Blugold Biomedical Innovator Program
Innovative collaboration
The Blugold Biomedical Innovator Program is for students who intend to pursue a career in health care or the biomedical field. UW-Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System have combined forces to better prepare future scientists, innovators, health care providers and leaders. Biomedical Innovators participate in competitive research experiences with faculty and network with medical professionals.
We believe these one-of-a-kind experiences should be available to students of all backgrounds and financial situations. The Biomedical Innovator Scholar Program is the only scholarship program of its kind. Blugold experiences like this position UW-Eau Claire as one of the strongest pre-med institutions in the Midwest. Join us for an extraordinary undergraduate experience — offered only at Eau Claire!
Innovator Scholars
Each academic year, 10 students who are committed to pursuing a degree and career path in the health care or biomedical fields will be selected to become Innovator Scholars. Our Scholars will work alongside Mayo Clinic Health System professionals and receive these benefits:
$32,000 Scholarship
Receive an $8,000 annual scholarship, renewable for up to three additional years. Plus, earn up to $3,000 per summer while working on research.
Guaranteed Research
Starting your first year, you will partner with a UW-Eau Claire faculty member and Mayo Clinic Health System professional on a research project.
Special Event Invites
Attend special Mayo Clinic events with senior leaders in Eau Claire and Rochester.
One-on-one Mentoring
Experience coaching from Mayo Clinic Health System physicians, current medical school students and staff from our Health Careers Center.
The Biomedical Innovators are so smart, they are so committed and so motivated. I was decades older than them before I had the clarity that they seem to have. And yet, they’re so enthusiastic to learn more and to roll up their sleeves. That’s inspiring and that’s what it takes.
Spotlight research projects
The Blugold Biomedical Innovator Program is just one example of how UWEC provides innovative research opportunities in almost every field of study for undergraduate students. The research projects below are examples of the remarkable opportunities our Innovator Scholars have (from day one) that are often reserved for graduate students at other institutions.
Materials characterization of injectable therapeutic foams
Research Project Summary
In collaboration with an interventional radiologist at Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire, materials are being developed and tested for separation and protection of healthy organs and tissues during treatment of tumors by freezing or heating. These injectable foams are being tested for stability, mechanical stiffness, and incorporation of therapeutic components such as contrast agents and antibiotics. Testing includes the materials characterization of these foams, testing the foams in physiologic conditions, and animal studies. Undergraduate researchers are critical for creating and testing the foams, collecting and analyzing data, working with our collaborator, and communicating results to a variety of audiences.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Jeremy McBride
Faculty Member
Dr. Liz Glogowski
Associate Professor — Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering
Neurobiology of alcohol effects in aged populations
Research Project Summary
The number of older people in the United States continues to increase, highlighting the importance of understanding health factors associated with this population. Current data reveals that older people are more sensitive to alcohol’s effects compared to younger people. We have recently developed animal models to study the effect of alcohol in aged animals and have replicated the findings that aged rats are more sensitive to the effects of ethanol compared to younger animals. The current project is a multi-level analysis to investigate the neurobiological mechanism(s) that produce greater effects of alcohol in aged animals compared to younger animals.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Doo-Sup Choi
Faculty Member
Dr. Doug Matthews
Professor — Psychology
Developing medical models through 3D printing
Research Project Summary
To improve surgical outcomes, physicians are moving to less invasive procedures that rely on better knowledge of the individual patient anatomy through advances in medical imaging, such as MRI, ultrasound, or CT scans. Technology now allows these data, that are typically displayed on 2D screens, to be displayed in three dimensions through 3D printing. These 3D printed models allow physicians to better visualize what they will encounter during surgery, test different instruments that may be used during surgery, and improve the surgical plan for the individual patient. This project will provide 3D printed models for use in the presurgical process of the Mini-thoracotomy Aortic Valve Replacement program at Mayo Clinic.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Joseph Wildenberg
Faculty Member
Dr. Doug Dunham
Professor — Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering
Using artificial intelligence to diagnose disease
Research Project Summary
Our research involves using artificial intelligence (AI) methods like machine learning and deep learning to diagnose diseases and develop technologies to monitor health. Students in Dr. Gomes’ lab work with big data like CT scan images or human gene sequence text data and use high performance computing to run analyses. Presently, Dr. Gomes and five undergraduate students collaborate with Dr. Wildenberg on developing new AI technology to identify filters in a large vein, the inferior vena cava, in a patient’s CT scan. These filters are inserted to trap blood clots and prevent them from reaching the heart and lungs. Our vision is to automate filter detection with routine CT scans so that radiologists can follow-up on the health of these filters. Research with Dr. Garg is focused on developing an AI-oriented approach to identify pancreatic cancer from patient CT scans. Our vision is to automatically detect the stage of cancer, the disease progression, and the steps to be taken (such as chemotherapy or surgery) to address recovery. Dr. Gomes is also collaborating with researchers at North Dakota State University to analyze human gene sequence information and identify regions in the human genome that play a significant role in cancer progression.
Mayo collaborators: Dr. Joe Wildenberg and Dr. Sushil Garg
Other collaborators: North Dakota State University
Faculty Member
Dr. Rahul Gomes
Assistant Professor— Computer Science
Prenatal stress and neurodevelopment in autism
Research Project Summary
How do changes in the environment contribute to brain formation and associated neurodevelopmental disorders? Students in the Carter laboratory investigate the effects of disorder-associated environmental compounds on neurodevelopment and then define mechanisms of action for compounds that cause brain abnormalities. We currently are focused on the neurodevelopmental impact of environmental factors that have been shown in public health studies to correlate with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence. We use zebrafish in our experiments and assess changes in physical development (microscopy), molecular biology (gene expression), and behavior (motor tracking).
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Ashley Holland, Dr. Scott Schmidt
Faculty Member
Dr. Brad Carter
Assistant Professor — Biology
Educational intervention to reduce post-operative opioid use
Research Project Summary
Increasing use of opioid medications to control pain has resulted in increased reports of opioid misuse, opioid dependence, and overdose (Weisberg, Becker, Fiellin & Stannard, 2014) and over prescription of opioid medications have been viewed as the main cause of the opioid epidemic (Volkow, Jones, Einstein, & Wargo 2019). The overreliance on opioids for clinical use transitions to opioid misuse and may lead to illicit use (heroin) when prescriptions can no longer be obtained. Our initial study determines to what extent an educational intervention performed by Mayo orthopedic staff reduces the use of opioid medication for post-operative pain management. The plan for the current study is to determine the effectiveness of the intervention on other surgical procedures such as cubital tunnel release and distal radius fractures.
In addition to working with the collaborative project with Mayo Clinic, students will be invited to join Dr. Jewett’s neuroscience research laboratory on the UWEC campus. Dr. Jewett’s research program utilizes behavioral and pharmacological techniques that are used in drug development. Additionally, several projects in the laboratory are designed to learn more about opioids including one non-human technique that predicts the effectiveness of opioids on pain relief in humans.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Jose Ortiz, Jr.
Faculty Member
Dr. David Jewett
Professor — Psychology
Surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy of human saliva as a non-invasive tool for cancer diagnostics
Research Project Summary
Cancer now tops heart disease as the number one cause of death in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death globally. The symptoms of cancer are often not specific and, in most cases, are not apparent in early stages. As early cancer detection is the hallmark of successful treatment, our research is focused on developing a rapid, reliable, inexpensive, and non-invasive method for cancer detection and screening. The student researchers working on this project will be using Raman Spectroscopy to identify cancer-specific biomarkers in saliva samples for the early diagnosis of cancer. In particular, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), a highly sensitive analytical tool, will be used for this study. Student researchers will be responsible for preparing samples, optimizing the experimental conditions, analyzing data, and sharing the findings of this study with others in the form of poster/oral presentations and manuscripts.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Sandeep Basu
Faculty Member
Dr. Sanchita Hati
Professor — Chemistry
Mayo Clinic family medicine resident wellness study
Research Project Summary
Considering a high prevalence of burnout syndrome in physicians (especially those in early career), we must first care for the providers before providing care to patients. Improved well-being of physicians will lead to healthy workforce in healthcare which naturally leads to an improvement in overall patient care. Among risk factors for burnout, sleep loss is an overlooked factor that impact mental fatigue and burnout. The proposed study utilizes a non-invasive inclinometer device (worn on mid-thigh) to better understand sleep patterns of residents during the week of overnight shifts and their impacts on acute mental fatigue and perceived burnout. Additionally, second part of the study will implement a tailored workplace exercise program as a countermeasure to manage stress, improve sleep patterns, and reduce chronic mental fatigue and burnout among family medicine residents who have extended work hours and overnight call responsibilities.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Terri Nordin
Faculty Member
Dr. Saori Braun
Associate Professor — Kinesiology
Genetic variants and disease
Research Project Summary - 1
Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disease, which affects approximately 12.4 million people worldwide (PKD Foundation). A major question in the field is “how precisely does a genetic change (a change in DNA) lead to the formation of cysts?” In other words, which pathways and processes in the cells are affected? In addition, patients develop a range of symptoms, and age of onset is variable. Our lab uses C. elegans and zebrafish as models to understand cystic kidney disease and more specifically to understand how primary cilia, which act as cellular antennae, contribute to health and disease.
Mayo collaborator: TBD
Research Project Summary - 2
Genetic testing of patients with suspected genetic disorders yields a wealth of sequence information that then must be interpreted to determine which variants (differences in the DNA sequence between a patient’s genome and a reference genome) affect the symptoms and pathology observed. This process of variant interpretation is challenging and complex. Our lab is initiating a project to analyze variants of uncertain significance identified during genetic testing to see whether these changes in the DNA result in a change in expression of the gene. Data from this project have the potential to improve patient outcomes by improving the ability of physicians and scientists to decipher which variants are clinically relevant.
Mayo collaborator: TBD
Faculty Member
Dr. Jamie Lyman Gingerich
Associate Professor — Biology
Geospatial web application design and evaluation of rural telehealth delivery
Research Project Summary
Mayo Clinic Health System is in the process of developing procedures for conducting video appointments in rural areas of Wisconsin for patients who do not have a cell phone or internet access. This will be accomplished by sending iPads equipped with cellular service (via Verizon or AT&T) from the Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire to patient homes. However, there are varying degrees in cellular signal strength in rural places, and carrier availability is highly location dependent. Using cellular signal strength data collected between Fall 2023 and Summer 2024, this project will focus on building a web application that will show users (a) which carrier has better service and (b) the probability of completing a video call successfully for a given location. The student will learn the skills of geospatial software engineering, complete statistical analysis, and pending additional funding in summer 2025, participate in field-based geospatial data collection and analysis.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Jim Manz
Faculty Member
Dr. Matthew Haffner
Assistant Professor — Geography and Anthropology
Development of a novel, flexible cooling pad for patient pain management
Research Project Summary
In this project we aim to develop and build a prototype of a mechanically flexible and electrically powered cooing pad to help patients manage pain after surgery or injury. Pain management is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S., but it is challenging to deliver localized pain relief in a way that is consistent and sustained over time, and that conforms to the patient body part requiring treatment. This project will combine considerations for patient care with practical engineering skills to design an optimum cooling pad, and students will have the opportunity to see the project through from initial design to a final project.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Tiziano Taliarita
Faculty Member
Dr. Matthew Jewell
Department Chair and Professor — Material Science and Biomedical Engineering
Neurobiology underlying cognitive deficits of 9-THC and ethanol exposure in aged rats
Research Project Summary
The greatest increase in the use of cannabis is in older adults who also consume alcohol in a binge-type fashion. However, the neurobiological impact of cannabis and alcohol use is unknown. The current project investigates the molecular impact of cannabis and alcohol in the brain of aged female and male rats.
Mayo collaborator: Dr. Pravesh Sharma
Faculty Member
Dr. Doug Matthews
Professor — Psychology
The Biomedical Innovator program has been an incredible support to my learning journey. I've gotten to shadow doctors at the local Mayo Clinic campus, present research at CERCA and NCUR, and even present our research to elected officials through Posters on the Hill. Some of my best friends have come from this program. It's instrumental to have both peers and mentors cheering you on to overcome challenges and learn and grow.
Preparing you for a future in health careers
The Health Careers Center can help you get prepared! We provide advising to help you stay on track, offer study materials for entrance exams, and keep you informed about opportunities on campus and around the world.
Explore the Health Careers CenterBecome a Blugold Biomedical Innovator
Blugolds are leading the way for groundbreaking discoveries. Follow the steps below to be a part of something big.
Step 1: apply to UW-Eau Claire
Join the Blugold family, and put your learning into action from day one with unrivaled undergraduate research and immersive experiences in every field of study.
Step 2: apply to be an Innovator Scholar
Join fellow medical leaders in this groundbreaking collaboration between UW-Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System.
Current Blugold Biomedical Innovator Scholars
Four years of research with Mayo professionals
The first cohort of Blugold Biomedical Innovator Scholars who began medical science research in 2020 are off next to work in industry, attend medical school, or seek Ph.D.s.
Learn More
The undergrad research life: A Q&A with UW-Eau Claire’s therapeutic foam research team
Learn about the groundbreaking biomedical research team who are collaborating with Mayo Clinic Health System on a project to make certain cancer procedures safer and less painful.
Learn More
Meet the Innovators
Get to know the students who've been selected as Blugold Biomedical Innovator Scholars. While still at UWEC, their work is already helping build a brighter future in health care.
Learn MoreThese are experiences they wouldn’t be getting at a Big 10 or Ivy League school. They are first-year students working on research on campus, but they also are working with researchers at Mayo Clinic. It’s been tremendous for them and for us.
Questions?
Contact us by email at biomedicalinnovator@uwec.edu or by phone at 715-836-5415.