Innovation is an iterative process, and the road to commercialization often takes years, shaped by complex regulatory requirements. Bringing medical discoveries to the clinicians and patients who need them most is even more challenging. However, Duke-NUS Medical School aims to bridge this gap through the Duke-NUS Health Innovators Programme (D-HIP)—Singapore’s first-of-its-kind initiative that brings together multidisciplinary clinician-innovator teams to take on today’s most pressing health care needs.
As health care challenges continue to evolve, academic institutions are taking on a greater role in fostering innovation, not just through research, but by providing future leaders with the needed skill sets to bring solutions to market. Established in 2022, D-HIP is a nine-month intensive program that uses an integrative approach that equips students with entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills to shape the future of care. Industry and clinical mentors guide teams of medical, engineering and business students as they research and validate critical unmet clinical needs. The teams then conceptualize and build specialized prototypes, which they pitch “Shark Tank”-style before a panel of judges on Dazzle Day, D-HIP’s culminating event, set for March 19.
With real-world implications, this year’s projects feature specialized surgical devices designed for bariatric, gastroenterological, orthopedic and ophthalmic procedures. Dazzle Day’s winning team will apply for funding to refine their prototype and explore opportunities for commercialization. Last year’s winning team received $50,000 to further its development of an AI-powered tool that matches cancer patients with relevant clinical trials.
Behind D-HIP is a dedicated team that guides and supports these students, drawing on their expertise and deep understanding of the challenges ahead for these aspiring innovators. As the assistant dean and program director of D-HIP, Rena Dharmawan plays a key role in shaping the program. She believes D-HIP stands out for its hands-on, multidisciplinary approach, which engages students in the full cycle of health care innovation—from identifying real clinical needs to developing and pitching viable solutions.
"What makes D-HIP unique is its multidisciplinary approach, bringing together medical, bioengineering and business students from four schools: Duke-NUS, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS Biomedical Engineering School and NUS Business School," Dharmawan said.
"Additionally, our students address industry-driven problems rather than purely clinical challenges, which helps in commercializing innovations more effectively. Another difference is that we partner with various companies to identify and codevelop solutions, ensuring industry buy-in from the start."
For students in D-HIP, the journey is intense but deeply rewarding. Among them is Jasper Chua Tee Loong, a third-year medical student at Duke-NUS whose project helped address various bariatric surgical needs.
“I was drawn to D-HIP because it provides a rare, structured opportunity to learn about biodesign and innovation—something I’ve always been keen on, given my background in translational research," Chua said. "Through my experience, I’ve seen that research often stops at publication, and I wanted to understand how innovations can move beyond the lab to make a real-world impact.”
Bringing together students from diverse backgrounds meant each team had to navigate different ways of thinking within a short amount of time.
"Working with a biomedical engineering student, an MBA student and a clinician has been eye-opening because each of us views problems through a different lens,” Chua highlighted. “As a medical professional, I tend to focus on clinical needs, but my teammates helped me see challenges I might have overlooked, such as technical feasibility and market viability.
"I’ve consciously integrated design thinking and stakeholder engagement into my problem-solving approach,” he added. “I now take the time to explore multiple perspectives before forming a solution, ensuring that innovation is both practical and impactful."
This visit marks the third cohort to participate in a weeklong immersion at Duke, highlighting D-HIP’s role in the broader Duke-Duke-NUS partnership as it nears its 20th anniversary. By bridging expertise from both institutions, the program builds on a decades-long legacy of collaborative research and innovation.
To give them a better understanding of the U.S. health care regulatory process and Duke’s innovation and commercialization ecosystem, the group toured various campus facilities and engaged with faculty and staff, including Eric Wagner (director, Legal Affairs, Duke Office of Translation & Commercialization), David Jensen (senior regulatory affairs scientist, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Quality), Suresh Balu (program director, Duke Institute for Health Innovation) and Kurt Schmidt (managing director, Duke Capital Partners).
Before heading home, the students practiced their Dazzle Day pitches before a panel of Duke faculty and staff judges, who gave them constructive feedback to implement ahead of their graduating event.
Sharlini Sankaran, director of Duke External Partnerships, participated in this year’s judging panel, giving students insights into how to make the perfect pitch.
“Bringing medical innovations from concept to clinical application comes with several challenges,” she stressed. “Identifying market needs and challenging entrenched practices can be tricky, and the lengthy path to regulatory approval can be complex, especially for medical devices. While innovations may offer clear benefits like cost or time savings, adoption can be slowed by resistance from both patients and clinicians, as well as hospital systems due to financial, time and workflow constraints.”
It is not all doom and gloom, Sankaran noted. “With strong clinical validation, stakeholder engagement and a clear demonstration of long-term benefits, these challenges can be overcome, paving the way for meaningful advancements in patient care.
“After listening to the students’ presentations, it’s clear that D-HIP has equipped them with the skills to navigate these complexities and confidently engage and address industry, clinical and stakeholder perspectives.”
As more academic institutions continue to develop curricula that promote student innovation, Duke-NUS’ impact on shaping future generations of clinician-innovators becomes increasingly evident through D-HIP. For this group of students, the journey does not end with Dazzle Day—it is just the beginning of a career driven by curiosity, continuous learning and a commitment to transforming health care. To learn more about D-HIP, visit the Duke-NUS website.
*The Office of Duke-NUS acknowledges and thanks the following individuals for their participation in this year’s event: Eric Richardson and Joe Knight of Duke Design Health; William Ratliff and Will Knechtle of the Duke Institute for Health Innovation; Chu Wang and Robert Ellis Reiman of OESO Radiation Safety; Nathan Cheung, assistant professor of ophthalmology; Vivi White, assistant professor of ophthalmology; Dana Dale Portenier, associate professor of surgery; Jeff Welch of the Duke Office of Translation & Commercialization; Hunter Newman of OsteoCure Therapeutics Inc.; Ed Buckley, chair of ophthalmology; Mark Palmeri of the Department of Biomedical Engineering; Jacklyn Herzberg of Blur; Vijay Krishnamoorthy, associate professor of anesthesiology; Ibrahim Mohedas of the Pratt School of Engineering; and Sulochana Naidoo, director, Global Education for Duke-NUS.
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