For the uninitiated, the term “Medical Alley” may conjure up a variety of images. But for dozens of junior and senior biomedical engineering students at MSOE, it could provide a path to their future and a dream come true.  

This spring, 32 students and four faculty members from MSOE’s biomedical engineering program traveled to Minnesota to visit Medical Alley. Akin to Silicon Valley, Medical Valley is home to more than 600 major medical device companies and startups along a corridor that runs from Duluth, through the Twin Cities, and down into Rochester.  

During the three-day trip, the group toured companies large and small, including Boston Scientific and HLT Medical Inc. Tours were arranged by MSOE alumni David Elizondo ’90, Shannon Kimmes ’16 and Amy Alexander ’11, ’18. They also visited the St. Cloud State University Plymouth campus to learn more about their graduate programs that serve the medical device industry. This tour and panel session was arranged by Cathy Krier ’92, who directs two of the programs.  

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn about cutting edge research in the field, network with engineers from industry and academia, and see where biomedical engineers work,” said Amber Rothe, biomedical engineering senior. “The conference was especially helpful to me, a student considering graduate school, as I was able to view research from various universities and find my interests. For example, one interesting project presented was a circuit board that can be clipped to clothing and can ‘smell’ a particular bacterial infection. The application of both engineering and biology is exactly what biomedical engineering at MSOE is preparing me for!”  

They closed out their trip by attending the Design of Medical Devices Conference at the University of Minnesota and networking with professionals from the medical device industry—including several MSOE alumni. Three MSOE senior design teams were among 16 from universities around the country who competed in a Student Design Showcase. They presented posters and gave demos of their projects.  

Inspired by a suggestion from a member of MSOE’s biomedical engineering Industrial Advisory Committee who works in the Twin Cities, the trip was made possible thanks to the generous support of MSOE alumnus David Elizondo, CEO of HLT Medical and 1990 graduate of the biomedical engineering program, and a crowdfunding campaign established by MSOE’s Office of University Advancement.  

Planning is underway for another trip in Spring 2023. For more information on how you can get involved or support the students, please contact Dr. Jeff LaMack ’97, associate professor and biomedical engineering program director at lamack@msoe.edu.