Alligator Tank competition at Mayo Clinic in Florida announces winners

Mayo Clinic in Florida held its annual Alligator Tank competition where presenters or teams have two minutes to pitch their idea to a live audience and panel of judges. Participants are asked to address the problem they’re addressing, their solution, the business potential, market size, who the customer is, and revenue model.

The event was moderated by Charles Bruce, M.D. (I ’96, CV ’00), chief innovation office at Mayo Clinic in Florida and medical director for the campus Life Sciences Incubator.

Winning team

Biomimetic Human Tissue Simulation: Biomimetic simulators use 3-D printing for resident education in spinal anatomy, instrumentation and surgical techniques

William Clifton III, M.D. (NS ’21), resident, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Florida

Aaron Damon, simulation technologist

Mark Pichelmann, M.D. (MED ’00, NS ’06), Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Eric Nottmeier, M.D. (NS ’01), Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Florida

Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, M.D. (NS ’16), chair, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Florida

First runner-up

Bronchoscopic Needle-Wire: Device that serves as a guide for tracheostomy tube placement

David Abia Trujillo, M.D. (THDC ’21), resident, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida

Sebastian Fernandez- Bussy, M.D., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida

 

Second runner-up

Mayo Globe – VAD: Improved design for contemporary ventricular assist devices

Basar Sareyyupoglu, M.D. (CS ’09), Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Florida

Magdy El-Sayed Ahmed, M.B., B.Ch., M.D. (CS ’18), Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Florida

Si Pham, M.D. (CS ’18), chair, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic in Florida