NIH undergraduate design challenge focuses on technology solutions in health care, November 16, 2011 News Release - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Contact:

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

Marilyn Daly
dalymari@mail.nih.gov <dalymari@mail.nih.gov>
301-402-1374

NIH undergraduate design challenge focuses on technology solutions in health careNIBIB solicits innovative diagnostic and therapeutic devices and technology for the underserved and disabled
A competition for undergraduate students to foster the design and development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic devices, and technologies to aid underserved populations and the disabled is being sponsored by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health. The Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge is part of NIBIB's efforts to build, strengthen, and prepare the future workforce of biomedical engineers.

One winning student team will be selected for each of three challenge categories: diagnostic devices/methods; therapeutic devices/methods; and technology to aid underserved populations and individuals with disabilities. Eligible team candidates must be full time undergraduate students and U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Each winning team will receive a $10,000 prize, to be distributed among the team members. Winners will be honored at an award ceremony during the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) in Atlanta, Ga. Each winning team will also receive up to $2,000 towards travel and registration costs to attend the awards ceremony.

Dr. Zeynep Erim, the architect of the NIBIB challenge, said "At NIBIB, we aim to prepare the next generation of engineers working at the intersection of the biological and physical sciences to improve human health. This program challenges up-and-coming biomedical engineers to force the boundaries of their design skills and knowledge to develop innovative biomedical technology for health care."

"As a nation, we have reached a crossroads where there is a tremendous opportunity to harness the science, engineering, and mathematics talent within our universities to address challenges in health care," stated Dr. Roderic Pettigrew, NIBIB director. "NIBIB's DEBUT Challenge, authorized under the America Competes Act, seeks to promote competitiveness in these disciplines and to put American ingenuity to work to address some of the unmet medical needs that are most prevalent in our country. I look forward to seeing what technological innovations our best and brightest students can offer to improve health care in our nation."
Details on how to enter, requirements and general information about the challenge can be found at http://debut.challenge.gov/. For updates and additional information, visit http://www.nibib.nih.gov/Training/UndergradGrad/DEBUT or contact Dr. Zeynep Erim at Zeynep.Erim@nih.gov.

Submission Period: start: Jan 03, 2012 12 a.m. EST end: May 26, 2012 11:59 p.m. EDT
Judging Period: start: May 27, 2012 12 a.m. EDT end: Jul 22, 2012 11:59 p.m. EDT
Winners announced: Jul 31, 2012 12 a.m. EDT

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIBIB supports training programs, as well as on site and external research at more than 200 research institutions, universities, medical centers, and private organizations throughout the United States. The Institute implements a wide variety of biomedical imaging and bioengineering programs to foster the development of innovative medical technologies to improve healthcare. Fact sheets on the research areas of the NIBIB and other topics are available in English and Spanish and can be found on the NIBIB web site at http://www.nibib.nih.gov/.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov/.

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NIH undergraduate design challenge focuses on technology solutions in health care, November 16, 2011 News Release - National Institutes of Health (NIH)