Here ’ s an example : Say a neurosurgeon wants to remove a tumor from the brain . Ideally , she would want to remove the entire tumor to prevent malignant cells from growing again . But during the operation , she can ’ t truly know the exact boundary . There is no line that shows where the tumor starts and where it ends . If she removes too much , the surgery might impact brain function , such as affecting the patient ’ s ability to speak . In this case , Marcu says , optical instruments used in robotics could help surgeons know how aggressive to be .
At UC Davis , Marcu ’ s graduate students and postdoctoral researchers build these types of optical devices in laboratories . Initially , this is done using tissue phantoms or samples in well-controlled static situations . There is no body on an operating table . No distracting blood . Nothing moves . But the technology developed in Marcu ’ s laboratory allows for real-life situations with patients in the operating room , where the students can see these devices in action , giving them a unique experience .
“ It cannot be described in a book or in a paper ,” Marcu says . “ You really have to see it with your own eyes .”
Surgeons plan for operations and robots can be programmed for various tasks . But the fact that conditions vary from patient to patient means there ’ s a learning curve for both the human and the machine . Adjustments need to be made . Factors such as age need to be considered . Surgeons already know how to adapt , Marcu says , so the technology needs to be adaptable to work in dynamic environments .
“ A surgeon has encountered many situations and uses that experience ,” Marcu says . “ It ’ s the same with the instrument . You have to use it in many patients to account for many variables .”
Extra eyes
Variables also play a role on the financing side . In order to have a big impact , technology needs to go through a commercialization pathway , which means first cloning the devices , conducting multicenter trials and getting them approved by the FDA , an arduous process that takes time and requires funding . In addition to non-dilutive funding ( financing without the business giving up equity ), private investment supports the creation of a “ technological paradigm ,” Marcu says , that will make medtech devices more affordable and easily deployable .
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted even more opportunities in medtech ,
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with investment themes shifting from a focus on products to services , according to global management consulting firm Bain & Company . Its 2022 report showed that investors completed 96 medtech deals in 2021 , almost doubling the 2020 total of 55 and surpassing the previous high of 60 in 2018 .
Medtech looks appealing to investors for several reasons . Typically , medtech startups have strong IP potential , often
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