BME undergrads put skills to the test in summer internships

Impact: Garg improved medication safety and quality through drug product defect mapping using FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) and managed Design History Files (DHF) for combination drug products.

Takeaway: “I’ve gained hands-on experience seeing how large-scale drug production operates — from development to manufacturing — and how technical decisions directly impact patients and global health. The internship confirmed my interest in working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and business — driving innovation that helps deliver safe, effective medicines to patients worldwide.”

Impact: Ray worked with a process engineer to develop a SaaS application that streamlines workflow coordination between manufacturing and maintenance/support, and collected drug development data.

Takeaway: “The process of creating a project, soliciting feedback, and improving it in later cycles and releases nicely encapsulates the engineering process in a pharmaceutical setting. The most valuable skills I gained include programming practices and documentation habits that occur when designing a substantial system across multiple platforms.”

Impact: Rend managed the implementation strategy for a bioprocessing unit and expanded UVU Bio’s client base.

Takeaway: “This experience gave me a new outlook on the technical and financial aspects of the biotechnology industry, its market size, and what goes into making a successful company. I have also diversified my skill set in public speaking, PowerPoint, and problem-solving.”

Impact: As part of a cancer research program in a urology lab, Siauw built a portable computer and clinical user interface to bring real-time AI bladder cancer detection into the operating room for the first time. Siauw tested the prototype in four transurethral resection surgeries and three outpatient cystoscopies, culminating in a live demo.

Takeaway: “I was thrilled to see something I built used in real surgeries. I learned how to build a prototype that prioritizes intuitive design as much as functionality. BME challenges us to not just innovate, but also integrate new solutions into clinical workflows that can be resistant to change.”

Impact: Sharma researched skin cancer treatments in the lab of Dr. Xiying Fan by measuring cell growth, testing viability under treatment conditions, and designing experiments.

Takeaway: “I have enjoyed being a part of a project that could revolutionize the treatment of skin cancer. I have enhanced my critical thinking abilities in research and designing experiments. I am very interested in the development of therapeutics in the field of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy and hope to apply what I learned to future research as an aspiring clinician.”