Frankel Cardiovascular Center Innovation Program
Fast Forward Medical Innovation
We offer programs and courses in collaboration with the renowned Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
The goal of the Frankel Cardiovascular Center (CVC) Innovation Program is to foster a culture of innovation through education, funding, and mentorship for Frankel CVC faculty, staff, trainees, patients, and families.
By providing these resources, the Frankel CVC aims to empower those within its ecosystem to create new or different systems and products that fundamentally change the existing system.
The Frankel CVC Innovation Program comprises the Frankel CVC Innovation Challenge, the Aikens Innovation Academy, and other workshops and resources.
Fast Forward Medical Innovation offers a comprehensive collection of educational programs and training tailored for busy faculty, students, clinicians, and researchers across the University of Michigan, and across the state, region, and nation.
Helpful Resources
The following resources are available at U-M to help biomedical researchers move their project down the commercialization path.
Programs & Courses
Innovation Challenge
Annual competition for up to $100K to test and implement cardiovascular innovations
- Faculty, staff, trainees, and patients
- Timeline varies; in-person or virtual
Aikens Innovation Academy
Project-based course, mentorship, and funding for academics with cardiovascular innovations
- Faculty, staff, and trainees
- 12 weeks; in-person or virtual
Workshops & Resources
Collaborative workshops designed to develop solutions that positively impact patient care.
Frankel Cardiovascular Center Innovation Challenge
The Frankel CVC Innovation Challenge is now accepting submissions until Friday, February 6!
The Frankel CVC Innovation Challenge is designed to empower our community of trainees, faculty, staff, patients, and families at the CVC to propose, test, and implement new innovations. Innovations can be in the form of changes to patient care or potential new products.
The Innovation Challenge awards up to $100,000 to one or more winners pending results of the competition and budget. Winners are also provided education and mentorship to support them on executing their projects. In addition, Just Do It Awards are selected for low-cost, low-complexity ideas.
This year, we are excited to announce three distinct awards of up to $100,000 available to all cardiovascular innovators:
System-based/Process Improvement Innovations - Systems to improve quality or other outcomes, including but not limited to:
Development of clinical pathways to standardize care processes
Discharge procedure improvements
Patient Education
Telemedicine and remote monitoring processes
Novel integration of technology and tools at the FCVC
Updated training procedures and tools
Commercial Product/Service Innovations – Development of new products or services, including but not limited to:
Medical devices
Diagnostics
Software
Mobile Applications
Therapeutics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovations - AI systems that analyze, forecast, and creatively solve problems in cardiovascular care, including but not limited to:
Imaging and diagnostics algorithms
Predictive analytics
Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms
Generative AI Large Language Models (LLMs) for a variety of uses, such as efficient reporting of quality measures and ambient systems to record and generate medical notes
Congratulations to the 2025 Winners!
Systems-based/Process Improvement Winner
Enhancing Early Detection and Prevention of Pressure Injuries Using Woundvision Scout
Brittany Cooper, MSN, CRNP, AGACNP-BC, AOCNP; Elissa Persaud, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN-CRC; Shannon Brunt, DNP, APRN, AACNS-AG, CCRN, CWCN, TCRN, CBRN
Commercial Product/Device Winner
Remora Aortic Septal Fenestration Device
Jeff Plott, PhD; Shinichi Fukuhara, MD; Gardner Yost, MD, MS
Artificial Intelligence Winner
Streamlining Prior Authorizations with Artificial Intelligence
Karl Renius, PharmD, MADS; Chris Mannina, PharmD, BS; Paul Schenk, MSN, RN; Matt Konerman, MD
Have an Idea?
Ideas are welcome from anyone in the FCVC community: faculty, staff, trainees, and patients.
Please email [email protected] with any questions.
Aikens Innovation Academy
Do you have a groundbreaking idea that could make a difference in patients' lives, but need guidance on a successful path to make that idea a reality? The Aikens Innovation Academy is a program designed to create, nurture, and support a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship through education and mentorship customized for Frankel Cardiovascular Center faculty, staff, and trainees. The Academy is designed to support both clinical value and entrepreneurial innovations.
Applications are currently being accepted for the Winter 2026 course, beginning Tuesday, February 3. Please apply here by January 2026, or contact Ashley Schork at [email protected].
The Aikens Innovation Academy offers a unique set of educational and project development activities for all cardiovascular innovators, including:
• Clinical and research faculty
• Clinical, research, and administrative staff
• House staff, trainees, and medical students
• Nurses, technicians, and other FCVC staff
In this exclusive program, you’ll receive:
• In-depth education on innovation, including communicating value to stakeholders and how to pitch your idea for resources
• An opportunity to develop innovative biomedical technologies, as well as impact clinical technologies and processes
• Guidance on your implementation strategy and business case
• Connections to relevant stakeholders, including departmental and university resources, industry, and investors
• Mentorship from seasoned innovators
• …and more!
Contact Ashley Schork, FCVC Innovation Program Manager, at [email protected] to arrange a consultation about your idea and learn about education, funding, and mentorship opportunities.
Don’t have an idea? That’s okay, it’s not required! You’re welcome to attend and learn about the innovation process. The program will help you match with a project team of like-minded innovators and an innovative technology.
Academy Helps Innovators Advance Cardiovascular Care
Learn how the Aikens Innovation Academy helped Gardner Yost, M.D., M.S., and his team take the next steps to move their project towards successful commercialization. The article gives an inside look at the key takeaways participants will get when they complete the course.
Workshops & Resources
We offer a variety of educational opportunities to promote and explore cardiovascular innovation, including a unique Innovation Webinar Series and Design Thinking Workshops.
FCVC Innovation Webinar Series
The FCVC Innovation Webinar Series aims to educate our community on topics of interest regarding cardiovascular innovation, encourage innovative thinking, and connect the community with resources to help further the advancement of ideas.
See below for a list of upcoming webinars, as well as recordings of past webinars.
For more information, visit the FCVC Innovation Program website.
Past FCVC Webinars
Responsible AI for (Clinical) Research: Opportunities, Risks & Practical Workflow at UM with MIDAS - (View Recording)
Assistant Research Scientist, Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics (BMSP), School of Dentistry
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
Dr. Su is an experienced Data/Research Scientist and Machine/Deep Learning Engineer with over 10 years of expertise and a PhD. Passionate about problem-solving through research, data cleaning, feature engineering, and model development for complex challenges. Neuroimaging scientist with an engineering background, specializing in fNIRS probe registration, data acquisition, decoding, and analysis. Extensive experience applying fNIRS brain imaging across diverse research areas. Kaggle competition master with demonstrated expertise in statistical modeling, time series analysis, machine learning, deep learning (especially in computer vision), and large language models (LLMs). Proficient in Python, MATLAB, SQL, shell scripting, R, and SAS.
More information coming soon!
Nursing Innovation Panel - (View Recording)
What to expect (objectives):
- Showcase practical, workflow-focused innovations: Real examples of small-scale changes that streamline workflows and improve efficiency and patient care.
- Equip nurses with tools and resources: Including the FCVC Innovation Program, School of Nursing Innovation Program, Fast Forward Medical Innovation, and other Quality Improvement resources.
- Strengthen communication and interdisciplinary coordination: Strategies, protocols, and tools that improve teamwork across disciplines.
- Elevate the frontline nursing voice: Approaches that solicit, recognize, and act on nurses’ ideas.
- Cultivate a culture of innovation and continuous improvement: Making innovation accessible, inclusive, and ongoing.
AI Tools at the University of Michigan - (View Recording)
IT Product Engagement Lead with Support Services and Emerging Technology at U-M ITS
This session provides a practical overview of the AI tools available to the U-M community. Participants will learn about U-M GPT, Go Blue, Maizey, and the GPT Toolkit, see real-world examples of how the U-M community is using these tools, and gain a clear understanding of how to get started. The focus is on actionable ideas that support learning and everyday administrative workflows.
From Prompt to Prediction: Leveraging GenAI and AutoML in Clinical Research with the Michigan Institute for Data and AI in Society (MIDAS) - (View Recording)
Assistant Research Scientist, Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics (BMSP), School of Dentistry
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
Dr. Su is an experienced Data/Research Scientist and Machine/Deep Learning Engineer with over 10 years of expertise and a PhD. Passionate about problem-solving through research, data cleaning, feature engineering, and model development for complex challenges. Neuroimaging scientist with an engineering background, specializing in fNIRS probe registration, data acquisition, decoding, and analysis. Extensive experience applying fNIRS brain imaging across diverse research areas. Kaggle competition master with demonstrated expertise in statistical modeling, time series analysis, machine learning, deep learning (especially in computer vision), and large language models (LLMs). Proficient in Python, MATLAB, SQL, shell scripting, R, and SAS.
Data Exploration in Health Equity: The Emergency Department Experience (View Recording)
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan
Medical Director of Analytics for the Department of Emergency Medicine
Digital Medicine Society (DiMe): AI Playbook and Health AI Essentials Course (View Recording)
Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) Program Lead
Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) Program Lead
Machine Learning Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease and Microvascular Dysfunction using Angiography – A Michigan Medicine Spin-off Story (View Recording)
Associate Director of the Frankel CVC Innovation Program (Commercialization) and Edward B. Diethrich Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
Finding the Data: More Accessible Than You Might Think (View Recording)
Business Process Consultant Lead for Cardiovascular and Neuroscience Services at Michigan Medicine
Preparing for a Clinical World That Includes Artificial Intelligence: Tools, Teammates, and Teaching (View Recording)
Assistant Professor, Michigan Medicine Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Learning Health Sciences
Value Assessment at Michigan Medicine: What Every Company Needs to Know When Crafting Their Value Proposition (View Recording)
Senior Procurement Agent at Michigan Medicine
Program Director for MedTech Innovator
Value Analysis Manager, Michigan Medicine
Q&A with Broadview Ventures (View Recording)
FDA Regulation of Cardiovascular Medical Devices (View Recording)
Biomedical Engineer/Lead Reviewer at U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Clinical Research Program Director, Regulatory
University of Michigan
The Future of Cardiovascular Medicine (View Recording)
Professor and Chair of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
Professor Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Digital Medicine for Management in Atrial Fibrillation (View Recording)
Co-Chair of Innovation, FVC Innovation Program
Assistant Professor, Cardiac Electrophysiologist at U-M
Using Digital Health Technologies in Cardiovascular Innovation (View Recording)
Clinical Instructor, Cardiovascular Medicine at U-M
Advancing Healthcare Delivery System Redesign Through Team Innovation and Implementation Science (View Recording)
Professor of Medicine and Director of the Caring Wisely Program at UCSF Health
Organ Preservation, More Than Just a Phase (Recording TBD)
Vice Chair for Research in Cardiovascular Research
Associate Professor of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic
Investment Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine (View Recording)
Partner at MedTech Advantage Fund
FDA Regulation of Cardiovascular Medical Devices (View Recording)
Assistant Director for Cardiac Ablation, Mapping, and Imaging Devices at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Office of Cardiovascular Devices, Division of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Diagnostics, and Monitoring Devices
Regulatory Affairs Lead at Google
Design Thinking Workshops
Design Thinking is a process of creative problem solving that engages the people that will be most affected by the solution; in healthcare, this is often patients and family members. Design Thinking workshops utilize the collaboration of faculty, staff, trainees, patients, and families to develop solutions that better patient care.
We are happy to talk further about how the concepts of Design Thinking can be utilized in your area of the Frankel Cardiovascular Center. Contact [email protected] to start a conversation.
Frankel Cardiovascular Center Innovation Program Leadership
Hamid Ghanbari, MD, MPH
Cardiovascular Electrophysiology
C. Alberto Figueroa, PhD
Edward B. Dietrich Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
Sarah Adie, BCCP
Clinical Cardiology Pharmacy Specialist, U-M Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy
Questions?
Contact Us
Fast Forward Medical Innovation
University of Michigan Medical School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
