Demand for biomedical engineers drives USF to expand department

By: Cassidy Delamarter, University Communications and Marketing

“When I started my degree at USF, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I’ve been blown away by the abundance of opportunities and the support provided by the medical engineering faculty and staff." — Priscilla Santos, a first-generation student. 

Fueled by rapid growth, USF’s Department of Medical Engineering is expanding its state-of-the-art lab space to support its growing community of students and researchers and meet public demand for biomedical engineers. Since launching its undergraduate program in 2019,  the department has more than doubled its student enrollment and faculty, driving innovation at the intersection of engineering and medicine. 

“Even through the pandemic, we continued to grow,” said Distinguished University Professor Robert Frisina, founder and chair of the department. “The renovations for our department are an important milestone for us.” 

Construction is underway to create three new research laboratories in the Interdisciplinary Sciences Building on the Tampa campus and enhance existing labs with cutting-edge technology, including an advanced 3D bioprinter capable of creating biocompatible tissues and organs for regenerative medicine. Other additions include high-resolution microscopes, improved real-time imaging systems and expanded cell culture facilities. 

For students like Victoria Johnson, a Judy Genshaft Honors College student studying biomedical engineering, the lab expansion will elevate her research capabilities and opportunities.

Johnson is developing a non-invasive pressure sensor for medical tubing. Her goal is to use the device to detect if chemotherapy has leaked into a patient’s surrounding tissue. 

“What makes this project tricky is its non-invasive nature,” Johnson said. “We cannot have any contact with the fluid, so we're coming up with some creative ways to measure the pressure of the fluid through the tubing.”  

Johnson is one of 43 seniors currently designing prototypes in the medical engineering capstone course led by Associate Professor Souheil Zekri—a BME class that has grown significantly each year since its first cohort of just five students in 2019. Among that inaugural group was Rachel Llewellyn, now an engineer at Boston Scientific. 

“It’s amazing to see how much the students have advanced and how much the department has grown,” Llewellyn said. “I’ve stayed connected by returning each year to review capstone projects. The sheer size of the capstone class is incredible and comparing my capstone project to what today’s students are producing—it’s impressive.”

A rare joint effort between the USF College of Engineering and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the Department of Medical Engineering was established in 2019 following the Florida Board of Governors' designation USF as a Preeminent State Research University. This designation awarded USF an increase in reoccurring funding to support high-impact initiatives, such as the formation of the Department of Medical Engineering, which continues to attract prestigious faculty from across the world.

Since its launch, the department has grown from two full-time faculty members, including Frisina, to 14, with the next phase of expansion focused on securing funding to recruit at least three more full-time faculty members. Despite its relatively small size, the department has made a significant impact—producing 25 patents and publishing nearly 650 academic journal articles.

The research has spanned a variety of topics including how tissues, such as lungs, function over time, novel methods of drug and gene delivery to treat malignancies, significant hearing loss in longtime cancer survivors, unlocking mysteries of brain development, new systems for treating glaucoma and a method to create heart valve cells from stem cells. 

Associate Professor Albert Kim is researching how to revolutionize dental implants. In collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania and with $3.2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, Kim’s goal is to develop a smart dental implant designed to last longer and minimize failure rates, particularly for smokers and patients with diabetes as their implants tend to fail more frequently.

“We’re creating a dental bioelectronic implant with a built-in circuit and LED light source for light therapy,” Kim said. “This approach aims to strengthen the gingival tissue, extending the lifespan of implants and reduce failure risks, which can be especially severe during the first year.”

With infrared light, not visible to the human eye, the inside of the implant will glow to create a bacteria-free environment and prevent infection. Kim and his students are currently conducting experiments to enhance the implant’s durability and hope to commercialize the invention soon.

Hands-on learning opportunities like those in Kim’s lab are what several of the students say have prepared them for life after graduation—equipping them with real-world skills that will be in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects biomedical engineering jobs will grow 7% by 2033, outpacing the national average of 4% across all occupations.

“When I started my degree at USF, I didn’t know exactly what to expect,” said Priscilla Santos, a first-generation student. “I’ve been blown away by the abundance of opportunities and the support provided by the medical engineering faculty and staff. Thanks to them, I’ve developed not only academically but also personally, growing into the person I am today.”

Sean Carr, a 2018 medical engineering graduate, credits USF as well. “These classes require students to turn their designs into real projects, which are what got me jobs when I graduated. I learned how to do them because the faculty here invested in us, encouraged us to keep learning and trying new things,” Carr said. “I’m now developing a startup company focused on 3D printing and prop development for theater productions. It’s been a blast bringing STEM into the arts world.”

With a growing community of dedicated students, alumni and faculty, Frisina hopes the department will continue shaping the future of biomedical innovation and positioning itself as a national leader in the field, right here in the Tampa Bay community.