Patient safety, healthcare technology and lessons learned from COVID-19 related to biomedical manufacturing and emergency use authorization are the stimulating and timely topics to be discussed at NIU’s first annual Biomedical Engineering Society’s Medical Device Forum Series. The events will be held in three virtual sessions this spring and summer, hosted by the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) student chapter of NIU and NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET).
The event kicks off on April 7 at 9 a.m. with a panel led by NIU CEET Dean Donald Peterson, Ph.D., with experts from the National Science Foundation International, Philips, Siemens Digital Industries and Compliance Group. The first session’s topic, “New and Emerging Regulations,” will feature discussions related to patient safety and the European Union’s medical device regulations and software in medical devices and the new risk management regulations related to medical devices.
On May 5 the keynote address will be given by Dr. Jesse Erenfeld, senior associate dean and professor of anesthesiology at Medical College of Wisconsin and Vanderbilt University and member of the board of trustees for the American Medical Association. Erenfeld will provide perspectives on technology needs for the healthcare industry and the constraints that the healthcare industry has faced in implementing this needed technology. His address is entitled, “Current Healthcare Technology Needs and Implementation Constraints”.
June 2 brings professionals from the Medical College of Wisconsin to discuss “Rapid Responsiveness” with emergency use authorization and advanced manufacturing and simulation in light of the global pandemic.
“Bringing together influential and prominent professionals who are experts in their fields is a wonderful opportunity for collaboration and sharing of knowledge for our industry, and for to the patients and the healthcare community that we serve,” said Peterson. “We believe the information shared in this forum provides a tremendous benefit to the participants.”
Peterson is an expert as well, with more than 25 years of experience in biomedical engineering and medical research. He serves as the Chair of ASTM’s Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits. ASTM is an organization that works to build consensus around standards for manufacturing and industry. In addition to his involvement with ASTM, Peterson has been active on Capitol Hill helping legislators understand the technology and the need for standards to ensure worker safety. He also serves as a U.S. delegate on the International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Committee on Human Exposure to Mechanical Vibration and Shock. Peterson has published over 120 peer-reviewed scholarly works and is the Editor-in-Chief for “The Biomedical Engineering Handbook,” published by CRC Press.
“I am excited for this forum as it allows for the BMES chapter at NIU to gain exposure to different companies and learn about the most recent innovations in the biomedical community,” said Natalia Dmitruk, president of the NIU BMES student chapter. “As a senior preparing for graduation, I think one of the most important experiences are those that help immerse students in their field of study. This forum is that opportunity.”
The inaugural BMES Medical Device Forum Series 2021 is free for participants. More information and registration can be found at go.niu.edu/BMESforum.
