Texas Biodesign is a collaboration of the Texas Innovation Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Venture Labs that uses biological processes as inspiration to develop impactful products and systems. It brings together scientists, engineers, business-minded participants and clinicians to form interdisciplinary teams to learn and implement how to use needs-driven innovation to solve medical and business problems.
This workshop is designed to help faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, MBA/MSTC students and clinicians utilize the biodesign process to assess and innovate commercial opportunities. Inspired by Stanford Biodesign’s process of front-end innovation development, the program is a nine-week intensive practicum of biodesign concepts, followed by commercialization support for teams that want to move their project to the marketplace.
Participants work in cross-functional teams of four, including a seasoned MD Anderson clinician, and are mentored by Texas Biodesign coaches with significant entrepreneurial experience. Teams completing the Texas Biodesign program will be eligible to apply for the Texas Biodesign Seed Grant ($5,000) to explore the commercialization of their project further.
Mark your calendars for the Spring 2025 Texas Biodesign Showcase on April 30th, 2025!
RSVP SPRING 2025 SHOWCASE
Texas Biodesign Workshop Details
Instructor: Dr. Rush Bartlett
Global Innovation Leader | Executive-in-Residence
Assistant Director of Corporate Innovation & Education at Stanford Breyer Center for Biodesign
Needs-Driven Innovation Workshop Sessions
The workshop will provide you with didactic instruction on the biodesign innovation process. Although this process started as a medical technology development tool, it is extremely useful in all business areas and has been used in consumer-packaged goods, software development and many other areas to achieve success.
Goal
Each participant will complete an assessment of multiple needs, select a lead concept, and present a value proposition of the combined need and concept to help decide whether or not to take the project to the next stage. This process training will equip participants with skills to help them identify the difference between a good and a great opportunity.
Biodesign Coaches
Each team is paired with a biodesign coach using the Stanford Biodesign methodology. The coaches will provide individual mentoring and will help you think carefully about what’s required to make progress in the evaluation of your need-and-lead concept. We encourage you to meet with your business coach at least 2-3 times during the workshop series.
Weekly Schedule
- Week 1 – Introduction to biodesign, form teams and develop need statement
- Week 2 – Need scoping and validation
- Week 3 – Needs filtering by value
- Week 4 – Understanding stakeholders and need specific criteria
- Week 5 – Define, distill, and validate each team’s top need criteria through stakeholder interviews
- Week 6 – Refine need statements, a primer on concept filtering
- Week 7 – Refine need statements, a primer on intellectual property and a primer on business models
- Week 8 – Final presentations prep
- Week 9 – Team final presentations
For more information, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Current Cohorts
Texas Biodesign Mentors – Cohort #5 (Spring 2025)
Dr. Alfred Song, Ph.D., MD
Intuitive Director, Resident Physician in General Surgery
Stanford School of Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin
Andréas Ward
SIER Fellow at Stanford Biodesign
Georgia Institute of Technology
Ashley Waring, M.S.
Associate Director, Innovation Lab
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals
David Miller, M.S.
Co-Founder and Chief Technology and Innovation Officer
Boomerang Medical Devices
Emma Essock-Burns, Ph.D.
Faculty and Assistant Director, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign
Stanford University
Vrad Levering, Ph.D.
Director of Systems Engineering
Triple Ring Technologies
Saniya Ali, Ph.D., M.S.
Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Watershed Therapeutics
Dr. Farzad Azimpour, MD
Associate Director, Lead for Design, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign
Stanford University
Viral Gandhi, M.S.
Medical Technology Venture Investor
KCK Medtech
Texas Biodesign Cohort #5 (Spring 2025)
TEAM 1
Dr. Kevin Kumar MD, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Dell Medical School
Alexander J. Lin, Ph.D. Candidate
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Sujaya H. Rao, DHSc
Director, Research Planning & Development
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Braden Pecora, M.S. Candidate
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 2
Dr. Frederico Omar Gleber Netto, DDS, Ph.D.
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
LaSonya D. Malbrough, CRNA, MBA
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Joey Schmidt, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Physics
The University of Texas at Austin
Ling Zhou, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Molecular Biology
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 3
Dr. Camille N. Immanuel, MD, MHS
Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease
Dell Medical Center
Michael Kasman, Ph.D. Candidate
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Tushar Patel, PA-C
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Ryan McCool, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biochemistry
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 4
Dr. Naruhiko Ikoma MD, M.S.
Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Karthik Tappa, Ph.D.
Anatomic 3D Printing Engineer
Division of Diagnostic Imaging
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Clarissa Aguilar, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Neuroscience
The University of Texas at Austin
Steven Hershman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Practice, School of Information
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 5
Dr. Catherine L. Akay, MD
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
David Aten, MA, CMI
3D Anatomy Specialist, Diagnostic Imaging
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Gina Perkins, Ph.D. Candidate
Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Anh Pham, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 6
Dr. Nicolas Zhou, MD
Integrated Thoracic Surgery Resident
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Andrew Ferrer, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Tim Marin
Neurosurgery Division
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Paula Aguilera Rodriguez
Photoacoustic Imaging Research Lab
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Past Cohorts
Texas Biodesign Mentors – Cohort #4 (Spring 2024)
Saniya Ali, Ph.D., M.S.
Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Watershed Therapeutics
Vrad Levering, Ph.D.
Director of Systems Engineering
Triple Ring Technologies
Dr. John Paderi
Chief Scientific Officer
IHP Therapeutics
Dr. David Hindin
Associate Chair for Innovation Stanford Surgery
Medical
Ashley Waring, M.S.
Technical Program Manager Verily Life Sciences
Healthcare
David Miller, M.S.
Co-Founder and Chief Technology and Innovation Officer
Boomerang Medical Devices
Texas Biodesign Cohort #4 (Spring 2024)
TEAM 1
Jessica Suarez Colen, MD, MPH
Breast Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Natalie Tindall, Ph.D.
Professor, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations
The University of Texas at Austin
Savannah Morreale
Bioengineering, Surgery Innovation
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Yash Kulkarni, Ph.D. Candidate
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 2
Alex Whitman, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
David Matthew Aldeman, MD, Ph.D.
Professor, Plastic Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Isabela Ramirez Velez, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Kyle Lilly
Texas Innovation Center
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 3
Bharat Mathur, Ph.D. Candidate
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
Medical and Surgical Robotics
The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Alicia Kowalski, MD
Professor, Anesthesiology & Peri-Operative Medicine
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Aditya Roy, Ph.D. Candidate
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Marko Vasic, Ph.D.
Chandra Family Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 4
Allan John Barcena, MD, Ph.D.
Department of Interventional Radiology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Marites Melancon, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Interventional Radiology
Division of Diagnostic Imaging
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Ronald Vogler, Ph.D. Candidate
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Steven Huang, MD
Department of Interventional Radiology
Division of Diagnostic Imaging
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Texas Biodesign Mentors – Cohort #3 (Spring 2023)
Emma Essock-Burns, Ph.D.
Faculty and Assistant Director, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign
Stanford University
Vrad Levering, Ph.D.
Director of Systems Engineering
Triple Ring Technologies
John Paderi, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer
IHP Therapeutics
Dr. Shaili Sharma
Director of Business Development – Neurosurgery
Stryker
Dr. Alfred Song, Ph.D., MD
Clinical Innovation Fellow and Resident
Stanford University School of Medicine
Texas Biodesign Cohort #3 (Spring 2023)
TEAM 1
Sierra M. Brooks, Ph.D. Candidate
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Bart Herpers, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Khang D. Nguyen, MD, FAAD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine
Ascension Seton Medical Center and Dell Seton Medical Center
Pranay Rai, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 2
Alexis Dimanche, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Celeste Marsan, Ph.D. Candidate
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Nina Tamaresa, MD
Assistant Professor of Breast Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Jiaqi Xue, M.S. Candidate
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 3
Ahad Azimuddin, MD Candidate
Texas A&M University, Health Science Center School of Medicine
Student Researcher, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Alexander Mericli, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Travis Sims, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, Division of Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sanidhya D. Tripathi, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 4
Dave Boruta, MD
Professor of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Fernando Cordova, M.S.
Technology Commercialization, McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Jamie Crow, M.S., MBA, MHA, CCRP, CHFP
Manager, Clinical Protocol Administration
MD Anderson Cancer Center
John Tran, M.S.
Clinical Research Program Coordinator
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Texas Biodesign Mentors – Cohort #2 (Spring 2022)
Emma Essock-Burns, Ph.D.
Faculty and Assistant Director, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign
Stanford University
Vrad Levering, Ph.D.
Director of Systems Engineering
Triple Ring Technologies
John Paderi, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer
IHP Therapeutics
Dr. Shaili Sharma
Director of Business Development – Neurosurgery
Stryker
Dr. Alfred Song, Ph.D., MD
Clinical Innovation Fellow and Resident
Stanford University School of Medicine
Texas Biodesign Cohort #2 (Spring 2022)
TEAM 1
Kjirsten Ayn Carlson, MD
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Tom Fitzsimons, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Daryl Rose Barth, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
The University of Texas at Austin
John Tran, MSBME Candidate
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Johns Hopkins University
TEAM 2
Vivian Chou, MSME Student
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Bernice Liying Huang, MD
Department of Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Jen Plantz, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Sangamithra Vardhan, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 3
Jaime R Crow, MBA, MHA
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Abbas Hassan, MD
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Pablo Ramos Ferrer, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Rachel Smith, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 4
Kasia J Dinkeloo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Molecular Biosciences
The University of Texas at Austin
Sanjay Mukhi, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Anees Siddiqui, MD
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology
Dell Medical School
Trey Putri Sutjita, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Molecular Biosciences
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 5
Jared M Eller, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Molecular Biosciences
The University of Texas at Austin
Nicole Fleming, MD
Associate Professor
Department of Gynecologic Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Brielle Hohne, Ph.D. Candidate
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
David J Kim, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
TEAM 6
Alejandro Maurer, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Subha P Mallick, Ph.D. Candidate
Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Sandra Renae DiBrito, MD, Ph.D.
Department of Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Marija Vukicevic, MBA Candidate, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Houston Methodist University
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Texas Biodesign Mentors – Cohort #1 (Spring 2021)
Vrad Levering, Ph.D.
Director of Systems Engineering
Triple Ring Technologies
Shriram Raghunathan, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Noctrix Health
Dr. Alfred Song, Ph.D., MD
Clinical Innovation Fellow and Resident
Stanford University School of Medicine
Texas Biodesign Cohort #1 (Spring 2021)
Scott Alpard, MBA, MMSc
Administrator and Director, Innovation
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Dave Boruta, MD
Professor of Gynecologic Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Cristina M. Checka, MD
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
James Clarke, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Physics
The University of Texas at Austin
Fernando Cordova, MSTC Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Diana E. Gutierrez Lopez, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Nutritional Science
The University of Texas at Austin
Brianna Flynn, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology
The University of Texas at Austin
Deanna Glassman, MD
Gynecologic Oncology Fellow, PGY5
Department of Gynecologic Oncology & Reproductive Medicine
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Tanya Hutter, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Nick Kapecki, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Miles Massidda, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Andrew Repetski, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
The University of Texas at Austin
Nicholas Schneider, MBA Candidate
McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
Siva Saket Sripada, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
