University of Iowa biomedical engineering PhD candidates are part of a research team selected for a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to develop a cost-effective mechanical ventilator for underserved communities.

Preliminary testing in simulated environments showed the concept of a streamlined ventilator that strips out higher end components produced consistent effective results. Acute respiratory distress affects about 3 million people (about the population of Iowa) annually, with mortality rates reaching 90% in under-resourced areas. Access to continuous respiratory support could substantially improve survival rates, the researchers assert.  

The project is led by David Kaczka, principal investigator and UI professor of anesthesia, radiology, and biomedical engineering. 

Emmanuel Akor and Daniel Meggo, both PhD candidates in the Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, play key roles in the project as co-principal investigators. Akor, of Benue, Nigeria, is in the fourth year of his program and is a researcher in the Kaczka Lab. Meggo, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, is in the third year of his program and conducts research in the Jacob Hermann Respiratory Dynamics Lab. 

The one-year project received $50,000 in funding.