Julia Jacob and Ryan Prince, sophomores in the Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, work on the dry-heat sterilizer that won first prize in the Engineering World Health Design Competition. (Photo/Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering)

The World Health Organization estimates that 11% of surgical patients in low-resource settings get surgical-site infections. One concern is the use of surgical equipment that is not adequately sterilized.

“Medical centers in low-resource areas often lack facilities to sterilize surgical instruments,” said Jacqueline Linnes, an assistant professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the team’s faculty advisor. “They either send instruments to a central facility or use chemical baths or antiseptics, which can be time-consuming and could corrode the instruments.”

A portable, inexpensive, effective alternative for sterilizing surgical instruments is needed for these low-resource areas.

“The dry-heat sterilizer is used to sterilize surgical instruments, and essentially works like an oven,” said Ilana Roth, president of the Engineering World Health (EWH) Purdue chapter and a junior in the School of Mechanical Engineering. “Dry heat sterilizers increase the temperature of an isolated containment unit to quickly and effectively sterilize surgical equipment, eliminating potential microbial contaminants from the equipment.”

Roth added that the device was designed for use in low-resource settings. It can be shipped flat, quickly assembled with a screwdriver, and easily repaired with standard stovetop heating elements.

The EWH Purdue chapter comprises 11 members from the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, including Mandy Chang, Jennifer Deluca, Julia Jacob, Jessica Franke, Ryan Prince, Marisa Hughes, Christopher Rust, Lakmini Wilson, Madeleine Henderson, Sydney Sofronici, and Eugene Ferrari; and three members from the School of Mechanical Engineering: Roth, Abigail Frazier, and Mohammed Matar.

In addition to Linnes, the group is advised by Orlando Hoilett, a PhD student in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Roth also credits the advice of Norvin Bruns, the Weldon School’s research shop technician.

This is the second year in a row that a Purdue team has won the international competition. Last year, a senior design project developed by four students in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering won first place.

According to EWH, the competition is designed to inspire ongoing international research to improve healthcare in low-resource environments.