Cardiac Surgery Medical Device Innovation

The U-M Medical School Department of Cardiac Surgery is strongly committed to advancing innovation by investing in early-stage medical device development and testing, as well as providing protected research time for faculty and trainees to explore novel projects. By supporting promising innovations from concept to clinical implementation, we're accelerating the pace at which new technologies reach the patients who need them most. 

Our faculty bring decades of clinical experience to the research and development process, ensuring that new technologies are designed with patient needs in mind. By identifying challenges encountered in the operating room, they provide valuable insights that help shape the engineering of next-generation cardiac devices and surgical tools. Their hands-on knowledge of cardiac procedures and clinical limitations helps bridge the gap between theoretical engineering and practical application. This patient-focused, surgeon-led approach ensures that each advancement addresses real-world challenges and has meaningful clinical impact.

Innovation thrives through collaboration with partners throughout Michigan Medicine and beyond, allowing us to develop and implement cutting-edge approaches to cardiac surgery care. Our faculty work closely with surgical residents and fellows, biomedical engineers, materials scientists and industry leaders to drive medical device research and development. These cross-disciplinary teams combine clinical expertise with technical knowledge, creating a fertile environment for breakthrough discoveries. By mentoring the next generation of surgeon-scientists, we're building a sustainable pipeline of innovators that will benefit patients for years to come.