Borden, Rentschler inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows

Alexander James Servantez — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:13:09 +0000

Borden, Rentschler inducted into the AIMBE College of Fellows Alexander Jame… Mon, 03/31/2025 - 10:13

Alexander Servantez

Two faculty members in the Biomedical Engineering Program (BME) at ��ƷSM��ӰƬ have etched their names amongst some of the most successful medical and biological engineers in the world.

Professors Mark Borden and Mark Rentschler have been inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows. The program is among the highest professional distinctions given to medical and biological engineers, representing the top 2% of these engineers around the world.

Professor Mark Borden (right) talking to a student in his lab.

“I am honored to be selected into the AIMBE College of Fellows,” said Borden, also a faculty member in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. “It’s an exciting achievement and a great opportunity to promote the important research we do here at the university.”

AIMBE College of Fellows membership honors engineers who have made significant advancements in the field of medical and biological engineering. But it also recognizes engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the future of bioengineering education.

Borden has done both. His novel research focuses on developing microbubbles and nano droplets for use in ultrasound imaging.

These little particles are safe to inject into the body and can be used as contrast agents to indicate or predict diseases. They can also be used as a non-invasive technique for drug or oxygen delivery, targeting rare pediatric brain tumors and helping hypoxemic patients struggling to get oxygen through normal respiration.

“It’s quite an interdisciplinary field,” Borden said. “We have to pull knowledge from many different domains—acoustics, ultrasonics, biology. But the main core of our research is the development of new microbubbles and nano droplets. That’s what we are known for.”

Borden has also left his mark in the classroom. He played a key role in the creation of ��ƷSM��ӰƬ’s BME program, even serving as its inaugural director in 2018. He stayed in the position for five years, during which time the undergraduate program grew significantly and earned ABET accreditation.

Rentschler’s impact transcends both research and education, as well. In 2018, he helped launch Aspero Medical, a startup company that develops micro-textured balloon overtubes used to enable more efficient and less invasive surgical procedures in the small bowel region.

Professor Mark Rentschler showcasing current and upcoming Aspero Medical devices.

These devices have proven to be successful, receiving clearance from the Food and Drug Administration in 2023. Since then, Rentscher and his team have been working to expand on their vision, announcing the development of two new surgical products powerful enough to transform endoscopy procedures even further.

“The first product was an improvement to the tools currently available to physicians,” said Rentschler, who is also a faculty member in mechanical engineering. “The next generation of devices we’re introducing are poised to make significant contributions to physicians and completely shift how they can treat aggressive cancers and precancerous lesions within the gastrointestinal tract.”

Rentschler also helped kickstart a mechanical engineering graduate design program back in 2010. Under his guidance, the program led to dozens of patents on graduate students’ design projects—some of them later going on to be used on patients or implemented by companies across the nation.

AIMBE inductees are also expected to serve as advocates for research by engaging with legislators and promoting public policies that foster continued advancement in medical and biological engineering fields.

It’s a hallmark of the AIMBE College of Fellows program, and both Borden and Rentschler believe they have the experience and expertise to be strong advocates for the future.

“I think we bring some interesting perspectives to these conversations, considering we’ve been in the academic research arena as well as the industry side of things,” Rentschler said. “I am honored to receive this distinction, and I am excited for these new opportunities to make a strong impact going forward.”

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Rentschler, Aspero Medical awarded $4.5M for endoscopy advancement

Alexander James Servantez — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 21:36:21 +0000

Rentschler, Aspero Medical awarded $4.5M for endoscopy advancement Alexander Jame… Tue, 02/11/2025 - 14:36

Six years ago, Professor Mark Rentschler helped launch startup company Aspero Medical to develop a medical device used during endoscopy procedures. Today, with the help of a $4.5 million grant through the Anschutz Acceleration Initiative, Rentschler and his team are bringing two new medical devices to the market that have the potential to transform surgeries in the gastrointestinal region even further.

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