Winning innovators of pediatric medical device competition announced
The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Health System hosted the 4th annual Pediatric Surgical Innovation Symposium on Oct. 8. One of the highlights: Six pediatric medical device innovations that address a significant unmet need were awarded a total of $250,000 in grant money by the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI).
Kurt Newman, M.D., President and CEO of Children’s National said: “Even though they are a small portion of the patient population, it’s critical for children to have medical devices that are built specifically for them. Children’s National is committed to bringing together the key stakeholders including innovators, clinicians, policy makers, and investors, to support advancements in the care of children.”
“We are honored to recognize these exciting innovations with this funding,” said Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., Executive Director of NCC-PDI and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National. “It takes millions of dollars to bring a device to market and our program provides the funding needed to bridge the critical gap that often follows the prototyping phase in life cycle of the device.”
Winning innovations receiving $50,000 awards are:
- Maternal Life, Palo Alto, Calif. – low-cost closed system that captures and administers colostrum to newborns with zero percent loss
- JustRight Surgical, Louisville, Colo. – second generation surgical 5mm stapler scaled for a wider range of pediatric surgical procedures and bringing the benefits of laparoscopy to patients
- Lully, San Francisco – moisture sensor and Smart Pod monitor wirelessly connected to a smartphone app to prevent bedwetting episodes
- Center for Advanced Sensor Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore – low-cost, disposable multifunctional incubator for at-risk, low-birth-weight babies
Winning innovations receiving $25,000 awards are:
- Nebula Industries, Melrose, Mass. – quick-release medical tape to prevent neonatal and pediatric skin injuries
- May & Meadow, Inc., Redwood City, Calif. – low-cost, mobile medical device for assessing feeding ability in infants at risk for feeding problems
