the Impact of Personal Health Records on Patient Engagement
• Understanding the Role of Nursing Informatics in Healthcare Innovation
• Evaluating the Implementation of a Digital Health Education Platform for Patients

Nursing Practicum Project Ideas

• Implementing a Quality Improvement Project in a Clinical Practicum Setting
• Evaluating the Impact of a Preceptorship Program on Nursing Practicum Experiences
• Developing a Health Education Program for Patients in a Clinical Practicum Setting
• Assessing the Role of Reflective Practice in Enhancing Nursing Practicum Learning
• Implementing a Peer Support Program for Nursing Practicum Students
• Evaluating the Impact of Interprofessional Collaboration on Nursing Practicum Experiences
• Developing a Safety Initiative in a Clinical Practicum Setting
• Assessing the Role of Simulation Training in Enhancing Nursing Practicum Learning
• Implementing a Stress Management Program for Nursing Practicum Students
• Evaluating the Impact of Evidence-Based Practice on Nursing Practicum Experiences
• Developing a Patient-Centered Care Program in a Clinical Practicum Setting
• Assessing the Role of Clinical Supervision in Enhancing Nursing Practicum Learning
• Implementing a Clinical Leadership Project in a Practicum Setting
• Evaluating the Impact of a Mentorship Program on Nursing Practicum Experiences
• Developing an Interprofessional Communication Initiative in a Clinical Practicum Setting

Final Thoughts

Nursing Capstone Projects present an opportunity to apply learned theory to real-life scenarios, display an understanding of evidence-based practice, and showcase the ability to think critically and solve problems. The choice of topic is critical, as it will guide your study and significantly impact your professional development. Therefore, make the most of this opportunity. Always remember, the key to a successful project is choosing a topic that aligns with your career goals, addresses a pertinent health issue, and can be completed within the given time frame. So, take your time, consider the ideas in this guide, and choose the one that best fits your goals and interests.

If you ever feel overwhelmed with developing a capstone project, remember that help is just a click away. Whether you need assistance brainstorming ideas, structuring your capstone paper , or polishing your final work, you can rely on our experienced writers. Our team of nursing assignment help professionals is ready to guide you to success, providing tailored support at every step of your Capstone journey.

FAQs on Capstone Nursing Project Ideas

What is a good nursing capstone project.

A good nursing capstone project allows you to apply theoretical knowledge into practice, showcases your critical thinking skills, and contributes to improving healthcare delivery. It should address a current healthcare issue, have a feasible design, and be relevant to your career goals.

How do I choose a nursing capstone project?

Choosing a nursing capstone project involves considering your areas of interest, relevance to your career goals, and significance to current healthcare practices. It would be best to consider the project’s feasibility, the availability of resources, and the guidance from your mentors or faculty.

What is a capstone project for BSN?

A capstone project for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a comprehensive project that is the culminating academic experience for nursing students. It allows students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their nursing program to address a healthcare issue or improve nursing practice.

How do I choose a good capstone project?

Choosing a good capstone project involves careful consideration of your interests, career goals, and the needs of the healthcare community. It would be best if you chose a passionate topic relevant to current healthcare scenarios and will provide a valuable learning experience. Moreover, consider your resources and the feasibility of completing the project within the designated timeframe.

What are some unique nursing capstone project ideas?

Some unique ideas could be developing a mobile health app for diabetes education, creating a virtual reality-based pain management program, implementing an artificial intelligence tool for patient triage, or assessing the impact of telehealth services on chronic disease management.

Why are capstone projects important in nursing?

Capstone projects are essential in nursing as they allow students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They allow students to explore areas of interest, contribute to improving healthcare delivery, and prepare for their future nursing roles.

How vital is nursing leadership in a capstone project?

Nursing leadership is crucial in capstone projects as it involves effective project management, communication, and coordination. Developing leadership skills through your capstone project can enhance your ability to lead teams and implement change in healthcare settings.

Biomedical Graduate Education

Capstone Projects

2022-2023 graduates, nelson moore.

Data Scientist at Essential Software Inc

Capstone Project: Modeling and code implementation to support data search and filter through the NCI Cancer Data Aggregator Industry Mentor: Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research: FNLCR

Joelle Fitzgerald

Business Analyst at Ascension Health Care

Capstone Project: Analysis of patient safety event reports data. Industry Mentor: MedStar Health. National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare

Kader (Abdelkader) Bouregag

Healthcare Xplorer | Medical Informatics at Genentech (internship)

Capstone Project: Transforming the Immuno-Oncology data to the OMOP CDM Industry Mentor: MSKCC/ MedStar/ Georgetown University/ Hackensack

Junaid Imam

Data Scientist at Medstar Institute

Capstone Project: Create an [trans-] eQTL visualization tool

Industry Mentor: Pfizer Inc / Harvard

Abbie Gillen

Staff Data Analyst at Nice Healthcare

Capstone Project: Nice Healthcare: Predicting Nice healthcare utilization

Industry Mentor: Nice Healthcare

Capstone Project: Next Generation Data Commons

Industry Mentor: ICF International

2021-2022 Graduates

Ahson saiyed.

NLP Engineer/Data Scientist at TrinetX

Capstone Project : Research Data Platform Pipelines Industry Mentor: Invitae

Walid Nashashibi

Data Scientist at FEMA

Capstone Project: Xenopus RNA-Seq Analysis to Understand Tissue Regeneration Mechanisms Industry Mentor: FDA

Tony Albini

Data Analyst at ClearView Healthcare Partners

Capstone project: Data Mining to understand the patient landscape of Chronic Kidney Disease Population Industry Mentor: AstraZeneca

Anvitha Gooty Agraharam

Business Account Manager at GeneData

Capstone Project: Computational estimation of Pleiotropy in Genome-Phenome Associations for target discovery Industry Mentor: AstraZeneca

Natalie Cortopassi

Researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

Capstone project: Analysis of Clinical Trial Attrition in Neuropsychiatric Clinical Trials using Machine Learning Industry Mentor: AstraZeneca

Christle Iroezi

Business System Analyst at Centene Corporation

Capstone project: Visualize Digital HealthCare ROI Industry Mentor: MedStar Health

R & D Analyst II at GEICO

Capstone project: Heat Waves and Health Outcomes Industry Mentor: ICF

Research Specialist at Georgetown University

Capstone project: Mental Health Data Commons Industry Mentor: ICF

2020-2021 Graduates

Technology Transformation Analyst, Grant Thornton LLP

Capstone Project: Research Data Platform Pipelines Industry Mentor: Invitae

Research Technician at Georgetown University

Capstone Project: Using a configurable, open-source framework to create a fully functional data commons with the REMBRANDT dataset Industry Mentor: Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research – FNLCR

Consultant at Deloitte

Capstone Project: Building a patient centric data warehouse Industry Mentor: Invitae

Marcio Rosas

Project Manager of Technology and Informatics at Georgetown University

Capstone Project: Knowledge-Based Predictive Modeling of Clinical Trials Enrollment Rates Industry Mentor : AstraZeneca

Yuezheng (Kerry) He

Data Product Associate at YipitData

Capstone Project: ClinicalTrials2Vec – Accelerating trial-level computing using a vectorized model of clinical trial summaries and results Industry Mentor: AstraZeneca

Data Programmer at Chemonics International

Capstone Project: Multi-scale modeling to enable data-driven biomarker and target discovery Industry Mentor: AstraZeneca

2019-2020 Graduates

Pratyush tandale.

Informatics Specialist I at Mayo Clinic

Capstone Project: Improving clinical mapping process for lab data using LOINC Industry Mentor: Flatiron Roche

Shabeeb Kannattikuni

Senior Statistical Programmer at PRA Health Sciences (ICON Pl)

Capstone Project: NGS Data Analysis for the QA of viral vaccines Industry Mentor: Argentys Informatics

Fuyuan Wang (Bruce)

Software Engineer at Essential Software Inc , Frederick National Labs

Capstone Project: Cancer Data Model Visualization framework Industry Mentor: Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Ayah Elshikh

Capstone Project: NGS Data Analysis for the QA of viral vaccines

Industry Mentor: Argentys Informatics

Yue (Lilian) Li

Biostatistician and Statistical Programmer , Baim Institute for Clinical Research

Capstone Project: Analysis of COVID-19 Serological test data to improve the COVID-19 Detection capabalities Industry Mentor: Argentys Informatics

Algorithm Performance Engineer at Optovue

Capstone Project: Socioeconomic factors to readmissions after major cancer surgery Industry Mentor: Medstar Health

Jiazhong Zhang

Management Trainee at China Bohai Bank

Jianyi Zhang

Capstone Projects for Nursing Programs

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Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:

• Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
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Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for NurseJournal.org as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Capstone courses function as a bridge between the end of school and the beginning of a career, allowing nursing students to put what they’ve learned into practice. As the name suggests, students complete capstones toward the end of their nursing training. Not every nursing program requires a capstone, but those that do generally culminate in a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree.

Each nursing program sets their own requirements. While capstone formats differ between programs, they typically consist of an evidence-based practice formal paper or presentation. Students might complete their capstone projects as team leaders, and BSN candidates may present their papers to a faculty panel. Projects could include case studies, program evaluations, and policy analyses.

The focus on evidence-based practice allows students to apply research and experiential evidence toward solving a healthcare problem. For example, candidates may develop intervention strategies that promote health, improve outcomes, enhance quality of life, and foster safe practices for patients.

Capstone goals center on the application of knowledge gained during nursing training programs, including topics related to leadership , management, research, theories, and evidence-based practice, along with the strategies needed to transition from students to baccalaureate-level nurses.

Choosing Your Nursing Capstone Topic

When selecting a capstone topic, students should evaluate their interests, strengths, and weaknesses, along with their chosen nursing specialty area. Luther College recommends that students with lower GPAs and weaker nursing skills consider a basic medical-surgical topic. Those with strong clinical skills and high GPAs might choose emergency or intensive care medicine, although some students might prefer outpatient topics, such as clinical services, long-term care, or public health. However, this is simply an example of one school’s approach, and readers should keep in mind that each school sets its own policies and recommendations.

Asking for guidance from faculty, supervisors, preceptors, and fellow students also helps narrow down capstone topics. Advisors can also provide assistance in choosing an appropriate capstone site, helping with questions of geographical location, facility size, patient population, and care delivery model.

Students develop and learn the skills needed to complete their capstones throughout their training. These include organization and time management, knowledge of evidence-based practice, writing, and critical thinking. They also learn to conduct literature searches, identify research designs, and evaluate evidence.

Completing Your Nursing Capstone

Capstone formats and completion times widely vary between programs. Students at Luther College and Purdue University Northwest complete their capstones in 4-5 weeks, while Ferris State University specifies a timeframe of 30 hours of online classes and 90 hours of applied project work. Case Western Reserve University’s capstone spans 10 weeks.

Regardless of the program, most students follow a PICO format for project proposal questions of inquiry: population, intervention, comparison or condition, and outcome.

Some universities allow capstone projects to be completed in teams, in which students develop and implement the project. Capstone components may include defining the project and the team leader’s role, selecting team members, and formulating the project plan.

In addition to the skills previously referenced, such as knowledge of evidence-based care, critical thinking, and effective writing, capstone courses hone leadership and management abilities These include mastering therapeutic communication, applying leadership and management concepts, and developing collaborative relationships and working on multidisciplinary teams.

Presenting Your Nursing Capstone

The capstone process culminates in a paper or presentation that measures students’ skills in communication, information dissemination, and application of evidence-based practice skills. Members of the public may attend.

Utilizing the poster format, students commonly use three panels to illustrate: (1) the background, problem, and purpose; (2) methodology; and (3) 2-3 key findings and implications. Students who present using PowerPoint on a laptop or other device should pay attention to time limits, planning for one slide per minute, and verify that equipment and internet connectivity are available.

Visuals like graphs, figures, and bullet points are more effective than large blocks of text . Students should practice presenting in front of others to ensure that they thoroughly know their content and can answer questions. Backing up a copy of a PowerPoint presentation and printing out copies or transparencies guards against last-minute glitches.

How is a Nursing Capstone Graded?

Capstone grading methods differ between programs, with some issuing letter grades and others using a pass/no pass system. Grades typically hinge on a percentage basis of the project’s written sections, the final proposal, and the presentation. Faculty evaluate how students execute the capstone course objectives, which may include the following:

Students’ presentation skill evaluation criteria include exhibiting thorough preparation and knowledge of the subject matter, clear and concise communication, adherence to any time limits, ability to answer questions and cite references, and persuasiveness.

What is the Difference Between a Nursing Capstone and a Thesis?

Students complete capstones individually or in groups, while thesis projects must be done alone. Capstone project time lengths span between four and 12 weeks, while graduate students work on their thesis projects throughout their 2- to 3-year programs. Graduate thesis courses generally take place over 1-2 semesters to keep students on track.

Finally, capstone topics evaluate current issues and theories; thesis students incorporate existing case studies and literature while exploring and arguing for their own original research. Some schools require students to publish their thesis papers in a healthcare journal.

Reviewed By:

Theresa Granger

Theresa Granger, Ph.D., MN, NP-C With over two decades of teaching and clinical practice as a family nurse practitioner, Dr. Granger is an expert in nursing education and clinical practice at all levels of education (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate). She has published and lectured extensively on nursing education and clinical practice-related content. Her expertise ranges from student advising and mentoring to curricular and content design (both on ground and online) to teaching and formal course delivery. Dr. Granger is one of the founding faculty members of the University of Southern California’s first ever fully online graduate family nurse practitioner program .

Whether you’re looking to get your pre-licensure degree or taking the next step in your career, the education you need could be more affordable than you think. Find the right nursing program for you.

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Best Online Nursing Programs and Degrees

Overwhelmed by the abundance of online nursing programs? This guide can help you navigate the possibilities and narrow down the options.

Nurse Practitioner Career Overview

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• Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics

Capstone Project

Experiential learning with a capstone project, develop and lead an actionable biomedical informatics plan.

Professional experience is an essential part of the Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics (MScBMI) at the University of Chicago. As the culminating experience of the program, you will work with an organization to solve a biomedical informatics problem. You will work on real projects solving real problems for businesses in research, technology, healthcare, or education.

This challenging and rewarding project will give you experience in the field, help you build connections, and increase your career potential.

Build a network while solving real-world problems

Make a difference while you are still a student.

The Capstone process provides a path to build expertise in your focus area, connect with your cohort, and meet potential employers or references.

It is designed to offer students an opportunity to gain experience working on real-life biomedical informatics-related problems. You will network with key industry leaders and will have individualized instruction from your academic advisor. This experience will push you into discovery, pave the way for published research, help you explore potential employment opportunities, and challenge you with problem-based work – all having an immediate and positive impact on your career.

Capstone teams engage with problems that may have wide-ranging effects in a variety of settings including clinical, research, and industry. Students identify the knowledge and framework required to address the problem and use the methodologies learned in the Biomedical Informatics program coursework to develop strategies which may involve creating new information management resources, optimizing current data systems, conducting data analysis, and scoping new solutions.

Capstone Project details

• Capstone Overview: The capstone project is a degree requirement for students and is completed during the last three quarters of their program. Students work in small teams with a business partner to address key problems the company needs to solve. The program aids students in identifying viable projects and establishing a scientific advisory panel for oversight and mentorship. At our Capstone Showcase events, all projects are presented to faculty and sponsors for review and evaluation. (link to more details?)
• Capstone Course Sequence: The Capstone course sequence consists of three consecutive classes. You will work directly with a Capstone sponsor according to your preferences, professional experience, and skills. After completing your research, you will produce a final report with all essential components of an academic paper.
• Capstone Sponsor: Your Capstone sponsor is a representative from the organization sponsoring your project who will directly oversee your work. You will connect with your sponsor weekly or bi-weekly to discuss your project’s deliverables, goals, and scope. 
• Scientific Advisors: Scientific advisors are MScBMI program instructors with subject-matter expertise on your project. You will meet with them regularly to talk about your proposal, research methods, and presentation.
• Choosing a Capstone Partner: UChicago provide a portfolio of projects students may be matched to, based on their skills and interest. This provides them a vetted project, sponsor or researcher with real-world problem. Partnerships test program knowledge, but also skills like leadership, time management, project management, and teamwork. Some students get hired into the partner organization after graduation, while others find it easier to obtain a new role based on this experience and references from the project work. Students may also propose their own project. It may be related to work or research they are interested in but must be something outside of their normal daily job responsibilities.

Capstone Projects tailored to your area of specialization and interest

Some of our recent topics:.

Students evaluated the frequency and causes of duplicate computed tomography (CT) scanning in receiving pediatric and adult trauma centers and considered use of electronic methods for image exchange.

Impact: Utilized scholarly research database to conduct literature review and concluded an industry-wide standards-based framework to facilitate the seamless electronic exchange of images is necessary to reduce duplication.

Students developed analytic template leveraging grouper methodology to examine health expenditures of a large corporation’s population.

Impact: Identified major drivers of population costs utilizing data analytics and visualization tools.

A cancer center at a large university has developed a research data warehouse for translational research. Data is generated across multiple domains and stored in a centralized repository. Robust Extract-Transform-Load capabilities have been missing. Students evaluated and made recommendations for ETL workflow.

Impact: Identified ETL workflow, informatics pipeline, and data quality-control strategies. Reviewed data collection process and documented risks to data quality. Proposed learning system approach for continuous data collection.

The need exists to characterize disease occurring in population with moderate-to-severe psoriasis (PsO) that may not be applicable to mild PsO or the general population. Students evaluated and identified cohorts based on EMR information.

Impact: Utilized EMR data to identify and stratify cohort of patients with PsO by severity based on their medication. Conducted descriptive and regression-based tree analyses to characterize each cohort. Concluded characteristics of those within the moderate-to-severe PsO cohort included advanced age, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes consistent with literature describing patients with more severe forms of PsO.

Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma has a poor prognosis, high molecular heterogeneity and few targeted therapeutic options. Guardant360 is a clinical 73-gene next generation sequencing (NGS) panel for plasma circulating tumor (ct)DNA. Students evaluated a global cohort of 1314 Guardant360 tests to determine correlations between allele frequency of ctDNA, median overall survival and immunotherapy-treated survival.

Impact: Concluded ctDNA analysis merits further evaluation as a prognostic and predictive biomarker and in evaluating molecular heterogeneity.

Students evaluated correlation between pre-operative lab data and post-discharge adverse outcomes in elective hip and knee joint replacement.

Impact: Identified significant laboratory tests, risk adjusted data, and used logistic regression to predict an adverse event. Concluded abnormal values of Albumin and Hemoglobin were significant predictors of prolonged length of stay in both hip and knee patients.

Students developed a tool to assist clinical genomics group in handling the increasing volume of patient genetic data for a large healthcare system.

Impact: Utilized programming scripts to extract, transform and load data from dbSNP, ClinVar and COSMIC into postgreSQL database. Genetic information is now available through a single resource which helps with repeatability, documentation, and incidental reporting.

Students developed web-based database management system for acute care surgical residents.

Impact: Improved data collection and analysis for tracking patient status and estimate operative complication risks. Improved resident workflow and quality measures, provided residents with individual complication rates.

Shape the Future of Health Informatics: Become a Capstone Advisor or Sponsor

Are you passionate about driving innovation in healthcare technology? We invite industry leaders and experts to join us as a Capstone sponsors for our prestigious Biomedical Informatics program at UChicago.

• A Foundation to Tackle Anything
• Room to Spare

Everything begins with an idea!

Medical Capstone Project Ideas

A medical capstone project is a final test given to evaluate your level of understanding of the entire course from the first year to the final year. Capstone projects cover most of the essential aspects of the medical course, and the results you get are a reflection of how great your career in medicine will be. It’s not like the average school-based tests, as getting poor results in your capstone project can delay your graduation.

One rarely known way to make medical capstone projects stand out is to choose a killer topic. Killer topics introduce a top-notch paper. Your medical capstone project should showcase your unique skills and abilities. It should be a true reflection of how best you’ve understood and performed in your medical course. The list of medical capstone project ideas at our disposal is incredibly wide-ranging.

However, you can’t work with any of the medical capstone project ideas available to you. It’s your responsibility to research each medical capstone project idea to get an accurate picture of what needs to be written. That will grant you the chance to research ideas and content to use in your writing. Wondering how to get killer medical capstone project ideas, check TopicsBase for great solutions.

• Plastic surgery, the popular strategy used by women to maintain youthful and pretty looks
• The need for advanced asthma education programs for learners
• The use of probiotics to minimize health issues after an antibiotic therapy
• The quality of life lived by those with congestive heart failure
• The unique ways to advance your nursing skills at work
• The most effective ways to prevent Lyme disease
• The most effective way to screen sleep apnea in those suffering from heart failure
• How is emergency healthcare?
• Doctors should treat everyone even if they don’t have insurance
• Relationship between stress and sleeping disorders
• Why most girls have bulimia?
• Reasons most patients prefer homeopathy over medicine
• The different visitation models set in place by medical centers
• The need to provide homeless people with free health insurance
• Why the cost of healthcare services vary from one state to the other?
• The uniqueness of the treatment for pregnant women
• Safety and privacy compliance measures in modern hospitals
• Doctors should be responsible for their actions when they make medical errors
• The most effective preventative care measures
• The effects of Placebo in treating different types of health conditions
• The best way to prevent infections during clinical treatments
• The side effects and treatment of post-anesthesia pain
• The best non-pharmacological treatments for dementia
• The relationship between inpatient and outpatient treatments
• Easy way to integrate EHR/EMR into modern hospitals
• The most effective ways to prevent childhood obesity
• Unhealthy lifestyles such as drug abuse, drinking, and smoking should be advised against
• The need to enhance incident reporting
• The need to have higher hospital nurse retention
• How to create unique regimens for improved immunization
• The most widespread sexually transmitted diseases
• The most effective ways to prevent type 3 diabetes
• The nursing training program is ideal for improving quality medical care

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Capstone Projects 

The Capstone Poster Session is the culmination of the MSA program. All graduating medical students matriculating after 2006, including students meeting the MSA requirements through the Research Track or the MSTP program, present their work in a formal poster presentation.  The 2024 event was on April 8th.  All School of Medicine Phase IV students (Class of 2024) presented their scholarly works to faculty and Phase I students (Class of 2027) and were judged based on their presentations.       Faculty members from across campus volunteer their time and expertise to evaluate the student’s posters and presentations. In addition, the students also evaluate the work of their peers; selecting a 'Student's Choice' poster(s) from each of the 5 MSA thematic areas.  Our goal is for each student to be visited by at least two faculty judges. If you are a CU SOM faculty member and are interested in evaluating posters during the Capstone event, please contact the MSA program at [email protected]. The Capstone is held during the final Transition to Residency Basecamp course, when all 4th year medical students are on campus.

Contact Information 

MSA Course Director:

• Jim Maloney, MD James.Maloney@ cuanschutz.edu​

Thematic Areas and Associate Directors:

• Laboratory (Basic) Science John Tentler, PhD  John.Tentler@ cuanschutz.edu
• Bioethics, Humanities, Arts, & Education Daniel Goldberg, JD, PhD  Daniel.Goldberg@ cuanschutz.edu​
• Clinical Science Cecilia Low Wang, MD Cecilia.lowwang@ cuanschutz.edu
• Clinical Science Jim Maloney, MD James.Maloney@ cuanschutz.edu​
• Epidemiology, Public & Community Health Sarah Rowan, MD [email protected]

Global Health:

• Leana May Moser, DO, MPH Leana.MayMoser@ childrenscolorado.org

Program Coordinator: 

• Mary McGinnis [email protected]

CU Anschutz

Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place

Campus Box C290

Aurora, CO 80045

303.724.5375

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Culminating Experiences within the Medical College of Wisconsin MPH Program

The Field Placement and Capstone Project courses are integral aspects of the MPH curriculum. These culminating experiences allow the student to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in coursework and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice.

Field Placement

• The Field Placement allows the student to work with an organization that contributes to the health of a community. By completing an Action Learning Project for the organization, the student will provide a valuable service and gain competency in multiple areas of public health.
• This course requires a significant amount of preparation; therefore, the student is required to enroll in 18279 MPH Field Placement Preparation in the semester directly preceding enrollment in 18280 MPH Field Placement.
• The Field Placement should be taken as one of the last courses in the MPH program, and further information is available on the Field Placement website.

Capstone Project

• The Capstone Project allows the student to demonstrate public health competencies through the completion of a major written paper on a significant public health issue or topic.
• This course requires substantial preparation; the student is expected to begin planning more than three months before enrolling in the course.
• The Capstone Project should be taken as the last course of the MPH program, and further information is available on the Capstone Project website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Field Placement should be taken as one of the last courses in the MPH program, and the Capstone Project must be the final course. Students should be planning for these courses throughout the program, but intensive planning occurs during the semester before enrollment. Students must gain Program Coordinator approval prior to registering for either course. Field Placement

• Should be taken as one of the last courses in the MPH program.
• Required prerequisites include the five core courses and Field Placement Preparation; all other MPH coursework, except for the Capstone Project, are recommended.
• Intensive planning occurs the semester (4 months) before enrollment in Field Placement through enrollment in the Field Placement Preparation course.
• Must be taken as the final course of the MPH program.
• Required prerequisites include all other MPH coursework.
• Intensive planning begins 3 months before enrollment and occurs independently (in conjunction with the Program Coordinator).

These courses are similar in that they both require students to apply the knowledge they have gained through coursework. However, there are some distinctions between them: Field Placement

• Required to work with public health agency
• Agency identifies needed project
• Products vary, depending on project, but include Action Learning Project Summary Report and PowerPoint presentations.
• Student identifies topic of Master’s Paper
• Products consist of Master’s Paper and PowerPoint presentation
• Some project ideas might be appropriate for either course. Questions and comments regarding project ideas should be discussed with the MPH Program at [email protected] or (414) 955-4510.

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• BIOE Capstone Projects Focus on Medical...

BIOE Capstone Projects Focus on Medical Devices, AI, and More

On Monday, May 10th, the Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BIOE) Senior Capstone class presented 23 novel concepts in a live event that mirrored the traditional in-person competition. Projects ranged from a technique to treat cervical cancer from the pre-cancer phase in low- and middle-income countries, to a computer-vision assessment of fall risks for older patients or post-stroke patients. BIOE Chair John Fisher announced award recipients at the conclusion of the virtual event.

A total of 114 BIOE students pitched their products to a panel of 12 judges, BIOE faculty, and industry representatives in real time using Gatherly’s digital event platform. This allowed students and attendees to navigate from one project to the next as they would in person. It also enabled the four finalist groups – those awarded 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, and the Translational Design award – to present their projects to everyone in attendance.

This year’s panel of judges featured: 

The Fischell Department of Bioengineering Advisory Board

The Bioengineering Graduate Student Society

BIOE faculty members Lan Ma and Jarred Callura 

Advisors:  Dr. Steven Jay (BIOE Faculty), Dr. Jiong Wu, Dr. Matthew N. Rhyner, Jeremy Pettinato (Beckman Coulter)

This project was sponsored by Beckman Coulter

Urinalysis is a popular diagnostic test used in clinics, allowing for the detection of disorders such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and metabolic and system diseases. The current Beckman Coulter urinalysis technology, the APR system, uses an algorithm to categorize urine particles into 12 different particle types. While the system is able to correctly classify particles, there is only an 85% accuracy rate. Approximately 15% of the time, the algorithm is unable to classify the particle, producing an inconclusive result. In order to classify these particles, lab technicians are hired to analyze these samples using manual microscopy. While the test itself is inexpensive, ranging from $30-$60, it costs about $65-$70K annually to hire a lab technician thus significantly increasing the money needed to implement such a simple test. While manual microscopy produces accurate results, the process is labor intensive and tedious for lab technicians, ultimately making it inefficient. Team 1’s goal was to improve upon the current particle classification methods by developing an updated algorithm to reduce the need for lab technicians. Using images provided by Beckman Coulter, Team 1 developed three Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models to classify particles, aiming for 95%-97% accuracy rate. Team 1 aimed for this level of accuracy to meet the standards for FDA approval. After developing the three models, they conducted accuracy assessments in order to determine the best model for predictive analysis. After analyzing the data and conducting accuracy assessments, the team determined that although the three models produced very similar results, Team 1’s sequential model worked best for image analysis. Overall, the team’s sequential model was able to analyze particles with a 93% accuracy rate and a 64% validation accuracy rate. 

Advisor: Dr. Jenna Mueller (BIOE)

FIRST PLACE

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with over 85% of cervical cancer-related deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The disproportionate burden of cervical cancer in LMICs is largely due to limited access to trained providers and the biomedical technologies needed to diagnose and treat cervical pre-cancer before it becomes cancer. Current therapies for cervical pre-cancer, including procedures like Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure, cryotherapy, and thermocoagulation, are expensive, require trained doctors to perform, and are ultimately inaccessible at the point of care. Ethyl cellulose-ethanol (ECE) ablation has recently emerged as a low-cost, portable, and effective alternative treatment for cervical pre-cancer. However, in order to deliver ECE and reliably cover precancerous lesions of the cervix, a handheld injector that can control the needle placement and injection of ECE through a typical speculum is needed. To meet this need, Team 2 proposes a low-cost, portable, handheld device to enable the use of ECE in LMICs while limiting room for user error. This device uses a rechargeable battery-powered injection system, a mechanical needle actuation system, and a dual needle design to decrease treatment time. Major prototyping results include the construction of a low-cost, fully operational prototype that meets all necessary operational requirements including flow rate, needle insertion rate and depth, volume of delivery, and needle orientation. Final device printing will be completed using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in order to ensure the sterilizability of the device, and future work will include pre-clinical and clinical testing to achieve regulatory approval. The development of this device is a major step in providing affordable, effective, and accessible treatment options for cervical precancer to women in LMICs with the ultimate goal of decreasing cervical cancer mortality.

Team 3: Assessment of Fall Risk: A cell-phone application to conduct at-home fall-reduction training based on monitoring data Alyssa Arminan, Martha David, Gloria Kim, Owen Roy, Diandra Youta

Advisors: Dr. Li-Qun Zhang (BIOE and UMB), Dr. Jiaqi Gong (University of Alabama), Dr. Angela Jones (BIOE)

This project was sponsored by Medtronic

SECOND PLACE

Stroke victims often suffer from the inability to fully control their muscle movements. In fact, stroke is the leading cause of mobility impairment and prolonged disability in the United States. The issue is worsened since patients are limited in how they interact with their doctors, and when they do, the tests performed are often subjective and qualitative. Elderly patients and those living in inaccessible regions are especially disadvantaged by lower frequency of clinic visits, which further restricts timely therapeutic interventions. If, however, doctors could quantitatively monitor a patient's movement profiles remotely, they could gauge their rehabilitative progress and adapt their treatment plans as needed, in an informed manner. Unfortunately, there is currently no solution on the market that fully addresses this need. Failure to resolve this issue results in unnecessarily prolonged treatments, delayed recovery, increased costs, and lower quality of life. Thus, Team 3 has designed a mobile application to collect and analyze gait patterns from the convenience of the patient’s own home. Using a combination of wearable bluetooth sensors, patients can track their routine movements with the touch of a button, while Team 3’s program runs on the background of their personal Android device. The recordings are then saved locally and securely stored in the cloud. Patients can then choose to share data with their physician, who can in turn access quantified metrics relevant to the patient’s stability and propensity of falls - such as their step duration, regularity, and symmetry. Doctors can translate this information into more accurate and prompt adjustments to the patient’s plan of care. Hence, this solution empowers doctors and patients to make optimal healthcare choices and enables high quality of care to all patients regardless of age and access to reliable transportation.

Team 4: Neonatal Bag-Mask Ventilation Controlling for Tidal Volume Cassidy Craig, Joseph Forbin, Kylie Giordano, Margaret Reese, Leah Rock

Advisors: Dr. Kevin Cleary (Children’s National), Dr. John Idso (Children’s National), Dr. John Fisher (BIOE)

At birth, neonates must learn to breathe on their own after a long period of lung inactivity during gestation. This comes with a learning curve which differs from neonate to neonate, as 4.2% of all live births require assistance of some sort before gaining the ability to independently breathe. The window for such a diagnosis is short and requires immediate attention, as failure to receive oxygen will result in death. Healthcare providers respond to the situation using a bag valve mask (BVM) resuscitation system to deliver the clinically found tidal volumes of 4-6mL of air per kilogram of neonate weight. The harder the compression of the bag, the greater amount of air delivered. This demanding constraint may introduce strenuous circumstances for healthcare providers, often resulting in too great of a tidal volume delivery known as hyperventilation. This problem is amplified by the current standard for BVM resuscitation, in which healthcare providers deliver air to patients based on a pressure system. Furthermore, this is done with the same devices and practices to serve a wide range of patient sizes. This is critical, as this practice fails to recognize the nuanced and specific needs across such a wide range. Although this is not a completely inaccurate model, it is especially unaccommodating for neonatal patients (ranging from 0.5 to 5kg). This arises because the neonatal response to pressure based resuscitation does not suit their fragile lungs, resulting in 250,000 deaths globally (according to CDC estimates). To accommodate for these specialized needs and better serve neonatal patients, Team 4 hypothesized that the development of a new model that controls for tidal volume, as opposed to pressure, will result in a safer and more accurate method of delivering tidal volumes that are specific to neonates. To achieve this, the team proposes a retrofittable device that controls for tidal volume by placing guide handles around the bag, limiting the max distance by which a resuscitation bag can be compressed, regardless of external circumstances. In doing so, the chance of hyperventilation caused by human error will be eliminated. Fabrication of the prototype demonstrated the ability to deliver the desired tidal volume of 15 mL (the target value for serving a 3kg neonate) at a precision of 87%. This level of precision is found to be adequate following the clinical recommendation of 4-6mL/kg. The proposed device, when fully developed, will offer an assisting guide to healthcare providers and ultimately reduce the overall risk of the resuscitation procedure, putting both the provider and the neonate patient at ease.

Team 5: An Educational SARS-CoV-2 Genome Browser Jessica Boyer, Matthew Brandon, Gillian Kramer, Elena Mirkovic, Sanjori Mukherjee

Advisor: Jared Callurra (BIOE)

The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn increased attention to the persistence and dangers of misconceptions, miscommunication and misinformation. These are social issues that cost the unnecessary loss of many lives over the past year, and continue to do so across the globe. This project was pursued in response to a need for strategies to more effectively communicate relevant scientific knowledge and research to the public. The approach this project took was to create a fully-functional, easily navigated, Educational SARS-CoV-2 Genome Browser within an educational SARS-CoV-2 resource website. The intended audience of the browser are high-school and college-aged students within biology-related course settings, potentially introduced by educators as a teaching tool. Through this avenue and other sharing platforms (news media, social media, internet searches, etc.), it is expected that the project will be able to gain attention and serve as a resource among interested members of the general public as well. The browser was created using the GBrowse browser creation platform, hosted on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 instance. The uploaded SARS-CoV-2 genomic reference sequence was retrieved from NCBI. The browser features key tracks including proteins of interest, variant mutations and restriction sites. The resource website was generated using WordPress, hosted on an AWS Lightsail instance. It features web pages explaining the biology of SARS-CoV-2, closely linked to the tracks displayed on the browser, alongside relevant public health information on COVID-19 such as vaccination and mask usage. A glossary and educational videos within the resource website further encourage users to learn new biology topics. Navigation between the browser and the resource website are facilitated through pop-up balloons on the browser and hyperlinks within the website. The prototype was launched for testing and feedback has been collected from over 40 students and educators. User experience within the site is being tracked by Google Analytics, which monitors the site’s user traffic. This data will be used to further improve the functionality of the browser and resource website. Certainly the project is untraditional with respect to past years’ Capstone projects, but a coding-based project allowed the team to adapt to the constraints of a virtual learning environment, successfully delivering a prototype that has already been implemented within course settings.

Team 6: Monitoring SpO2 at a site close to the injury of larger limbs Tara Cecil, Katherine Dapkus, Michael Ryan McCreary, Juliana Pitzer, Gabriella Shahine

Advisors: Dr. William Bentley (BIOE, Fischell Institute), Dr. Li-Qun Zhang, (BIOE)

While current pulse oximeters perform well, they are limited in which areas of the body they can fit to and measure through. They can currently only detect SpO2 levels on small limbs like the fingertips and earlobes, with recent advancements allowing wrist measurements as well. Readings from these areas of the body provide general information about SpO2 levels, but are unable to provide localized SpO2 readings from large limbs like the arms and legs. Team 6 has designed a device for measuring SpO2 in these larger limbs using reflective pulse oximetry, in which red and infrared light are projected through the skin, reflected off of the hemoglobin present in the arteries beneath the skin,and measured by photodiodes present on Team 6’s device. The measurement of reflected light is then used by the associated device software to calculate the oxygen saturation of that specific region of the body. Additionally, the device is used with an adjustable band that allows it to fit around many body sizes. The cost of producing this device (less than $600) also makes it affordable for use in clinics and hospitals, including those in lower socioeconomic areas. These improvements to SpO2 technology will be useful for early detection of musculoskeletal injury or conditions that prevent proper oxygen distribution throughout the body. One such disease, called compartment syndrome, is common in military personnel and athletes due to their intense physical training. Use of this device could allow for early detection of associated reduced blood flow such that patients may avoid long-term effects of the disease, including needing amputation of the affected limb.

Team 7: Engineering β-cyclodextrin-based Nanoparticles for Sustained Release of Anti-Leukemia Therapeutics Arjun Cherupalla, Samhita Chundury, Justin Morgan Longest, Nahom Michael, Praneeth Thota

Advisors: Tao Lowe (BIOE and UMB), Dr. Brian Blair (BIOE)

Additional information available upon request. 

Team 8: Describing Inaccuracies in Wearable Heart Rate Monitors: A Dynamics Optics Simulation Chenchen Handler, Nima Karodeh, Ann Rizkallah, Rebecca Vaudreuil, Ashley Williams

Advisor: Dr. Ian White (BIOE)

THIRD PLACE

The overarching goal of Team 8’s project was to investigate novel approaches to universally improving the accuracy of wearable heart rate measurement devices via modeling and data analysis techniques. After a thorough review of the literature, Team 8 chose to investigate five possible sources of error in such measurements, including fat content, hair follicle density, dermal thickness, skin tone, and the presence of sweat. The current literature has indicated that these sources encompass the leading causes of inaccurate heart rate measurements in these devices; however, only minimal in-depth research exists on any one of these. The purpose of Team 8’s model is to correct for this downfall, leading to improvement in heart rate detection and, thus, minimizing the current minority barrier seen due to these physical attributes. Team 8’s design plan consisted of using the softwares SolidWorks and TracePro to create a tissue and capillary blood flow model, respectively. 40 skin models with varying optical properties were generated and tested through this model. Python was then used as a means of data processing and quantifying error, as it could directly take input from SolidWorks and TracePro in order to assess the accuracy of Team 8’s model. It was found that 1) dermal fat, superficial sweat, and melanin all decrease the flux of photons and reduce ray intensity as rays arrive at photodetectors, 2) hair follicles decrease the total flux to photodetectors by misdirecting rays, and 3) dermal thickness has no effect on readings. Due to the nature of this project and the resources currently accessible, Team 8’s budget was solely dependent on the cost of licensure for the TracePro software. Team 8’s next step is to deploy Team 8’s model into the fields of optics and sensors by consulting large corporations that mass produce inaccurate devices.

Team 9: Telerehabilitation platform to analyze 3D movement of stroke patients performing occupational tasks Jennifer Biaksangi, Shawn Byrne, Chloe Keller, Catherine Levi, Fatima Mikdashi

Advisors: Dr. Kim Stroka (BIOE), Dr. Richard Macko, Dr. Charlene Macko (UMB), Dr. Giovanni Vincenti (University of Baltimore)

MPOWER AWARD

Stroke is the third leading cause of acquired adult disability worldwide, and its incidence continues to increase with the aging population. Even after months of rehabilitation, many stroke survivors suffer from a range of motor impairments. While traditional in-person rehabilitation has proven successful in regaining motor function, the approach presents challenges ranging from transportation to long-term insurance coverage. Moreover, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, stroke survivors-- most of whom fall into at-risk age groups-- may feel hesitant to resume in-person treatment due to health concerns. As an alternative, the physical therapist (PT) might prescribe a set of exercises for the patient to do on their own at home; however, most studies report less than 50% adherence to such treatment, largely due to a lack of guidance and patient fidelity to the routine. Depth-aware Automated Rehabilitation (DARe) addresses these obstacles by providing the patient with a virtual platform for interactive, personalized rehabilitation from the convenience of their own home. This novel approach couples LiDAR technology, used to capture patient movement in 3D, and artificial intelligence, which tracks 18 anatomical landmarks throughout the movement, without the need for physical markers and sensors. The accuracy of this approach was compared against OpenPose, the industry standard for markerless human pose estimation (but which relies on multiple calibrated RGB cameras to track 3D movement, as opposed to the single LiDAR camera needed for DARe), and returned an error of < 1.0%. The motion capture and analysis software has been prototyped in Python and patient/therapist interfaces have been refined through user experience testing. Within the platform, the PT can communicate with and prescribe custom rehab routines and goals to their patient. The patient can then use the LiDAR camera to record their sessions at home and receive immediate performance-based feedback in their profile. At the same time, a more quantitative report is sent to the PT for record-keeping and analysis. As LiDAR sensors are quickly becoming standard in mobile phones (e.g. Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro) and tablets due to the increasing popularity of augmented reality, the DARe platform will eventually take the form of a mobile application that can operate on the built-in camera; however, the video processing/analysis software and the clickable prototype of the interface have not yet been integrated. As health care models shift from service-based to results-based reimbursement, DARe’s quantitative approach to rehabilitation could be covered by insurance for long-term recovery, enabling stroke survivors to continue regaining mobility and independence past the acute recovery period. Moreover, DARe will provide increased availability to structured, easily accessible physical therapy for vulnerable populations while bringing stroke rehabilitation into the telehealth realm. This may help level the playing field so that underserved and under-insured persons of need can receive better, more equitable care.

Team 10: 3D-Bioprinting Biomimetic Materials to Differentiate Stem Cells into Osteoblasts for Bone Regeneration Demitra Karalis, Priscilla Lee, Emory Charles Mummert, Caroline Olson, Zoe Roussos

In the United States alone, millions of people each year suffer from bone density issues; over 50% of men and women over the age of 50 are living with some sort of bone density issue. Bone tissue has very limited regenerative ability and will not regrow defective bone on its own. Therefore, a therapy that allows for enhanced regeneration of this bone tissue is required. Our solution is to begin developing a 3D printed bioengineered scaffold constructed with collagen and hyaluronic acid that will allow for dental pulp stem cell differentiation and proliferation. This device and the cells would then be implanted into a deficient area of tissue, helping to regenerate that area of tissue. This could be used to treat osteoporosis by implanting the scaffold into the area of low-density bone or placing the scaffold at the center of a complex fracture. Once the cells begin proliferating and differentiating, new bone tissue could be grown to replenish the diseased and deficient areas. The majority of our prototyping included troubleshooting the 3D bioprinter and designing prints that were feasible with our Allevi 3 bioprinter. Through literature search, the optimal pore size was deemed to be 100 micrometers and would allow for the best possible cell growth and adhesion. However, the printer was originally unable to print our original design with the desired accuracy. With too many of these pores, the cube prints solid with no pores and space for cells to grow. Many alterations were made to the original design by reducing the number of pores and removing the infill settings. Eventually, the team was able to successfully print a hollow cube with singular pore on one face of the cube with the test material pluronic-127. After many alterations to pH and extrusion needles, this scaffold shape was successfully printed with the lab prepared collagen. Our project has the potential of improving the lives of many people suffering from bone deficiencies and other disorders. By forming a therapy that uses allogenic stem cells, risks of implant rejection are greatly reduced, allowing for a much safer treatment of these bone deficiencies in comparison to current treatment methods. Since the scaffold can be repeatedly produced using a bioprinter, using readily attainable materials, our solution would heavily improve the treatment of bone disorders.

Team 11: Vascular Guidewire with Microvalve to Prevent Inadvertent Loss Within Body Julia Cicalo, Cesar Funes, Sarah Levendusky, Celia Maiorano, Blake Michael Zucco

Advisors: Dr. Alisa Clyne (BIOE), Dr. Ron Samet (UMB)

Central line placements are integral for many surgical and medical procedures. During central line placement, there is a 1 in 3,000 chance that the guidewire used in this placement will get lost within the patient's vasculature. A lost guidewire is a critical and potentially life threatening complication in central line placements. The goal of this project was to solve the problem of lost guidewires in patients during catheter placement. Team 11’s solution was to integrate a stopping mechanism onto the guidewire that allowed the wire to pass through the central line catheter, but stop the advancement of the wire into the body if the patient were to suck the wire in through spontaneous breath, or the physician made a mistake and advanced the wire into the patient. Team 11’s prototyping resulted in a theoretical proposed design and a final prototype. The theoretical design uses manufacturing machinery to integrate a region of bristles into the guidewire that will flex to allow the catheter to pass, but still stop wire advancement into vasculature. The prototype design was a washer that would have to be added as an additional step to the guidewire after the wire has been threaded through the catheter. Modifying the current guidewire to have an additional safety mechanism would greatly reduce the chances of a wire getting lost in the vasculature and eliminate causing unnecessary injury to the patient. 

Team 12: Automated Feature Detection for Custom Conformal Respirator Design Deborah Acheampong, Zachary Dorsey, Jae Jung, Sojeong Lee, Trevor Mollot

Advisors: Kevin Aroom (Fischell Institute, BIOE), Dr. Giuliano Scarcelli (BIOE, Fischell Institute)

BEST VIDEO PITCH

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new set of challenges to all individuals, especially for healthcare workers who put themselves in harm’s way to care for their patients. While current N95 respirators have efficient filtration of airborne particles, they are not customizable, reusable, or transparent. Thus, current respirators do not provide perfect seal, cause environmental concerns, and prohibit good communication between individuals. Team 12’s project will significantly decrease the workflow by removing a labor-intensive step of positioning several components on top of 3D scans of individuals’ faces and produce conformal respirators with customized fit for individuals, transparent, reusable and more affordable. The process begins with a scan of the user’s face, using an Artec Leo scanner. The face model is then imported into Meshmixer and with the use of a Python script, the model is correctly oriented along the defined plane. The oriented mesh is exported from meshmixer and imported into the Autodesk Fusion 360 software. An automated Python script produces a thin flange body that represents the face contours that interface with the respirator. The resulting customized flange is printed using fused deposition modeling for each unique customer; the reusable mask solids themselves are only printed once with resin stereolithography. To form a complete thermoforming mold, the mask solid is slid through the flange in a predetermined orientation. Using this mold along with PET, a thermoforming process is used to generate the conformal respirator. The respirators can then be fitted with N95 filters and straps to secure them on the user’s face. This final product is tested using a Portacount fit tester 8048 to ensure a consistent seal. The production and use of the conformal mask poses little to no ethical concerns. Rather, the conformal mask has a positive benefit-risk relationship in that it decreases the emission and transmission of the viral particles. At large, this benefits the target population and brings us one step closer in defeating a virus that has taken the lives of many.

Team 13: COVID-19 App Suite for Contact-Free Patient Screening Kraus, Samantha, Yutong Liang, Darshi Shah, Alana D. Tillery, Jillian Weiss

Advisors: Dr. Ian White (BIOE), Dr. Joseph Rabin (UMB)

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the looming threat of viral exposure, many individuals in the United States are wary of gathering indoors and meeting others face-to-face, abiding by CDC guidelines to allow adequate social distancing. Unfortunately, even attending regular physician appointments and check-ups for pre-existing or nascent health issues poses an increased risk for contracting and spreading the virus. Therefore, the use of telehealth platforms has increased over the past few years and holds particular promise in this period for contact-free physician appointments and consulting. However, current issues with existing telehealth platforms include electrical transmission of private information, conducting and monitoring patients during specialized tests such as imaging and nasal swabbing, and increased chance of misdiagnosis without direct patient-physician interaction. Team 13’s pilot program, Cothecare, aims to resolve the current issues and downfalls of telehealth. Team 13’s mobile app suite, developed alongside guidance and approval from a physician and trauma center specialist, securely stores patient information and connects via private message or call to a physician with a working relationship established with the patient. The system allows for daily logging of coronavirus and asthma related symptoms and provides a diagnosis with suggestions for care based on these symptoms. Team 13 aims to improve outpatient care and increase access to health care professionals and physicians in order to diagnose and receive guidance on COVID-19 and asthma by developing a mobile app suite that acts as proof of concept for using telehealth as a method for treatment and patient connection for infectious diseases and chronic conditions.

Team 14: Radiomics Feature Prediction of Survival in Patients with High-Grade Gliomas Michael Buckberg, Sabrina Cauton, Katherine Dura, Claire Rutkowski

Advisors: Dr. Lei Qin (Harvard Medical School), Dr. Yang Tao (BIOE)

Gliomas are tumors of the brain or spinal cord that are currently incurable, but are treatable depending on the phenotype of the specific glioma. The phenotype of certain gliomas can be determined by analysis of MRI scans. The objective of this project is to design a user-friendly, interactive application that can objectively analyze specified extracted radiomics features from MRIs of high-grade brain gliomas to predict patient survival for treatment evaluation. Team 14 has designed a random forest model built into an interactive app using Python. This model has been trained on publicly available glioma MRI images and it can classify an individual patient into short (15 months) overall survival time based on the patient’s own MRI. With this program, Team 14 hopes to assist physicians in developing a treatment plan for the high-grade glioma patients by aiding in their prognostic capabilities. 

Team 15: Artificial Intelligence to Read Abdominal X-Rays as Part of a Bowel Management Program for Children with Constipation and Fecal Incontinence Ali Aslam, Chaitali Chitnis, Jorge Guzman, Nealyn Ashraf Jahangir, Keerthana Srinivasan

Advisors: Dr. Silvina Matysiak (BIOE), Dr. Marc Levitt (Children’s National), Dr. Kevin Cleary (Children’s National)

Many children suffer from bowel complications such as constipation and fecal incontinence. These children are enrolled in a week-long bowel management program during which they undergo daily abdominal radiographs. Radiographs need to be analyzed by colorectal surgeons or radiologists to determine the appropriate treatment for the patient; however, many clinical facilities around the world do not have access to these experts. To address this problem, Team 15 developed IntelliStool, a software application that harnesses artificial intelligence to analyze the abdominal X-rays of patients enrolled in bowel management programs. Team 15’s process uses three different models of convoluted neural networks (CNN) to detect the colon, isolate its anatomical segments, and score their stool quantities. Team 15’s algorithm works by submitting the original image through a U-Net algorithm for image segmentation, which results in a mask that isolates the colon’s contour. Then, the image is analyzed by YOLO, an object detection algorithm, that improves specificity in the identification of the colon’s anatomical segments. Finally, a score prediction model analyzes the stool content of the individual segments on a scale from 0 to 2 using a CNN. Providers can upload X-ray images and receive scoring results through a graphical user interface (GUI). Ultimately, Team 15 was able to develop an algorithm capable of identifying the colon in an X-ray, isolating the colon segments, and then extracting them for stool quantity scoring. Team 15’s accuracies for the respective code segments were 65% for colon identification, 69% for segment extraction, and 53-70% for scoring depending on the colon segment being evaluated. A graphical user interface was also successfully implemented to walk users through the use of the software. One of the biggest ethical issues present in the field of medicine is the struggle for many individuals to have access to essential medical care. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 27.5 million Americans had no access to health insurance in 2018. This problem is even more evident globally according to the World Health Organization, with more than 400 million people around the globe not having access to basic health care. Bowel Management Programs contribute to this ethical issue posed by medicine. Prior to the implementation of the treatment program, radiologists are needed for X-ray interpretation of patient colons. According to the Global Radiology Gap, round 67% of the world does not have access to radiology services, resulting in a large portion of individuals unable to have access to proper Bowel Management Programs. Intellistool tackles this ethical problem and as a result, access to proper Bowel Management Programs can become globalized to regions without radiologists. 

Team 16: Using Airflow Simulations to Design a More Efficient and Cost-Effective N95 Facemask Mary Carbonell, Asma Farooqui, Diego Laboy-Morales, Christian Lazaro, Lina Tchangalova

Advisor: Dr. Lan Ma (BIOE)

Since the start of the global SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, 477,789 healthcare professionals have contracted the virus with 1,565 of these individuals having died as a result, as of April 30, 2021. A major contributor to this rate of contraction is the still present shortage of N95 masks, resulting in nearly 50% of healthcare professionals reporting reuse for up to two months, during which they are operating in highly contagious situations. These N95 masks are not designed for reuse beyond 4 to 5 uses due to the specific manufacturing methods that ensure filtration efficiency. This reuse also requires sterilization methods like bleach that damage mask integrity, contributing to the high rates of infection. An improvement of the N95 mask that allows for greater reusability with maintained filtration and structural durability is necessary to reduce the health risk to healthcare professionals, minimize environmental waste, and lower manufacturing costs. In response to this, Team 16 designed a fluid simulation model in SolidWorks that allows for the material selection of a particular mask design to be tested for filtration efficiency via varying particle sizes, concentrations, and flow velocities. A three-layered N95 mask model with an inner and outer layer composed of either nonwoven polypropylene, polyester or cotton and a melt-blown polypropylene middle layer was modeled using particle studies to simulate breathing, coughing, and sneezing situations. From this it was found all three materials passed the 95% filtration efficiency, but cotton was the most consistent and best fit the previous literature data, making it Team 16’s material of choice. The outer layer of this mask was made hydrophobic in order to filter liquid aerosols and for improved comfort and an enhanced fit, a silicon seal was added at the nose bridge, allowing for better sanitization, and structural durability. Physical prototypes of the N95 mask model were then fabricated and tested for filtration efficiency to determine durability after repeated moist heat sterilization in a microwave. This method was chosen based on literature studies that found moist heat was comparable to other approved sterilization methods such as autoclaving, and due to the easily available device for at-home cleaning. Team 16’s results show that there is no statistically significant difference in filtration efficiency pre- and post-sterilization, making this an effective method for the team’s proposed mask design. The creation of the SolidWorks model will allow for an easy to use system by other researchers to test different mask designs and materials for simulated filtration efficiency. Team 16’s prototype testing shows that making a cotton mask that can be cleaned using moist heat sterilization is an effective alternative to current N95 models, which will allow for the safer reuse of the team’s mask by utilizing a more effective and easier at home cleaning method. This proposed mask construct will hopefully minimize both future infection rates and the environmental impact during this pandemic and any future health care crises.

Team 17: Custom Radiolucent Alignment Board For Intraoperative Lower Extremity Deformity Correction Ryan Lee Everich, Anna Filatova, Shreya Khanna, Akorede Olayiwola, Vaani Shah

Advisors: Dr. Ed Eisenstein (BIOE), Dr. Megan Young (Children’s National)

Complex lower extremity deformities often require surgical reconstruction to restore normal alignment. Accurate measurements are needed to assess body alignment. However, there is currently a lack of proper tools to do so intraoperatively. There is currently no standard instrument to assist with intraoperative lower extremity deformity correction. The current methods are inefficient with a potential for inaccuracy and time consuming, with the risk of excess radiation exposure to the patient. The goal of this project is to create a custom board with an alignment grid specific to patients with a multiplanar deformity or multi-bone deformity requiring a specific angle of correction. Surgical plans can include multiple correctional surgeries each with a target angle to obtain. This custom radiolucent alignment board will allow the surgical team to utilize any angle needed as a reference for alignment.

The objectives of this project include developing a radiolucent board with radiopaque grid lines. Team 17’s final product consists of a 3D printed PLA board with lines engraved into the board. These lines house radiopaque copper wire of various thicknesses, which can be modularized to fit in angles from 83-90 degrees. Before converging upon this final design, Team 17 circulated through various prototypes and materials for Team 17’s board and grid lines. The team explored combinations of carbon fiber and plexiglass boards with ABS or barium sulfate grid lines, based on their material properties such as Z values. After developing a few prototypes testing grid line definition and time, the team decided to switch direction to PLA and copper due to its ease of use. This solution to a multifaceted problem will allow for less personnel working on the patient and allow simultaneous measurements to be taken at one time. The custom board will improve alignment accuracy and reduce operating times and radiation exposure for all Involved.

Team 18: Artificial intelligence for Reading of Hirschsprung's Pathology Slides Lina Betu, Eyram Koudji, Cole Marra, Caitlyn Nguyen, Prateek Swamykumar

Advisors: Dr. Xiaoming (Shawn) He (BIOE), Dr. Marc A. Levitt (Children’s National)

BEST ABSTRACT

Hirschsprung disease is a congenital condition of intestine innervations present in 1 in 5,000 newborns. The disease results in a lack of ganglion cells in the area of the myenteric (Auerbach) plexus and submucosal (Meissner) plexus in the distal section of the large intestine in an infant. The absence of the ganglion cells causes muscles in the bowel to lose their ability to move stool through the intestine as well as submucosal nerve hypertrophy. The main treatment is pediatric surgery to remove the affected bowel segment. Precise and quick diagnosis of the disease is the key to accurate treatment. The diagnosis is done mainly by biopsy of the affected bowel. From the biopsy, the complete absence of ganglion cells in the submucosal or intramuscular nerve plexus of the intestinal wall and the presence of hypertrophic nerve fibres and trunks has to be confirmed by a pathologist. There are some difficulties associated with the diagnosis and the proper recognition of ganglions cells, even with proper training. These issues are exacerbated in developing countries due to a lack of pathology technology and talent. In this project, QuPath and Python have been used to identify ganglion cells within patient rectal biopsy samples to aid in the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease and improve pathological analysis at Children’s National Hospital. A random forest classifier was built in QuPath to correctly identify ganglion cells. Then, an automation script was coded in Groovy to streamline the process of detecting all cells, identifying ganglion cells with the classifier, and outputting cell measurements within QuPath. Using Python, Team 18 ran a correlation study to determine which features best separated ganglion cells from other cells. Team 18 built three additional classifiers in Python and compared them to their QuPath classifier. The QuPath classifier outperformed all three in sensitivity, but had a lower precision in detecting ganglion cells. The artificial intelligence program developed by the team’s project can be incorporated into an application that can be used worldwide to improve the quality of care of Hirschsprung disease globally. With further collection of samples an important database can be built while protecting patients data and rights and respecting their anonymity and confidentiality.

Team 19: Computer Vision Assessment of Fall Risks with Machine Learning for Older People or Patients Post-Stroke Aodu Guo, Philip Kloner, Benjamin Lee, Emersen McCoy, Mark Melvin

Advisors: Dr. Helim Aranda (BIOE), Dr. Li-Qun Zhang (BIOE/UMB), Dr. Yang Tao (BIOE)

Falls remain the most common cause ofinjury among the geriatric population. These falls can cause numerous consequences to their health, as it causes bone perturbations, fractures, and breaks, leading to not only decreased quality of life post-injury, but also costly medical fees. There is a need to utilize preventative and rehabilitation programs to reduce risk of geriatric falls, but there is a lack of biomechanical research to support the development of such programs. With this, Team 19’s project aims to develop an artificial-intelligence tool that can predict a patient’s risk of anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, and collapse-directed falls through the analysis of joint movements. First, videos of mimicked falls were taken using a LiDAR L515 camera, an infrared camera with specific depth perception, and Cubemos SDK, a skeletal tracking software. The combination of the two allowed for the tracking of XYZ coordinates of each joint over time, which were used to train a Python-based neural network using a Sigmoidal weighted learning curve to output a 6 by 1 matrix predicting the likelihood of a fall mechanism in a patient at each frame. Using this produced dataset (n = 50 for each type of fall), the accuracy of this model was tested, which was determined by calculating the percent difference of the output to what was expected at each time frame. With the current dataset, a percent accuracy of 32% was achieved, although this should improve with more data. Team 19 offers a proof-of-concept tool that can be employed by physical therapists to develop training regiments and evaluate their effectiveness.

Team 20: Ultrasound Guided Pediatric Hip Aspiration Training Phantom                                     Shahed Bader, Christopher Garliss, Sandra Lavrenov, Brittney Murugesan, Devon Strozyk

Advisors: Dr. Catherine K. Kuo (BIOE), Dr. Evan Sheppard (Children’s National), Dr. Kevin Cleary (Children’s National)

ADVISORY BOARD AWARD FOR TRANSLATIONAL DESIGN

Pediatric septic hip arthritis is an infection in the synovial fluid and joint tissue of the hip in children. This is an uncommon infection in children which carries a poor prognosis if not properly diagnosed and treated in a timely fashion. Currently, the most accurate and specific diagnostic test for this infection is a needle aspiration. However, due to the rareness of this infection only a very limited number of physicians receive training in ultrasound guided needle aspiration. In order to make the practice of aspirating a suspected septic hip in the emergency room more widespread, more accessible, and increasingly accurate, training tools need to be developed. Team 20’s solution was to develop a high fidelity hip aspiration phantom that can endure multiple aspirations with a needle and has realistic ultrasound and anatomical landmarks. The team conducted extensive research to determine the biomaterials to use for each anatomical feature in the phantom. The femur and hemipelvis were 3D printed using PLA, ballistic medical gelatin was used to represent the muscle, an ambu bag was used to create the joint capsule and was filled with water-glycerol solution to mimic the synovial fluid, PTFE tubing and wires used to mimic the blood vessels and nerves, respectively, and agar gel was used to mimic the skin. All these components were assembled together using a 3D printed mold. Preliminary testing was conducted by medical professionals experienced in the procedure to determine the viability of the prototype. The phantom was evaluated based on a number of criteria under physiological accuracy and the realism under ultrasound. The results of the testing determined that the joint capsule was sufficiently reusable for up to 23 punctures without leak, the materials that represented the anatomical features were clearly visualized under ultrasound, and the model in general provided a real tactile feel of the procedure. Medical training phantoms are a powerful teaching tool with an important moral claim: to keep patients safe while training the next generation of clinicians and retraining current clinicians so that they are kept up-to-date. The use of this hip phantom in clinical settings would reduce reliance on the limited number of clinicians present that have training experience, extraction of fluid for diagnostic testing will be performed with increased accuracy, and training would be more widespread and provided for clinicians in various specialities.

Team 21: Building Supervised Machine Learning Models on Hematology Data to Aid in Diagnosis of COVID-19 Rohan Laljani, Rebecca Mathew, Justin Turner, Vinay Veluvolu

Advisors: Dr. Hubert Montas (BIOE), Glenda Holderbaum (Beckman Coulter), Dr. John Riley (Beckman Coulter), Dr. Carlos Ramires (Beckman Coulter)

SARS-CoV-2, which presents in humans as COVID-19, has taken the world by storm for the past year. Testing has been a crucial tool in the fight against COVID-19, as asymptomatic individuals can still be contagious for up to two weeks. As more of the global population becomes vaccinated, testing may diminish, but accurate, affordable, and accessible diagnostic tests will still be important in light of global vaccine shortages, anti-vaxxer movements, possible infection of vaccinated persons, and new emerging strains of the virus. Previous research has shown the utility in designing diagnostic systems using machine learning models, as they have the ability to pick up on multiple pieces of patient information to produce an accurate diagnosis. The usage of supervised and/or unsupervised learning models has the ability to improve medical care and decrease cost. Considering the urgency of this pandemic, Beckman Coulter proposed the assessment of hematological parameters from their DxH 900 analyzer in order to develop a machine learning algorithm to aid in rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19. As such, Team 21 developed a machine learning platform to diagnose COVID-19. The team’s test takes a 165 µL blood sample, processes it in 10 minutes, and provides a binary yes/no diagnosis with a 97.5% balanced accuracy, a 2.95% false positive rate, and a 16.07% false negative rate. These results are comparable to existing antigen and RT-PCR tests, and the rapidity and accessibility of Team 21’s test makes it a viable market alternative.

Team 22: Computational Flow Dynamic Model of COVID-19 Transmission and Face Shields Eric Frank, Angela Lee, Brendan Reilly, Neel Sanghvi, Pranav Varrey

Advisor: Dr. Gregg Duncan (BIOE)

Face coverings, particularly face masks, have been vital in reducing the spread of COVID-191. While face masks have been heavily studied, less literature pertaining to face shield efficacy exists despite several benefits over face masks. Several advantages include easier disinfection, increased sustainability, comfort, and ease of communication within the deaf community. Per the National Deaf Center, face masks impair ASL communication by preventing lip reading and hiding facial features and expressions essential for speaking or signing communication, causing increased stress, fatigue, and anxiety. Underscoring that the deaf community has the right to communicate comfortably and safely in the midst of COVID-19, it is imperative to explore the efficacy of face shields in COVID-19 transmission prevention. With aerosol COVID particles being the main mode of transmission, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models are pertinent to mathematically quantify and qualitatively observe particles interacting with the face shield and the wearer. Our 2D, transient state model utilizes literature-driven flow rates to simulate micron-sized particles being ejected from a mouth-like area under sneezing and breathing conditions. Simulations consisted of particle flow between permutations of two shielded and unshielded individuals. The model outputs each particle velocity and X, Y position that is then plotted to display the frequency of both velocity magnitude and particle distance travelled. The efficacy of the face shield is shown by comparing the particle distance travelled in the various simulations. With both individuals unshielded, the maximum distance traveled is 7.49ft with an average distance of 1.92 ± 1.95ft. Contrastly, with one individual shielded and the other unshielded, the maximum and average distance travelled decreases to 4.28ft and 1.20 ± 1.05ft respectively. Even with only one participant shielded, the model indicates that face shields significantly reduce particle transmission distances post-ejection into the surroundings by decreasing the frequency of droplets that travel farther distances (~6 ft). With the increased rate of vaccinations, the results imply that face shields could become more widely adopted to not only protect the wearer from COVID-19 but also permit the deaf community to comfortably and safely communicate and partake in society.

Team 23: Liquid Level Analysis through Machine Learning Imaging System Design Ewuradjoa Amoah, Jonathan Kim, Natasha Kodgi, Adam Landa, Sarah Martin

Advisors: Dr. Huang Chiao (Joe) Huang (BIOE), Leon Tate (BD), Gaurav Falia (BD)

This project was sponsored by BD

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that is often elusive of timely diagnosis and therefore requires faster processing and detection time of bacteria in blood samples for quicker diagnosis and treatment. To shorten the processing time, Team 23 team developed an imaging system component for automated medical diagnostic equipment. The component accurately identifies the liquid level of a patient blood sample that has been collected in a clear test bottle with a label and compiles barcode data scanned from the label with the liquid level analysis and stores the information in a unique patient file. It is highly effective (>96% accuracy) under different lightings and variable liquid levels conditions such as the presence of liquid foam. To ensure that their final design improves the accuracy and efficiency of the measurement of blood samples taken for sepsis detection, the group employed a Raspberry Pi 4 and HQ Camera Module in conjunction with a backend convolutional neural network (CNN) and real-time image analysis programmed in Python 3 utilizing OpenCV.

Published May 19, 2021

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Capstone Project

The Capstone Project is a cornerstone of our program, offering students the chance to deeply engage with translational research topics they're passionate about. This endeavor spans the spectrum of therapeutics and diagnostics, including areas like drug therapy, vaccines, and gene therapy. It covers a wide array of research stages, from initial clinical translation to real-world application.

Time Commitment : Starting in the Winter Quarter and continuing through August 2025, students should plan for a minimum of 10 hours weekly on their project, with many dedicating more time to meet their objectives.

Projects may be laboratory-based (wet-lab or computational lab) or focus on clinical trials or regulatory aspects of translation. The culmination of the program includes a poster presentation and quarterly product development plan presentations. Unlike a thesis master's, the capstone emphasizes skill and knowledge application within a clinical context, supported by faculty mentorship and industry guidance.

Capstone Project Requirements

Areas of focus: Capstone projects should focus on therapeutics and/or diagnostics involving drug therapy and delivery, vaccines, immune measurements and therapy, or gene measurements and therapy, and can include a range of translational research activities from early-stage clinical translation (T0/T1) to preclinical optimization and validation (T2) to clinical validation and integration (T3) to implementation and dissemination in real-world settings (T4). The program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex and dynamic landscape of biomedical innovation and translation.

The capstone research project typically takes place within Stanford faculty research labs. However, working professionals (students who are already employed at local drug or biotech companies) have the option to conduct their capstone within their respective companies, benefiting from industry and academic mentorship.

Initiating a project:

Before officially starting M-TRAM studies in the Fall, students engage in in-depth discussions with the M-TRAM leadership team regarding their interests, career aspirations, and potential project concepts (between May to September. Through mutual agreement between the student and M-TRAM, efforts are made to identify and assign the most suitable capstone advisor based on alignment of interests and expertise.  

During the fall quarter, students dedicate time to engaging in thorough discussions with their advisors regarding potential research project ideas. They delve into in-depth reading and exploration of various concepts, aiming to refine and solidify their understanding of their potential projects. This period serves as a crucial phase for students to narrow down their focus and lay the groundwork for their capstone proposals.

By the end of the first quarter, students are required to present their capstone project proposal to the M-TRAM directors and other students in the program.

The proposal and capstone advisor must be approved by the M-TRAM Directors prior to the onset of the project.  

Goals of the capstone project:   The capstone project serves as a bridge between scientific innovation and real-world application, providing students with a hands-on experience in navigating the journey from idea conception to patient delivery. It's essentially an exercise in contextualizing scientific ideas within the broader landscape of healthcare, understanding where it fits in, and devising a strategic development plan for a therapeutic/diagnostic.

Throughout the capstone, students learn how to translate scientific concepts into actionable plans that address unmet medical needs and improve patient outcomes. This involves conducting thorough research to identify the clinical relevance and market potential of their ideas, as well as understanding the regulatory and commercial considerations involved in bringing them to fruition.By engaging in the capstone project, students gain valuable skills in strategic planning, market analysis, and stakeholder communication. They learn how to formulate a development plan that outlines the pathway from concept to commercialization, including key milestones, resource requirements, and risk management strategies.

Overall, the capstone project provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the process of biomedical innovation, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to drive meaningful change in healthcare.  

Capstone Committee: At the end of the first quarter, students designate a Capstone faculty advisor, and a technology advisor (this could be scientific mentor, such as a core director or a postdoctoral project mentor).  

Project timeline and progress: The student, M-TRAM directors and the Capstone advisors agree on a proposed timeline for completion. The Committee will review the proposal and offer guidance and monitoring throughout the project. During quarters two through four (Winter, Spring, Summer), students will meet regularly with their capstone advisors to discuss their progress. At the end of each quarter, student will present their progress to the M-TRAM directors and other students.

Capstone completion: Upon completion of the project, students will formally present their final results at the student research showcase in the beginning of September following their graduation. In addition to the poster, students will be required to present their capstone progress at the end of each quarter (December, March and May).

Capstone Project Proposal Guidelines

• Student will regularly meet with the advisor(s) and M-TRAM leadership to monitor progress of their project and to provide advice and feedback
• The culmination of the program includes a poster presentation at the M-TRAM Symposium (beginning of September after graduation) and quarterly product development plan presentations.
• MTRAM will support each student's research with a research stipend of $3,500 (reagents, consumables, kits, services).

CAPSTONE PROJECTS 2023/24

• “ AI/machine learning enabled structure-based drug discovery. ”
• Capstone advisor: Russ Altman, MD, Ph.D ., Kenneth Fong Professor of Bioengineering, Genetics, Medicine, Biomedical Data Science and (by courtesy) Computer Science), past chairman of the Bioengineering Department
• “Pharmacological validation of clinically relevant cancer targets “
• Capstone advisor: Nathanael Gray, MD, Ph.D ., Krishnan Shah Family Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology, Co-Lead of Medicinal Chemistry (IMA: Innovative Medicines Accelerator)

ANANYA JAIN

• “Developing therapeutics for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).”
• Capstone advisor: Vinicio de Jesus Perez, MD , Associate Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

MAXIMILIAN NISSLEIN

• “Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for solid tumors (melanoma)”
• Capstone advisor: Allison Betof Warner, MD, PhD , Assistant Professor of Medicine (Oncology), Director of the Melanoma Program and Faculty Leader of the Melanoma|Cutaneous Oncology Clinical Research Group in the SCI-Cancer Clinical Trials Office

ADRIANA CHU

• “Glycoproteomics based early cancer detection.”
• Capstone advisor: Carolyn Bertozzi, PhD , Baker Family Director of Stanford Sarafan ChEM-H, Anne T. and Robert K. Bass Professor, School of Humanities and Sciences
• Industry collaboration with InterVenn Biosciences (company)

JESSICA LAYNE

• "Anti-Myc cancer therapeutics"
• Capstone advisor: Dean Felsher, MD, PhD , Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology, TRAM Director, M-TRAM Faculty Director, Co-Director Cancer Nanotechnology Program, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Director of Admissions/Associate Director, Medical Scientist Training Program, Director of Advanced Residency Training Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Co-Director of Spectrum KL2 Mentored Development Program, Stanford University, School of Medicine
• "AI enabled drug discovery for breast cancer"
• Capstone advisor: Christina Curtis, MD, PhD , Professor of Medicine, Genetics and Biomedical Data Science, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Cancer Genomics, Director - Breast Cancer Translational Research (Stanford Cancer Institute), Co-Director - Molecular Tumor Board, Stanford Cancer Institut

ZAIN DIBIAN

• "T-reg cell immunotherapy for graft vs. host disease"
• Capstone advisor: Everett Meyer, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

SHONA ALLEN

• " Developing a therapeutic for SMA (spital muscular atrophy) neurological disorder: computational analysis of clinical trial data"
• Capstone advisor: Jacinda Sampson, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciencies

PETER CAROLINE

• "Immunotherapy for IBD (inflammatory bowel disease)"
• Capstone advisor: Sidhartha Sinha, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology), Director of Digital Health and Innovation, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology   

CHLOE GERUNGAN

• "Developing a therapeutic for infectious disease (malaria)"
• Capstone advisor: Prasanna Jagannathan, MD , Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology

JOEY OLSHAUSEN

• "Drug repurposing for treatment of cardio valve disease"
• Capstone advisor: Ian Chen, MD , Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Disease) and of Radiology (Veterans Affairs), Director, Translational Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Director, VA/PAVIR Summer Research Program

Capstone Projects 2022-23

Chris aboujudom.

• “ Development of Novel MYC-directed Anti-cancer Therapeutics ”
• Capstone advisor: Dean Felsher, MD Ph.D ., Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology, M-TRAM Program Director,

McKAY GOHAZRUA BUTLER

• “Developing protocols for isolation and purification of MYC-derived cancer extracellular vesicles (EVs) for improved diagnosis and monitoring of cancer.“
• Capstone advisor: Dean Felsher, MD Ph.D ., Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology, M-TRAM Program Director

NIRK E. QUISPE CALLA, MD

• “Development of a combined cancer vaccine and immunotherapy (anti-PD-L1) delivery using dendritic cell-based microbubbles against triple-negative breast cancer”
• Capstone advisor: Ramasamy Paulmurugan, PhD , Professor of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford
• “Investigate the roles and therapeutic value of human anti-phagocytotic genes in augmenting CAR-T cell therapy”
• Capstone advisor: Crystal Mackall, MD (Capstone Primary Advisor Faculty Mentor), Founding Director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine

JULIAN WOLF, MD

• "High-resolution proteomic profiling of aqueous humor liquid biopsies as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for choroidal melanoma"
• Capstone advisor: Vinit Mahajan, MD, PhD , Professor of Ophthalmology, Vice Chair for Research (Ophthalmology)
• Capstone advisor: Nima Aghaeepour, PhD , Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Pediatrics and Biomedical Science

Applications portal is now closed  

For the 2024/2025 academic year, we will be accepting applications for 2025/26, in the fall of 2024..

Questions? Contact us! [email protected]

Important Dates

September 2024 to January 2024:

• Applications accepted for 2025/26

December, 2024 (date tba):

• M-TRAM info session webinar for prospective students 

January 15, 2025:

• Applications are due for 2025/26

April, 2025:

• Admission Decisions

Sept. 2025: (date tba)

• M-TRAM research symposium and New Students Orientation (in person) - stay tuned for registration info

Sept. 22, 2025:

• First day of classes at Stanford (M-TRAM program starts)

Interested in Becoming an M-TRAM Industry Partner?

We welcome inquiries from biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other health care organizations interested in learning about opportunities to partner with M-TRAM: 

[email protected]

Capstone Project Topics & Free Sample Ideas

• Do not start on your capstone project before you have settled on a great topic and identified the data that you need and the methods you will engage for your research process clearly.
• It is advisable that you come up with a project roadmap for your capstone and if possible develop a capstone topic and have it approved before proceeding with the project.
• Our services will include guidance on how to defend your topic for quick approval and tips on how to develop a relevant and researchable capstone topic .

Our service Advantage

01. - Develop a Relevant Research Topic.

You need to have a great research idea that addresses a relevant research gap. We are more than willing to support you, let us know.

02. - Defend & have your Topic Approved.

If possible, review or have your topic approved by your supervisor or senior research advisor so that you do not start and later stall midway.

03. - You can now Start your Research Process.

When your topic has finally been approved & is researchable, you can now start the research process : We can help you Step by Step.

 The Steps to Writing and Developing an Excellent Capstone Project Topic!

Our Service Process

Best Medical Capstone Project Ideas – Latest Topic Samples

We offer professional help with capstone ideas to medical students;.

Are you a medical student stressing over your clinical med project? Don't worry; you're not alone. This is a crucial part of your medical education, and picking the perfect topic can be a hard task. We specialize in helping medical students like you find the best ideas for capstones. The capstone project allows you to apply what you've learned in your studies to a real-world medical issue. A well-chosen topic can make the project engaging and insightful, while also showcasing your skills and knowledge to future employers or educational institutions. Our team consists of experts with years of experience in the medical field. We understand the complexities and demands of medical education and we can help you find a project idea that aligns with your interests and the current trends in medical research. Whether you are interested in cardiology, mental health, or emerging medical technologies, we can guide you toward a topic that is both fascinating and academically rigorous. We don't believe in a one-size-fits-all solution thus we consult with you to understand your academic goals, areas of interest, and the resources you have available. Based on this, we will provide a list of medical capstone project ideas tailored specifically for you. With our professional help, you can find concepts that not only meet academic standards but also excite you. So don’t let the capstone project be a stumbling block in your medical journey when we can help you turn it into a stepping stone to success.

Innovative clinical med capstone project study topic samples;

• A study to investigate the methods of taking care of patients suffering from a certain disease :  There are different methods that medical caregivers use to take care of their patients. This is because there are special diseases that require special attention than others thus the need to assess different care methods that are used to take care of patients suffering from a given disease.
• Using cloud computing and information technology to detect and prevent diseases:  This has facilitated immense growth in the healthcare industry as this study seeks to assess how cloud computing technologies and information technology could facilitate real-time access to data that is useful in detecting rapidly spreading diseases and also provide a solution on how to stop those diseases.
• Impact of health education in preventing communicable diseases in rural areas:  S ome diseases are hard to understand when people are not aware of the signs and symptoms and such diseases spread fast, especially in areas where health education is not provided. This research will show how health education could be offered in rural areas to help in preventing communicable diseases.
• Cost-effective strategies for preventing infectious and communicable diseases in the most vulnerable population:  Diseases like Ebola spread fast and have devastating effects on the human population if not controlled. This analysis will evaluate the cost-effective mechanisms that could be used to prevent infectious diseases from spreading during times of outbreaks.
• Examining the benefits of sex education in preventing unwanted pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Diseases:  Early pregnancies force many youths to drop out of school or develop health complications during birth and unprotected sex is the main cause of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. By getting the best  ideas for capstone projects in medicine , you can assess the benefits associated with teaching sex education to youths at an early age, especially in eradicating sexual-related problems.
• Understanding the role of a healthy diet and physical activities in preventing diseases:  Many people are usually advised to engage in body-shaping exercises and eat a healthy diet to avoid contracting some diseases and this research will aim at identifying which type of food is considered a healthy diet and its role in preventing diseases. 

It is tempting to leave our site and continue searching for  help  with generating the best topic ideas somewhere else. But don’t as we offer superior services when it comes to creating reliable ideas for a   project topic in relation to a capstone on  clinical med. We tailor our help to suit your specific capstone project needs. You can trust that getting experts to work with you shall help you with your clinical project. Take advantage of these services and be assured of developing great research.

Capstone Project Topic Ideas for Health Information Technology

Why a unique capstone research topic is important for health info technology.

• Showcases Individual Skills : This topic lets you display your specific skills and knowledge and unlike standard assignments, it allows you to tailor the project to your strengths, making you more memorable to professors and future employers.
• Sets You Apart in the Job Market : When you're applying for jobs, having a one-of-a-kind project on your resume can make you stand out and employers are more likely to notice you if you've done something different and impactful, rather than something generic.
• Offers Real-World Problem-Solving : A great topic often tackles a specific, real-world problem which gives you the chance to apply what you've learned in a way that can actually make a difference, whether in healthcare, technology, or any other field.
• Enhances Learning and Research Skills : Working on a  project in this field pushes you out of your comfort zone. With the best capsrone project topic ideas for health information technology, you can do in-depth research, possibly learn new tools or software, and come up with creative solutions, thereby improving your overall skill set.
• Builds Confidence : Successfully completing a capstone project can boost your confidence as it proves to yourself, and others, that you can take on a challenging project and see it through to completion.
• Provides Networking Opportunities : When your project is unique, it's more likely to catch the eye of professionals in your field, opening doors for mentorship, recommendations, or even job opportunities.

Guidelines for choosing the best research ideas for a topic in clinical medicine;

Selecting the most promising ideas in clinical med is a critical step toward conducting impactful studies. Identify gaps in current medical knowledge and areas where clinical practice could be improved. Consider patient needs, emerging diseases, or evolving treatment paradigms. Look for topics with real-world relevance, where your research could make a tangible difference in patient care.  Engage with healthcare professionals, including clinicians and nurses, to gain insights into their daily challenges and unmet needs. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to foster innovative thinking. Seek input from patients and patient advocacy groups to ensure your research aligns with their concerns and priorities.  You can analyze existing research to understand the state of the field, identify controversies, and pinpoint areas requiring further investigation as well as explore recent advancements and consider how your work could build upon or challenge current theories and practices.  Assess available resources, data sources, and ethical considerations since a well-designed study should be practical and ethically sound. Consider the potential impact, scalability, and generalizability of your findings. Will your research contribute to broader medical knowledge and benefit a significant portion of the population?  Keep abreast of funding opportunities and prioritize ideas that align with funding priorities and agencies' strategic goals. Funding is often competitive, so crafting research ideas that align with these priorities can increase your chances of securing support.  Choose a research idea that genuinely excites you as research can be demanding and time-consuming, so your enthusiasm will be a valuable asset throughout the process.  Selecting the best titles in medicine involves a holistic approach that considers gaps in knowledge, collaboration with stakeholders, literature review, feasibility, potential impact, funding opportunities, and personal passion. This comprehensive approach increases the likelihood of conducting meaningful and impactful research in the field.

The need for well-defined  and unique medicine capstone project titles  is vital. These projects not only showcase the convergence of technology and healthcare but also play a significant role in advancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare systems. By choosing innovative topics, we guide students and researchers to push the boundaries of what HIT can achieve, addressing current challenges and anticipating future needs. As healthcare evolves rapidly, the importance of informed, evidence-based clinical medicine becomes critical. Selecting the best ideas in this field requires a meticulous approach, considering gaps in knowledge, interdisciplinary collaboration, feasibility, impact potential, funding alignment, and personal passion. Our guidelines ensure that research efforts in clinical medicine are not only academically rigorous but also relevant and capable of improving patient outcomes and healthcare practices. Both in HIT and clinical medicine, the choice of project or research topic plays a critical role in shaping the future of healthcare. It is an opportunity to innovate, contribute to the well-being of individuals, and drive positive transformations in healthcare systems.

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Capstone Project

The Capstone Project is the culminating experience required for graduation from the Master of Public Health Program. MPH students apply the knowledge and skills learned in class to public health problems in a chosen skillset or area of interest under the guidance of a Capstone Mentor. The projects should be chosen to help students address their academic interests and afford them an opportunity to master advanced public health competencies. The MPH capstone satisfies the CEPH Integrated Learning Experience.

Supporting Students in Capstone

To support this process, students are required to take two semester-long Capstone courses, Capstone I and Capstone II. Capstone I will help guide students in selecting an appropriate project, identifying a mentor, and starting their project, while Capstone II will help guide them in completing their project, analyzing any results, and developing deliverables. At the end, students submit a written paper and deliver a 10-minute public presentation. The nature and scope of the capstone project is determined collaboratively by the student, Capstone Mentor, and their Capstone Instructor, but they should be scaled appropriately for the time frame available.

Your Capstone Team

MPH students are not alone in completing their Capstone Project at any point in the process; there are different support systems in place to carry you through from project formation to completion and delivery.

Who is your Capstone Mentor?

Your Capstone Mentor is a public health professional and expert in the field of your Capstone who helps guide you through the project. Students collaborate with and seek the counsel of their Mentor to ensure their project is conducted thoroughly, being mindful of standards of the field. A project can have mentoring team, such as a content mentor and a methods mentor.

Who is your Capstone Instructor?

Your Capstone Instructor is an MPH teaching faculty who leads your Capstone seminar courses. You could have the same Capstone I and II instructor or they could be different, but your instructor will be there throughout your project as a support system to answer questions, adjust scope, assist with hurdles, and maintain perspective. The Capstone I instructor supports you in creating or finding a project, identifying a Capstone Mentor, and setting up a plan to carry out the project. The Capstone II instructor picks up the project and guides you to completion, confirming what written deliverables are needed and assisting in the preparation of your 20 minute professional presentation.

What is the role of your Capstone classmates?

Your Capstone classmates are as much a resource as your Mentor and Instructor. Capstone I and II seminars use peer-review and shared learning to help students progress through their own project while supporting their peers on their projects. From sharing project hurdles and overcoming them to motivating each other through preparing written deliverables to serving as a practice audience for presentation “dry-runs,” your Capstone classmates are your biggest cheerleaders and another incredible support mechanism.

From the very first day of Capstone, I felt supported and encouraged enough to delve deep into my specific area of interest. I was able to thoroughly cement my research, policy analysis, and public speaking skills, all while actively advancing the current academic literature. Without the Capstone process, I wouldn’t be nearly as confident in calling myself a public health professional, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.

Michael Adjei-Poku

MPH Student

Halle’s Capstone Project in Urban Farming

My Capstone experience allowed me to make a real difference in a community I love. I wanted to give back and the guidance of my mentor really helped me make a tangible impact for an organization I’m passionate about. My mentor helped the Capstone process unfold organically which helped ease a lot of anxiety and doubt that I had. I gained a lot of confidence in my skill set through this experience.

Halle Watkin

Working with Capstone mentees is one of my favorite ways to engage with our MPH students. Supporting their ideas and public health passions to bring a Capstone project to fruition is a privilege and I am always amazed at the incredible work they do!

Heather Klusaritz

Capstone Instructor

Capstone Skills vs Content Area

MPH Students can tailor their Capstone Projects to the kinds of skills they want to learn and grow or  focus their efforts on numerous public health content areas to prepare them to be future public health professionals. Below is a non-exhaustive list of the content areas and skillsets our students have explored in their Capstone work.

Skills Gained

Community Needs Assessment (surveys, logic models, focus groups, key informant interviews)

Systematic / Narrative Review (quantitative and/or qualitative, thematic analysis)

Program Development (creating an intervention or curriculum)

Program Evaluation (quantitative and/or qualitative)

Policy Brief / Policy Analysis (evidence-based analysis)

Quality Improvement Programs (run charts, go-sees, additional quantitative and/or qualitative analyses, creating an A3, process mapping)

Public Health Education and Health Communication (pamphlets, podcasts, apps, websites, blogs, community resources, instructional seminar/training/curricula, online social media platform)

Creating a Survey or other Measurement Tool (quantitative and/or qualitative)

Research Projects (primary or secondary, quantitative or qualitative)

Community Based Participatory Research (stakeholder engagement, recruitment, organizing/running meetings, community engagement and needs assessments, team building)

Implementation Science Projects (quantitative and/or qualitative)

Data Analysis (quantitative and/or qualitative, GIS, epidemiology, large and small datasets)

Content Areas

Adolescent and Young Adult Health

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Aging, Memory, and Geriatric Health

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Behavioral Economics

Cancer Risk and Screenings

Chronic Disease Issues

city planning and housing issues

communicable diseases

community health

criminal justice issues

driving safety

environmental health issues

food insecurity

Geography & Health

gender affirming healthcare needs

global health issues

gun violence

health journalism

health law and health policy

health literacy

healthcare decision making

homelessness and housing insecurity

hospital policies and practices

infectious diseases

intimate partner violence (IPV)

LGBTQIA+ healthcare needs

maternal and child health

Mental Health

oral health and public health dentistry

peer support and peer education

public health risk preparedness

race, systemic racism, and health disparities in various public health areas

refugee and immigrant health

reproductive health issues

substance use, addiction, and recovery

support for non-English speaking and ESL populations

vaccine intention and hesitancy

zoonotic and veterinary diseases (One Health)

My capstone project explores the integration of public health education into San Cristóbal, Galápagos. Working collaboratively with our partners in Galápagos, we have been able to produce several lesson plans and identify other routes outside of school to reinforce these topics. My time in Galápagos has been enriching and invaluable.

Darby Gallagher

MPH STudent

Gateways Program

Capstone project.

All students in the Master of Medical Science program complete a focused community project of benefit to their longitudinal community healthcare site and patients.

You will be able to choose from a variety of projects offered by your community site.  Projects must be approved by both the ScM program director and the site coordinator at your community healthcare site.

Goals & Objectives

• To integrate knowledge from different disciplines and from fieldwork experience
• To independently explore a focused healthcare topic
• To "give back" to community by collaborating with a Federally Qualifies Health Center (FQHC) to provide assistance on a quality improvement project of the FQHC's choice and of relevance to patients students have been seeing
• To develop multiple transferable skills (eg. flexibility, collaboration/teamwork, scientific abstract writing, poster and oral presentation skills, teaching skills)

Recent Projects

• 2018 Capstone Projects
• 2019 Capstone Projects
• 2020 Capstone Projects
• 2022 Capstone Projects
• 2023 Capstone Projects

View previous capstone projects at the Brown Digital Repository (BDR).

Go to the BDR

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Master of Science in Engineering, Sustainability and Health

Ready to become a changemaker.

Connect with an advisor today.

Watch the program info session

At a glance.

Earn your master’s degree online or on campus in just 20 months. Summer, Fall and Spring Start Dates

Focus intensively on one course at a time – a total of seven weeks for each course.

Your Online Master of Engineering, Sustainability and Health Degree at USD

The world’s problems do not stop at disciplinary boundaries. Disease, poverty, inequity, social injustice, humanitarian crises and climate change are just a few of the interlinked global crises that are challenging us to take a more holistic view of the health of our planet and our future. 

To meet these challenges, the University of San Diego has created the transdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering, Sustainability and Health (MESH) degree program. Specific technical training or complicated math calculations are not part of our program, and there are no engineering requirements. Instead, MESH students focus on defining the problems and specific social, health and environmental effects that come from established innovations, technologies and systems.

MESH invites skilled and passionate problem solvers from across all disciplines to collaborate in creating and renovating sustainable solutions for both the human-built and natural worlds. You’ll learn to think through the lens of other disciplines, cultures and practices to address our greatest global challenges: from preserving and restoring the environment and engineering better sustainability practices to promoting social justice and improving our health care systems.

Who Enrolls in the Engineering, Sustainability and Health Master’s Degree Program?

We’re looking for change-makers, innovators, and disruptors from across all disciplines and backgrounds.

Whilst many of the problems we face may be related to our engineered world, the solutions cannot come from engineers alone – we will need to work together across disciplinary boundaries and create substantial alternatives to our current systems. Your experience does not need to be within an engineering discipline. The MESH program is designed for students and working professionals who are passionate about addressing the challenges that face our natural and built environments. For example you might have a background and/or relevant professional experience in areas including, but not limited to:

• Science and Technology Studies
• Planning and Sustainability Studies
• Urban planning
• Peace and Justice Studies
• Political Science
• Engineering
• Public, International, and Global Health
• Community and Global Development Studies
• Environmental Science
• Anthropology
• Architecture and Urban Design and Planning

In order to co-create solutions for the right problems it is necessary to foster the development of changemakers who:

• Understand that the status quo cannot be sustained and that innovative, critical approaches to development are essential.
• Believe that socio-technical innovation holds incredible potential to address our greatest challenges, provided we are able to break out of our institutional and disciplinary silos.
• Know that we must critically assess institutions of power to better understand the interconnectivity of our communities and environment in the pursuit of justice.

Whether experienced professionals or recent graduates, from a STEM or non-STEM field, all are invited to participate in this program that prioritizes critical thinking, sustainable design, teamwork, creativity and innovation across multiple disciplines to achieve innovative praxis and novel technological solutions for global health.

For example, you might be:

• A health professional who understands that the built environment (eg., transport, energy systems, water and sanitation) affects the health of populations, and may want to make a difference, but may not know how to impact changes.
• An engineer working for a hydroelectric company, who wants to understand better alternatives to protect lndigenous land and local flora and fauna.
• A peace builder who wants to understand more about the impact of mining on local communities.

Together, we’re committed to thinking and working across disciplines and asking the right questions.

How to Apply

Get a closer look at the application process with detailed instructions about on how to apply for your career-building engineering, sustainability and health master’s degree program.

Engineering, Sustainability and Health Careers

The global need to achieve more sustainable human and economic development has brought significant opportunities to environmental engineering and related fields in sustainability. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that two of the top three  fastest growing occupations from 2019 to 2020  were green jobs. In fact, seven out of the ten fastest-growing occupations concerned areas related to sustainability or health.

The Master of Science in Engineering, Sustainability and Health degree provides graduates with the foundational skills needed to excel in the transformation of corporate, non-profit (NPO) and non-governmental organizations (NGO) committed to a balance between technology and the built environment, sustainability and health. The program provides mid-career professionals with the capabilities to move within their own organization or to facilitate career changes into areas concerning energy, water, humanitarian aid, corporate social responsibility, and international/global development. This program is also ideal for parents returning to work after a career break, as they can stay at home with young children whilst studying.

With a focus on critical approaches to problem solving through innovation, MESH graduates are well positioned for leadership and managerial positions. Those who wish to begin their own venture will develop the capabilities and skills needed to create and manage their own equitable organizations. Other graduates will be able to leverage their skills and experience for greater upward mobility in their professions to become value-driven, critical change-making managers, executive officers, consultants, and instructors at colleges and universities.

Three Terms

We accept applications on a rolling basis, fall spring summer, academic calendar.

Students are accepted throughout the year for admission into one of three semesters (Spring, Summer and Fall). Students typically take two courses in each 14-week semester, focusing intensively on one 7-week course at a time.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. A decision will be recommended by the Review Committee within one week of your application being submitted. For details on specific requirements needed for admission, please visit our Admissions page.

If you are interested in this program but do not meet all of the published admissions requirements, please contact an enrollment advisor via the form above.

CUTTING-EDGE CURRICULUM

The Master of Science in Engineering, Sustainability and Health is a 30-unit project-based program that is designed to be completed in 20 months over five semesters.

The program is offered 100% online using the Canvas learning management system and requires students to take two seven-week-long courses each semester, including a culminating capstone course that involves the development and completion of a major project related to the interconnection between sustainability, health, engineering and justice.

The MESH program is organized around the following themes and courses:

Engineering for Planetary Health

Two foundational courses that introduce students to new ways of thinking about human and ecological health, and how they can be applied to a variety of different disciplines.

• Engineering and the Health of the Planet
• Health and the Built Environment

Engineering for Sustainability

Four courses that examine past and contemporary practice and explore new and emerging technologies, to provide students with the skillset to design and develop holistic, economically viable solutions in support of sustaining the planet and human health.

• Sustainable Energy
• Sustainable Water
• Sustainable Food
• Getting to Zero Waste

Just Transitions

Two courses that explore global challenges and ask students to consider new approaches in transitioning to alternatives in a manner that is just and equitable, yet economically viable.

• Transitioning to Alternatives
• Environmental Justice

Capstone Project

This six-unit capstone project requires students to either develop a model and feasibility study or a significant change to their own practice, or to the practice of others, and explore the impact of this change. This project will run throughout the entire program, and incorporates the skills and knowledge derived from all courses in the program.

Courses you will take

Program goals.

The larger goal of MESH is to facilitate the integration of different disciplines in order to foster a critical approach to sustainability, design, and development that will have a key impact on global health and development. Beyond offering professional development, MESH positions its graduates to be able to:

• Solve complex interdisciplinary challenges relating to engineering, health, development, peace, ecological and justice individually and as part of a group.
• Trace the history of industrial and international development and globalization and their impacts on the built environment and the health of ecosystems and humans.
• Demonstrate mastery over fundamental concepts of health using one health, Eco-Health and planetary health frameworks and their implications for engineering.
• Explore and apply transdisciplinary capabilities related to new and emerging sustainable technologies in four key areas of waste, water, energy and food.
• Design “Just Transitions” to sustainable, healthy and proven alternatives in a manner that is cost effective and achievable for local communities on up.

accreditation

Accreditation is an important quality indicator for college and university degree programs, generally regarded as a stamp of approval that ensures you will be able to apply for financial aid and transfer your credits if you decide to switch schools. Most state universities and private non-profit universities will have a regional accreditation. The University of San Diego has earned both regional and national accreditations.

Accreditations include:

The WASC Senior College and University Commission  – WASC is a regional accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as certifying institutional eligibility for federal funding in a number of programs, including student access to federal financial aid. Learn more about the  importance of selecting a regionally accredited program .

EXPERT FACULTY

The MESH faculty has a unique combination of academic and practical experience. Their educational backgrounds and working experience span engineering, health, sustainability studies, and environmental justice with a focus on furthering the causes of global social and eco-justice, health politics, and education.

Additionally, the MESH program leverages ongoing input and insight from an advisory board of educators, consultants, directors and founders who work with NPOs, charities and international organizations committed to the promotion of peace, justice, indigenous rights, and sustainability.

Students can look forward to individual mentoring from expert faculty, especially over the course of their capstone project which will run throughout the entire program and enhance their applied knowledge, expertise, and professional portfolios.

Funding Your Graduate Degree

Your graduate degree is an investment in your future that pays for itself. Tuition is competitive with other top institutions and federal financial aid can help you fund your degree program.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Find helpful information on tuition and financial aid.

Scholarships & grants

Discover possible additional sources of funding to help pay for your degree.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many units is my program.

The online MS-ESH program is a total of 30 units.

Students will enroll in two prescribed courses each semester for a total of six (6) semester units. During your final term, students will enroll in a single 6-unit capstone course only.

How much is my tuition?

Tuition for the MS-ESH program is $925 per unit.

With a total of 30 units, the full cost of tuition for the program is $27,750.

Tuition amounts shown on this website, or in other university publications or web pages, represent tuition and fees as currently approved. However, the University of San Diego reserves the right to increase or modify tuition and fees without prior notice and to make such modifications applicable to students enrolled at USD at that time as well as to incoming students. In addition, all tuition amounts and fees are subject to change at any time to correct errors. Please note that the displayed tuition covers only the cost of courses, and additional expenses such as books and other fees are not included.

Does the program have to be completed within 20 months?

The curriculum schedule functions on a rotational system, meaning that if a student skips a course they will have to wait for the rotation to complete before jumping back in. We encourage individuals who are interested in the program to speak with an enrollment advisor or to work with their program coordinator, who is available to help every step of the way.

Do I need to know engineering to take this program?

It is not technical in the sense that we will be learning how to build things, and no you do not need to know any engineering to take MESH. There are no maths involved in the projects or coursework and you will not be designing any engineering product or system. However, we will in part, work with engineering concepts, ideas, and systems, and will consider how engineering and its processes can be applied in different ways that are more sustainable and just. We will learn some engineering creative thinking approaches and consider the impact of engineering in the world   – these are all part of engineering too. We just won’t be doing the math or the complex design pieces.

Is it a project-based degree?

Yes. You will undertake a project for the whole 20 months, culminating in the capstone course.

Are there internships available for students?

We partner with Omprakash to provide the opportunity to connect to voluntary internship positions globally and we work with students to help them locate a suitable project in their own context and part of the country/ world (omprakash.org). There is, however, no necessity to have an internship for your project which could also be solely research-based.

What is the class structure?

• Asynchronous, no live lecture or amount of hours logged in are required. They will be having discussion board interactions, some videos, some reading and projects to define. Also group work – very engaged activities.
• Usually, one or two discussion questions per module
• Usually, one or two  assignments per week
• Usually, one larger project work towards but no final exam
• Expected reading time? – 20 hours of work altogether, including all assignments, discussions and reading

Would I be getting an Engineering degree?

Though the degree is housed in the school of engineering, you will not be receiving the title of engineer. There are no technical aspects to the degree. If you have already gained an engineering degree this will give you the much needed contextual framing so you can understand how to use your engineering degree in the best possible way for your career path in sustainability and health. If you are not from an engineering background it will help you connect your own professional background to engineering, health and sustainability in equal measure.

You will be completing a portfolio of projects and getting experience that will give you an advantage in the next step of your career

Interaction/community?

You interact with students and faculty in different ways. Primarily with discussion boards and also through group work and optional zoom meetings – or what we call community coffee meetings.

There are many opportunities to connect synchronously with both faculty and classmates, but none of them are graded or required for the coursework. Students take advantage of this, as it helps them connect with fellow classmates. Examples are Zoom calls, private chats, some in person activities for those in close proximity. The AD and fellow MESH students will ensure you connect with other students with similar interests, projects and goals.

What are the students getting hired at and what kind of jobs can they expect?

We have no graduates yet –  and students are from widely different backgrounds so these are all very varied. However some examples of student ambitions:

• Career change – moving from their own profession to a new role as e.g. Sustainability Director
• Lateral move in same professional role- Connecting their own professional work to sustainability and health more directly (e.g. human resources worker at a hospital developing a new waste agenda moving forward).
• Promotion  – e.g. school teacher needing a masters to move into admin – and wanting to make their professional role more connected to sustainability at the same time.
• First career move – creating employment opportunities which their undergrad degree alone does not offer e.g. linguistics major wanting to do work in an environmental justice office.
• Retired passion project – retorted professionals who wish to learn how to enhance social and environmental justice in the world and bring their wealth of skills and capabilities to contribute to new projects.
• Starting a new business  – at any stage of their career wanting to create their own not for profit or small business in a MESH related sector such as energy, waste recycling etc

Looking to Support Justice and Sustainability?

Start with our eBook, Meeting the Planet’s Most Urgent Challenges , to see where and how you can make a difference.

DAAP student works to make design careers accessible to all

Jerrell francisco is on a mission to introduce diverse students to design-based careers.

Peering into classrooms throughout the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), Jerrell Francisco notices very few students who look like him.

That’s far from uncommon according to a 2021 study from the National Endowment for the Arts, which found that diversity is sorely lacking across America’s art spaces .

Francisco, a communication design major at UC, hopes to change that through his capstone design project.

“A lot of people will throw terms around like diversity, equity and inclusion,” Francisco said, “but really what we’re talking about is equity of opportunity. That’s what I’m trying to level up.”

As he embarks on his final year as a Bearcat, Francisco’s creative mind helps him design a compelling message for underrepresented groups. His project has two forms of inspiration: strong artistic flair — and, just as crucially — a background that’s likely familiar to much of his intended audience.

From his start to a career in art

In the beginning, Francisco didn’t seem like the ideal design candidate. For one thing, his adopted parents were laser-focused on education — a STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math and medicine) education. The design field wasn’t even part of the equation.

Jerrell Francisco. Photo/Jerrell Francisco

Francisco’s life took a turn when his father received a job in southwest Ohio as the principal at Princeton High School. The big move from Michigan to Cincinnati ended well for Francisco, by his own account.

“There was this new program where 20 high school students got to do a class for the National Health Association … researching the opioid epidemic in Ohio,” Francisco said.

As the Princeton High School students’ research period wrapped up, they were surprised with full-ride scholarships to UC.

The catch? All Princeton students had to enter a STEMM field to receive the scholarship, and Francisco didn’t meet the requirements for his desired industrial design major. Luckily, he could attend UC Blue Ash College and learn about applied graphics communication under professor Patrick Schreiber. Francisco discovered his passion for the arts from that class, leading him to communication design at DAAP.

A-DAAP-ting to a new frontier

While Francisco has flourished at UC, he sometimes still feels like an outsider among the design community. Diversity isn’t known as the art world’s strong suit, despite the work of programs such as DAAP to attract people of various backgrounds. Francisco hopes to use his voice to diversify the space.

The arts, in Francisco’s view, involve “taking what’s in your head and learning how to put it outside.” Design is transferable across all backgrounds, ethnicities and skill sets, with diversity leading to a greater range of experiences from which to draw creative inspiration.

There are things I’ve learned (here) that I could break down so much faster if there had been more diverse opportunity or more diverse people sharing their opinions.

Jerrell Francisco

“There are things I’ve learned (here) that I could break down so much faster if there had been more diverse opportunity or more diverse people sharing their opinions,” Francisco said. “Those are really needed for us to progress.”

Rather than just talking about the need for change, Francisco challenged himself to have a positive impact. He found the perfect means to make a difference through DAAP’s capstone design project.

A capstone project for all kinds

DAAP students work on capstone assignments in their final years to showcase creative expertise along with forward-thinking ideas in partnership with the 1819 Innovation Hub . According to associate professor of communication design Reneé Seward , “DAAP capstone projects allow students to go research and understand a visual communication problem of interest to them. These self-defined senior projects have led to new companies being developed and entrepreneurial efforts.”

For Francisco, the DAAP capstone project provided a superb window for him to give back to students who may be interested in design but lack direction on entering the field.

“I plan on using the skills I’ve gained to make one big website … to give younger students as much practical application or value as I can,” Francisco said.

His page will describe what communication design is, run through principles of pattern and design and offer tips on building a website and online portfolio.

Due to his time at UC along with his co-op experiences , Francisco craves a future as a key art designer. This career path, which involves crafting promotional materials for TV shows, movies and video games, is one that he’d never heard of before college — and that’s a problem he’s striving to solve.

Francisco ultimately hopes that his capstone project will be bigger than a personal stepping stone toward graduation.

“I’m a great designer right now because of [my mentor],” he said, “so to be that for someone else, that’s definitely the goal.”

Featured image at top: Jerrell Francisco working on a design project. Photo/Jerrell Francisco

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Whether you’re a first-generation student or from a family of Bearcats, UC is proud to support you at every step along your journey. We want to make sure you succeed — and feel right at home.

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• Experience-based Learning

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