Engineering

A new program called “Engineering Health Equity,” dedicated to training the next generation of pioneers in frugal biomedical innovation, will launch at Western thanks to a $1.65-million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The funding is part of NSERC’s Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program, which aims to enhance the training of new scientists and engineers in Canada by fostering high-quality, collaborative and research-based graduate programs. James Lacefield, an electrical engineering and medical biophysics professor, and director of the School of Biomedical Engineering, will lead the training program at Western’s Faculty of Engineering. It’s expected to start in September. The program involves a team of co-applicants and collaborators from the Faculty of Engineering, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Ivey Business School, multiple universities in sub-Saharan Africa and the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Agency. “This grant will largely support the development and delivery of a comprehensive training program at Western, which integrates practical skills with theoretical knowledge aimed at tackling real-world problems in global health,” Lacefield said.  

What is frugal biomedical innovation?

Frugal biomedical innovation involves developing medical technologies that are not only affordable but are also high-quality and tailored to meet the specific needs of users in resource-limited settings. One current project aims to perfect a device that helps nurses in rural areas take clear x-ray images, which can then be sent to radiologists elsewhere for diagnosis. Unlike conventional approaches that may adapt existing technologies by reducing costs (often at the expense of quality), frugal innovation starts from scratch. These innovations aim to deliver technology that performs well in challenging environments – whether that’s remote locations in northern Canada or under-resourced facilities around the world. “These technologies are built with the realities of the local infrastructure in mind, ensuring they are both functional and sustainable where they are most needed,” Lacefield said. The innovations are intended to be robust, easy to maintain and user friendly for health-care workers with varied levels of training to operate.  

Training for students

The goal of the new training program is to advance medical technology and inspire a new generation of engineers and entrepreneurs to tackle global health challenges with innovative, practical and compassionate solutions. “Building biomedical innovation capacity in our partner regions will be the most distinctive aspect of our program,” Lacefield said. The program will be offered to students in multiple faculties as a supplemental training opportunity to their existing degrees. About 80 per cent of the grant will directly support students, primarily at the graduate level, though there are opportunities for undergraduates as well. The Engineering Health Equity program will include hands-on project work to develop frugal biomedical innovations, mentorship and communities of practice, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving. “This funding allows us to lower the financial barriers for researchers interested in frugal innovation, encouraging broader participation in this critical field,” Lacefield said. The primary focus of the current frugal biomedical innovation projects at Western ranges widely, from developing diagnostic devices that can be easily used by non-specialists in remote communities to enhancing telemedicine capabilities to bridge gaps in areas where health care is not accessible. “The projects we are embarking on are not just about technology development but are deeply integrated with the real-life applications and challenges faced in these underserved areas,” said Lacefield. “This funding isn’t just about financial support – it’s about building a community to address these challenges from multidisciplinary perspectives,” Lacefield said.  

Frugal biomedical innovation in the field

Currently, Lacefield’s team is working on two key objectives. In sub-Saharan Africa, they are addressing the pervasive problem of imported medical devices that fail because they were not designed for the region’s environmental, infrastructure and supply chain realities. The team and its African partners are building capacity to establish a sustainable medical equipment industry in sub-Saharan Africa so these technologies can be designed and manufactured specifically for African health-care systems. This effort will be informed and shaped by insights gained from the CREATE trainees’ technology development projects. In Canada, Lacefield and the team are developing several innovative projects to support remote northern communities. They are creating telemedical tools and other strategies to facilitate health-care delivery over vast distances, helping to overcome the challenges of accessing specialist care. “Our goal is to empower local health-care workers by providing them with technology that bridges the gap between remote communities and urban health-care facilities,” said Lacefield. Students who participate in the new program will engage in this fieldwork, travelling to partner sites in sub-Saharan Africa or northern Canada to test and adapt their innovations, in collaboration with the partners, directly in the settings for which they are intended. “The ultimate vision is to create sustainable solutions that can be maintained and operated by the communities they serve, reducing dependency on external support,” Lacefield said.