{"400411":{"#nid":"400411","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Innovation for Young Patients","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Atlantic Pediatric Device Consortium (APDC), headquartered at the Georgia Institute of Technology, was started five years ago to pursue a specific if ambitious mission that came with a built-in set of significant challenges.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAPDC was founded, \u201cto address the issues related to designing and commercializing devices to improve children\u0027s health,\u201d says Barbara Boyan, dean of the School of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), who was a professor at Georgia Tech in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering when she co-founded the APDC in 2011. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd unlike much of the population these technologies are designed to serve, the related issues are definitely not small. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cThere are a number of problems involved in successfully taking a product to market that is specifically for children,\u201d explains Boyan, who remains an APDC director. \u201cOften market size is limited, so the clinical studies needed to prove safety and effectiveness cannot be adequately powered and for the eventual market size are simply too expensive.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso, unlike adults, who comprise the vast majority of the medical device market, children are still growing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cAnd as they grow their physiology is changing,\u201d Boyan says. \u201cThus, manufacturers may need to make multiple sizes and may even need to modify the kinds of materials that they are using. It is important to remember that children are not just little adults.\u0026nbsp;It isn\u0027t enough to simply scale down a device.\u0026nbsp;I think you can see why it is a challenge for small companies and indeed large companies to tackle these challenges.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose challenges are why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) funds a network of centers like the APDC.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A major goal of the FDA-sponsored Pediatric Device Consortia (APDC was one of the earliest funded, and there are currently seven nationwide) is to provide expertise and services to inventors, entrepreneurs and companies that are developing pediatric healthcare technologies \u2013 companies like Safe Heart USA, based in Atlanta and helmed by Georgia Tech graduate Yale Zhang.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cAPDC has really helped put our company on the map and build a buzz,\u201d says Zhang, CEO of Atlanta-based Safe Heart USA, an award-winner in the most recent APDC Pediatric Device Innovation Competition. \u201cThe best thing about this program is, it really is focused on commercialization. It\u2019s about having a social impact and simultaneously being able to take something to market. So, it\u2019s not just about cool ideas.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven so, it\u2019s nice to have a cool idea, and Zhang\u2019s company has one. APDC\u2019s review committee (an experienced panel of pediatricians, engineers, business professionals and venture capitalists) selected Zhang and his company for seed grant funding for a new smart-phone based oximeter to help monitor the early stages childhood pneumonia.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt\u2019s the logical next step for a device Safe Heart USA already has produced, the iOximeter (and the iOX mobile phone app), which is geared for adults. The company is shifting gears slightly with development of this new, pediatric-focused product, inspired by a global health challenge from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to improve the diagnosis of childhood pneumonia in developing countries (pneumonia remains the leading cause of death in children under five, worldwide, but particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cWe want to provide an affordable mobile device that is easy to use,\u201d says Zhang, a 2006 graduate of the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, whose challenge is to make one that fits a child\u2019s needs. \u201cSo our goal is really to make a non-disposable, durable, washable, sterilize-able oximeter probe that can be used on kids.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EZhang says the probe will be inexpensive to produce and the iOximeter also saves money in how little energy it uses. No batteries or expensive, power-hungry hardware required. The device uses the cell phone processor for its juice.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThat\u2019s the most innovative part about this product,\u201d he adds.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInnovation (as well as commercialization potential) is at the heart of what APDC is looking for. It\u2019s right there in the name of the annual Pediatric Device Innovation Competition. APDC hosted the fourth such round of competition in February. This seed grant competition is a chance for academic researchers, students, businesses, clinicians and entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize a pediatric medical device.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cThese early stage development grants can often launch an idea from a university laboratory to the next level,\u201d says APDC Executive Director David Ku, Petit Institute faculty member and professor of engineering entrepreneurship in the Scheller College of Business. \u201cAPDC advisors monitor progress and are available to assist innovators through whatever stage of development they are currently in.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKu has been involved in bringing a number of medical devices to the market.\u0026nbsp; He and the other APDC principal investigators at Emory, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the Virginia Commonwealth University have been the recipients of seed grant funds like this in the past.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMore than 25 proposals were initially submitted for this year\u2019s competition, according to Martha Willis, APDC\u2019s program manager. Of those, 15 were invited to Atlanta to make oral presentations of their projects, competing for seed grant awards in the $5,000 to $50,000 range. The APDC Review Committee based its assessment on a number of factors: clinical significance; approach to product development; likelihood of marketing success; project team, environment and resources; and potential for additional funding. \u201cThe point of the APDC seed grant is to move a pediatric medical device project along the development pathway on its way towards commercialization,\u201d says Willis. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn addition to Zhang and Safe Heart USA (which was the only Atlanta-based awardee), the winning projects\/products included:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u2022 Nephrostomy Catheter: This device is designed to significantly reduce a young patient\u2019s exposure to imaging radiation potentially reduce bleeding during a percutaneous nephrolithotomy (removal of kidney stones).\u0026nbsp; It will also enable a pediatric urologist to conduct the procedure, rather than sending the pediatric patient to an interventional radiologist. Principal investigator is Jason Wynberg, attending urologist at Detroit Medical Center.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u2022 Transcatheter valve for treatment of pediatric pulmonary valve stenosis: This project will address one of the most prevalent congenital heart defects, pulmonary valve stenosis due to valve dysplasia. The goal of principal investigator Eric Sirois (whose company, Dura Biotech, is based in Storrs, CT) is to develop a replacement valve suitable for treating pulmonary valve dysplasia in children and adolescents.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u2022 Automated Point-of-Care Recognition of Innocent Still\u2019s Murmur in Children: This mobile device-based digital stethoscope, accompanied with a highly accurate computer algorithm, would distinguish Still\u2019s murmur (benign and prevalent) from the more serious pathological heart murmurs. The device could significantly reduce the current rates of unnecessary (and costly) referrals to cardiologists, while reducing the financial and emotional costs of unnecessary testing. Principle investigators are Raj Shekhar and Robin W. Doroshow, based at the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation in Washington, D.C.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u2022 Drug Error Prevention and Advisory System for Pediatric Anesthesia: This system is designed to utilize QR (Quick Response) code technology for syringe labeling, to identify medication before administering and advise the recommended dose. It is also intended to make compliance with Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) regulations efficient and easy. Principle investigator is Nadia Koltchine, the youngest awardee \u2013 she is a member of the science team at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, CT.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Atlantic Pediatric Device Consortium planting seeds of support"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAtlantic Pediatric Device Consortium planting seeds of support\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Atlantic Pediatric Device Consortium planting seeds of support"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2015-04-29 11:36:39","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:08","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"400371":{"id":"400371","type":"image","title":"Yale Zhang","body":null,"created":"1449246388","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:28","changed":"1475895119","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:59","alt":"Yale Zhang","file":{"fid":"75802","name":"local_winner.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/local_winner.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/local_winner.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":191469,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/local_winner.jpg?itok=LlfMpV1g"}},"400351":{"id":"400351","type":"image","title":"David Ku","body":null,"created":"1449246388","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:28","changed":"1475895119","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:59","alt":"David Ku","file":{"fid":"76026","name":"ku.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ku.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ku.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1976891,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ku.jpg?itok=dsQnZyMF"}},"400361":{"id":"400361","type":"image","title":"Lisa Feldman","body":null,"created":"1449246388","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:28","changed":"1475895119","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:59","alt":"Lisa Feldman","file":{"fid":"75801","name":"presenter_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/presenter_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/presenter_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1097803,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/presenter_0_0.jpg?itok=JifNN-uS"}},"400401":{"id":"400401","type":"image","title":"APDC Reviewers","body":null,"created":"1449246388","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:28","changed":"1475895119","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:59","alt":"APDC Reviewers","file":{"fid":"75805","name":"reviewers2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/reviewers2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/reviewers2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":908508,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/reviewers2.jpg?itok=ozLM7DyE"}},"400381":{"id":"400381","type":"image","title":"APDC group 2015","body":null,"created":"1449246388","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:28","changed":"1475895119","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:59","alt":"APDC group 2015","file":{"fid":"75803","name":"group_shot_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/group_shot_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/group_shot_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1208643,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/group_shot_1.jpg?itok=4N270niy"}},"400391":{"id":"400391","type":"image","title":"APDC group 2  2015","body":null,"created":"1449246388","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:28","changed":"1475895119","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:59","alt":"APDC group 2  2015","file":{"fid":"75804","name":"group_shot_again.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/group_shot_again.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/group_shot_again.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1318549,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/group_shot_again.jpg?itok=y599JL7x"}}},"media_ids":["400371","400351","400361","400401","400381","400391"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/atlanticpediatricdeviceconsortium.org\/","title":"Atlantic Pediatric Device Consortium (APDC)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"14864","name":"apdc"},{"id":"124981","name":"Pediatric Medical Devices"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}