The Intersection of Physics, Biology, and Engineering: The Life of an Interdisciplinary Industrial Scientist

Eric Schilling '99
Sr. Biomedical Systems Engineer
Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis

St. Olaf has been emphasizing interdisciplinary studies in the sciences for years and there are some really great opportunities to get involved.  But how well do interdisciplinary studies and interdisciplinary thinking translate into real products in the industrial world?  I’ll show two examples of important biomedical technology that could not exist without a deep understanding of some of the fundamental intersections of physics, biology and engineering.  In one case, centrifugal microfluidic devices have been developed to miniaturize and automate up to 96 parallel CYP450 enzyme inhibition assays for use in the drug discovery industry.  In another example, implantable cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators have been developed to treat life threatening arrhythmias and heart failure.  I’ll describe how these devices work, what underlying scientific principles are involved and how, in some cases, they can save lives.