Celeste Marsan and Jiaqi Xue, graduate students at The University of Texas at Austin, have recently been accepted into the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) esteemed National I-Corps™ program, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of surgical technology. Celeste and Jiaqi, along with biomedical engineer Dr. Alexis Dimanche, co-founded OmniSense Surgical with breast surgeon Dr. Nina Tamirisa at MD Anderson with a mission to reduce surgical complications. The OmniSense Surgical team is developing a Smart Retractor, a novel surgical device, designed to enhance surgical precision and patient, particularly in breast surgery.
This new technology integrates sensors along the retractor allowing surgeons to receive real-time notifications when there is a risk of tissue damage, all while providing enhanced visualization similar to an endoscope.
Traditional surgical methods often face challenges with retraction pressure leading to tissue damage and complications. The Smart Retractor disrupts these conventional approaches by offering a continuous monitoring solution to provide surgical guidance and reduce the risk of complications. This technology seeks to lower healthcare costs by preventing extended surgical times and post-operative hospital stays.
Originally designed for use in breast surgery, the Smart Retractor’s potential applications extend to many other types of surgeries where excess retraction pressure can lead to tissue injury. Its real-time data transmission capability supports immediate clinical feedback, improving decision-making during surgery and enhancing overall patient care.
Celeste highlights the significance of this innovation: “Our goal is to provide surgeons with real-time feedback to prevent tissue damage during surgery. The Smart Retractor offers a promising solution to improve surgical outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.”
The team’s acceptance into the NSF National I-Corps program is a testament to the transformative potential of OmniSense’s group research with Dr. Tanya Hutter. The participating team includes:
- Celeste Marsan, Entrepreneurial Lead (EL): A PhD candidate from the Chemical Engineering Department at UT Austin, Celeste focused on innovating solutions to address unmet needs in the healthcare space. Celeste acts as the co-founder of OmniSense Surgical.
- Jiaqi Xue, Technical Lead (TL): A recent M.S. graduate in Mechanical Engineering and a Philip C. and Linda L. Lewis Foundation Graduate Fellow, Jiaqi has led groundbreaking research in robotic control and medical device design. As CTO of OmniSense Surgical, he leads the multidisciplinary team in developing and testing the Smart Retractor.
- Chipp Norcross, I-Corps Mentor (IM): A seasoned executive with a track record of driving growth across various ventures, Chipp brings strategic insights and leadership to the team. His experience ranges from early-stage startups to managing large revenue businesses, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
Dr. Tanya Hutter, the Principal Investigator and an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, has been mentoring the team for about a year. Dr. Hutter provided valuable technical guidance which contributed to the development of the Smart Retractor as well as commercialization guidance which prepared it for commercialization.
The NSF I-Corps program will equip Celeste, Jiaqi, and the OmniSense Surgical team with necessary resources and additional mentorship to enhance their commercialization strategy. By directly engaging with potential customers, they aim to gain deeper insights into customer needs, product positioning, and pricing strategies. This customer-driven approach is expected to accelerate the Smart Retractor’s path to market, ultimately benefiting patients and healthcare providers alike.
Participation in the NSF I-Corps program positions the team at OmniSense Surgical to transform surgical practices and enhance patient care. The team’s innovative approach and dedication to addressing real-world challenges exemplify the spirit of entrepreneurial innovation at The University of Texas at Austin.
Learn more about the NSF I-Corps program and apply for the next cohort online. For more information and to learn more about the NSF I-Corps program, contact Weston Waldo at weston.waldo@austin.utexas.edu.
