A team of Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers are finalists in the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition hosted by the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Undergraduates Gloria Kalnitskaya and Ayeeshi Poosarla and master’s students Eric McAlexander and Selena Shirkin are showcasing the “FetalCare Port System,” the first port system made for the uterine environment and for fetal surgical procedures. Their invention aims to reduce the risk of membrane rupture and pre-term births – critical problems in fetal surgeries.
The team will travel to Washington, DC in mid-October on an all-expenses-paid trip to meet with patent examiners to pitch their work and network for national exposure with other inventors and mentors. The event will be held at the United States Patent and Trademark Office headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, Oct. 16-17.
The Collegiate Inventors Competition includes a People’s Choice Award, with $2,000 for the winning team and patent acceleration. Vote once per day through 5 p.m., Oct 16.