Strategic Priorities

Program Priorities:

→ Technology development following principles of frugal innovation
→ Co-development with a partner in a low-resource setting
→ Credible plans to sustainably deploy technology in a low-resource setting
→ Devices for patient care, calibration/validation of clinical equipment, or medical education
→ Trainee involvement strongly encouraged 

The FBIP harnesses the principles of “frugal innovation” to accelerate research and education focused on frugal biomedical innovations that serve communities that need it most. This is made possible through the program’s three strategies:

Strategy 1 → Scholar's Program in Engineering Health Equity

Teach Western's researchers frugal design principles, medtech commercialization pathways, and nontechnical aspects of global and remote healthcare. See newly funded NSERC CREATE in Engineering Health Equity Program (EHE). CREATE EHE Program priorities are consistent with the FBIP priorities.

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Strategy 2 → Accelerate Deployment of Medical Devices in Low-Resource Settings

Laboratory facilities and expertise to carry out calibration, validation, and regulatory compliance for biomedical devices developed for Africa and Canada. Make equipment and other scientific resources available to partners, remotely and/or by supporting visiting scholars. Contact us for more information!

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Strategy 3 → Capacity Building for Medical Device Innovation in Africa

We are assisting our partner institutions in expanding their undergraduate and graduate biomedical engineering programs to expose students to medtech entrepreneurship and by co-developing innovative, low-cost equipment for teaching and research laboratories.

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