It’s a humid summer afternoon in Washington, D.C., and two GW student researchers are on campus, working diligently on a groundbreaking medical device.
The pericardial access device, or PCAD, is a handheld instrument used to drain fluid from around the heart. When finished, it will ideally act as a comprehensive alternative to the large, multi-piece pericardiocentesis kit typically used for these procedures.
This advanced instrument is being developed by GW Engineering undergraduate students Anya Spevacek and Will Carr, right in GW's Science and Engineering Hall. Their research is among those supported by the university's Summer Undergraduate Program for Engineering Research (SUPER).
SUPER, a research fellowship for GW Engineering undergraduate students, supported 20 students across all six departments this summer. The projects varied widely, including aerodynamic analyses of a starling bird’s flapping wings, investigations into crisis-resilient school meal programs in Haiti, and the design of context-aware robotic interventions to assist informal caregivers.
“We’ve collaborated with the other students in the program, and it’s been a great opportunity for us to cultivate innovation and support one another’s work,” Spevacek explained.
Spevacek and Carr became involved with SUPER through Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Associate Professor Amir Barakati. After taking courses with Professor Barakati and learning about his research, both Spevacek and Carr expressed their interest in and were subsequently connected with the team.
“I’m interested in the cross-section between engineering, medicine, and the innovation of medical devices, and this project seemed to be the perfect example of that,” Spevacek explained.
Carr agreed. “I wanted to learn how to make medical devices and collaborate with colleagues from the medical school. I was excited about this opportunity.”
Prof. Barakati was contacted by Dr. Andrew Meltzer from the Department of Emergency Medicine about the project. Once he learned of Anya and Will’s interest in contributing to the project, he connected them with the medical team to begin their collaboration.
“We are grateful to SUPER and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering for generously supporting the students over the summer. This support enabled significant progress in the design and optimization of the medical device,” Barakati said.
“As their advisor, I have been impressed by Anya and Will’s creativity and work ethic. I look forward to seeing the continued development of the project and the next stage of their work,” he shared.
The project has connected Spevacek and Carr with Dr. Kevin Jaatinen, a recent graduate of the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Dr. Andrew Meltzer, a professor of emergency medicine. The team collaborated with Prof. Barakati to design and test the device, ensuring it was accessible and user-friendly.
Collaborating with colleagues in the medical field has provided Spevacek and Carr with critical, real-world perspectives. “We’re learning to navigate the needs of doctors and the realities of engineering, and finding a balance between the two to drive the innovation that’s needed,” Spevacek shared.
Spevacek and Carr hope their device can streamline pericardial drainage procedures, especially outside of traditional operating rooms. “The goal is to increase effectiveness, usability, and the strength of the network of care. Ideally, we would like to reach non-hospital settings, like battlefields and rural settings, where the accessibility and effectiveness of devices are particularly crucial,” Carr explained.
As the summer winds down, Spevacek and Carr are preparing for a “head-to-head” trial in which their PCAD device will be compared to the paracardial sentesis kit by testing on a simulated heart. They will then continue their work into the fall semester by incorporating feedback from the trial to further improve the device's functionality.