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A cutting-edge medical device prototype, glowing with the promise of innovation, emerges from the collaboration between USF students and Jabil engineers.St. Petersburg Today
The University of South Florida is partnering with global engineering and manufacturing solutions provider Jabil to turn student ideas into real-world medical technologies. Through Jabil’s capstone project sponsorship and collaboration at the company’s Innovation Center, USF biomedical engineering students are gaining hands-on experience developing prototypes that address critical healthcare challenges, with some projects even advancing toward commercialization.
Why it matters
This unique university-industry partnership is redefining student learning by blending education, research, and industry expertise. It provides USF students with valuable real-world experience in solving complex medical problems, while also giving Jabil access to fresh ideas and a pipeline of future talent.
The details
For senior Sophia Alonso, her capstone project on a non-invasive flow sensor for medical tubing evolved into an ongoing collaboration with Jabil. The company recognized the potential to address the critical issue of venous needle dislodgement during dialysis and has supported Alonso through graduate work, including her master’s thesis. The project is now patent-pending and in early clinical investigation. Another Jabil-sponsored capstone team is working to advance the Jabil Clot Retrieval System, a next-generation device for aspiration thrombectomy procedures, by designing and refining catheter concepts alongside Jabil engineers in the company’s Advanced Catheter Development Lab.
Alonso began working with Jabil during her senior capstone project in 2022.Alonso secured an internship and then a full-time position at Jabil in January 2023 after graduating.The venous needle dislodgement detection project is currently patent-pending and in early clinical investigation.
The players
Sophia Alonso
A biomedical engineering graduate who completed both her undergraduate and master’s degrees at USF, and is now a product verification engineer at Jabil.
Ben Kellam
A Jabil engineer who recognized the potential of Alonso’s capstone project and has supported the ongoing collaboration.
Dr. Jacques Durr
A professor of internal medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine who has provided clinical expertise on the venous needle dislodgement detection project.
Souheil Zekri
The assistant chair of the USF Department of Medical Engineering and an associate professor of instruction who oversees the department’s capstone program and industry partnerships.
Jabil
A global engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions provider that is one of the largest healthcare manufacturing solutions providers worldwide, with its headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida.
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What they’re saying
“Our capstone program is a poster child for excellence in collaboration with industry. We’ve developed a synergetic relationship with Jabil that has led to many successes.”
— Souheil Zekri, Assistant Chair of the USF Department of Medical Engineering and Associate Professor of Instruction
“These are the kinds of challenges that don’t have great solutions yet. When we saw the potential, we knew it was something worth pursuing. It’s not common for us to take a capstone project and move it toward a product. That’s what makes this so unique.”
— Ben Kellam, Jabil Engineer
“This project is an example of how engineering innovation, in collaboration with clinicians, can directly address unmet clinical needs. Venous needle dislodgement remains a well-recognized and potentially life-threatening complication in dialysis care. A non-invasive, real-time monitoring approach has clear clinical value and may extend to other extracorporeal therapies.”
— Dr. Jacques Durr, Professor of Internal Medicine, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
“Working alongside engineers at Jabil and having access to their manufacturing and prototyping facilities has been an incredible learning experience. It has given my colleagues and me a real look into how engineers work in industry and what it feels like to develop and manufacture technology in a professional setting.”
— Ibrahim Al-Qraquly, Biomedical Engineering Major, USF
“We get to know students before they graduate – how they think, how they collaborate. That makes the transition into the workforce much easier.”
— Ben Kellam, Jabil Engineer
What’s next
The venous needle dislodgement detection project is currently in the early stages of clinical investigation, with future commercialization under consideration. Jabil and USF will continue to collaborate on advancing this and other medical technology innovations through the capstone program.
The takeaway
This partnership between USF and Jabil is redefining student learning by seamlessly integrating education, research, and industry expertise. It provides engineering students with invaluable real-world experience in solving complex healthcare challenges, while also giving Jabil access to fresh ideas and a pipeline of future talent. The collaboration has already led to promising medical technology innovations, demonstrating the power of university-industry collaboration.