The connective tissue between research, education and care
|
|
Announcing the Fall 2021 Innovation Fund Recipients!
Inaugural $100K Bonfire Fund and $20K Ignite Fund
|
|
MaineHealth Innovation is pleased to announce the recipients of the Fall 2021 Innovation Fund, an internal funding mechanism for innovations that meet an unmet care need within MaineHealth and our communities. This round of funding featured 14 applications from care team members across five MaineHealth locations.
There are two funding levels available. The Bonfire Fund, offered for the first time this fall, advances the mission of MaineHealth by providing an investment of up to $100,000 to support an innovative solution to the point where additional external funding can be secured. The Ignite Fund provides seed capital to early innovations. This investment of up to $20,000 can help innovators understand user pain points, build a prototype or test an assumption.
Applications for the next cycle of the MaineHealth Innovation Fund will be available in 2022. For more information, please visit the MaineHealth Innovation website.
|
|
|
Congratulations Fall 2021 Bonfire Fund Recipients!
Collapsible Aerosolized Particle Enclosure (CAPE)
|
|
The Collapsible Aerosolized Particle Enclosure (CAPE) is a portable negative pressure isolation tent that fits over patient beds to help contain infectious particles and allow care team members to safely administer respiratory procedures. Former Maine Medical Center emergency medicine residents Katie Main, MD, and Liz Hamilton, MD, launched this innovation in March 2020 with the help of MMC emergency physician Samir Haydar, DO. The team has since partnered with Maine companies Thermoformed Plastics of New England and Baker Co., and a local medical device entrepreneur to obtain emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and plan a clinical trial.
|
|
|
(from left) Samir Haydar, DO, MPH; Paul Tyson; Liz Hamilton, MD; and Katie Main, MD |
|
|
|
CAPE Team:
David Eagleson – CEO, Baker Co.
Paul Fitzpatrick – Medical Device Entrepreneur
Samir Haydar, DO, MPH – Emergency Physician, Maine Medical Center
Elizabeth Hamilton, MD – Former Emergency Resident, Maine Medical Center
Kaitlyn Main, MD – Former Emergency Resident, Maine Medical Center
Paul Tyson – Principal, Thermoformed Plastics of New England
|
|
Robotic IPMC Clot Retriever |
|
This robotic clot retriever aims to improve neurosurgical outcomes through the use of ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs), or “smart” materials, that act like human muscle. MaineHealth neurosurgeons Robert Ecker, MD, and Jeffrey Florman, MD, have partnered with mechanical engineering professor Mohsen Shahinpoor, PhD, of the University of Maine on this project.
Robotic IPMC Clot Retriever Team:
Mohsen Shahinpoor, PhD - Inventor of IPMC technology
Jeffrey Florman, MD - Neurosurgeon, Innovator
|
|
|
 |
Congratulations Fall 2021 Ignite Fund Recipients!
These innovators will use their Ignite Fund investments to advance their solutions to the next phase of prototyping and development.
|
|
|
|
Bethany Sweet, CCLS, a Child Life Specialist of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center, is designing a fully-functioning replicated port-a-catheter called “Play Portal” to use for medical preparation and medical play among pediatric patients.
|
|
|
|
Theresa Roelke, APRN-AGPCNP, a Nurse Practitioner at Maine Medical Center, is developing a 3D educational tool called “Pocket Nodule-Lung” that supports providers in educating patients about the size and type of lung nodules during the lung screening shared-decision making conversation.
|
|
|
|
Will Connolly, RN, an emergency medicine nurse at Maine Medical Center, is designing a compact, cost-effective suction device called “Rescue Vac” that aims to clear a patient or bystander's airway in situations where more sophisticated suction devices are not easily accessible.
|
|
|
|
Sunil Malhotra, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon and medical director at Maine Medical Center, is developing a pulsatile vascular graft to better direct deoxygenated blood to pulmonary arterial circulation in patients with single ventricle congenital heart disease.
|
|
CONNECT
Events
Come Brainstorm! Innovation Blender: Introducing PerZeptions, Inc.
Dec. 16, 2021 | 12:00-1:00pm
Brewing Ideas Coffee Corner
1st + 3rd Wednesdays
Dec. 1, 2021 | 7:30-8:30am
Dec. 15, 2021 | 7:30-8:30am
Intellectual Property Information Session
Jan. 12, 2021 | 7:30-8:00am
|
|
EDUCATE
Learn + Discover
Partner Events - the Maine Technology Institute (MTI)
Next Level Vision:
Create Your Customer Avatar
Dec.1-2, 2021 | 9:00-10:30am Register Here
Projecting Revenues
Dec. 2, 2021 | 2:00-3:00pm Register Here
Logos from the Ground Up Dec. 2, 2021 | 5:00-6:00pm Register Here
|
|
FUND
Support Opportunities
Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) Innovation Funding for TUSM Faculty
Letters of Intent Due:
Dec.1, 2021
Final Proposals Due:
Jan.19, 2022
|
|
A Note from...
Susan Ahern, Vice President of Innovation, MaineHealth
|
In this season of giving thanks, I want to express my gratitude to our growing innovation community. Thank you to our dedicated MaineHealth care team members who continue to innovate during the COVID-19 crisis to care for our patients and each other. Thank you to our entrepreneurial experts and partners for always being accessible and supportive of our innovators. Thank you to MaineHealth leadership for believing and investing in the power of innovation to truly transform care.
I would like to extend a special thank you to the care team members who submitted applications to the MaineHealth Innovation Fund. Your courage and passion to advocate for your innovation solution is simply inspiring. I'd also like to thank the team of over 20 innovation champions from across MaineHealth and the entrepreneurial community who lent their time and insights to the MaineHealth Innovation Fund review process. This group's enthusiasm to support all of the proposed projects reminds us all that innovation truly takes a village. To continue to build a culture of innovation, reviewers made sure to provide all applicants with valuable feedback and possible connections to advance their innovations.
To the recipients of the inaugural Bonfire Fund and the third offering of the Ignite Fund - congratulations! We look forwarding to supporting you on your innovation journey.
Lastly, thank you to all of our innovators and supporters for working together to create the healthiest communities in America. Please keep thinking differently, being curious and living our value of innovation every day.
With deep appreciation,
Susan Ahern
Vice President of Innovation, MaineHealth
|
|
|
Help us celebrate innovation! |
|
|
Help us celebrate innovation and create a resource for sharing
innovation across MaineHealth by submitting your innovation story!
|
|
|
Discover MaineHealth Innovation stories here.
Let us know how we can help support innovation:
The MaineHealth Innovation Team:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
