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A partnership between a Notre Dame engineer and a neurosurgeon at Beacon Health System’s Memorial Hospital has led to a novel implant for spinal fusion surgeries. The product was named a Best New Spine Technology of 2023 by Orthopedics This Week.This implant has two important features—first, its porous structure allows bone to grow into it rather than around it. And second, its cell-friendly surface encourages bone to attach to it, creating a more robust, faster-healing graft.By the spring of 2025, it has improved outcomes for more than 600 patients with 1,200 implants.

In this episode, Kathleen Kolberg, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Science, Office of the Dean, Assistant Director of the Center for Health Sciences Advising, shares how Notre Dame helped set the standard for NICU design and care.We also hear from Ainee Martin, a recently graduated chemical engineering and pre-med student whose passion for helping others was born of her past experience with medical professionals following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti.Their stories reflect the University of Notre Dame’s interdisciplinary approach to healthcare—one that’s preparing the next generation of doctors to be a force for good in the world.------ Show links: ⁠• Episode page⁠⁠ (https://stories.nd.edu/podcasts/a-better-start-for-nicu-families-notre-dame-leads-the-way-in-neonatal-intensive-care/) • Fighting For website⁠⁠ ⁠(https://fightingfor.nd.edu/) • Fighting for NICU babies and their families⁠ (https://fightingfor.nd.edu/2024/fighting-for-nicu-babies-and-their-families/) • Podcast Subscribe (https://link.chtbl.com/notredamestories)------ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:53 The University of Notre Dame's role in modern NICU care 04:37 Research shows preterm babies miss important in utero cognitive development 07:35 NICU opportunities for pre-med students at Notre Dame 09:39 How Notre Dame helps prepare students for med school 11:11 Why it's important to prepare pre-med students for compassionate care 14:04 How Couplet Care became the gold standard for NICUs around the world 16:30 The philosophical shift in NICU care driven by research 18:14 How Notre Dame works with architects to implement NICU standards in hospitals 20:31 Why improving outcomes for moms and babies through research matters 22:01 Recent graduate Ainee Martin '25 shares her Notre Dame story 23:51 Ainee Martin '25 shares her experience as a chemical engineering and pre-med undergrad at Notre Dame 25:11 Ainee Martin '25 talks about her work in the NICU as a Notre Dame undergrad 26:50 How Notre Dame is a force for good 27:40 Ainee Martin '25 talks about her undergrad research on rare diseases 28:45 Ainee Martin '25 shares how Notre Dame has prepared her for med school 30:41 Ainee Martin '25 shares how she plans to use her Notre Dame education to make a positive impact in the world------ Notre Dame Stories is the official podcast of the University of Notre Dame. It was created by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications and hosted by Jenna Liberto with Executive Producer Andy Fuller. It was produced by Jenna Liberto, Josh Long, and Staci Stickovich. Videography was done by Zach Dudka, Josh Long, Tony Fuller, and Michael Wiens. Original music was provided by Alex Mansour. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Notre Dame doctoral student Austin Wyman ’23 was young when the mental health crisis hit home. A struggling family member reached out to a provider for help, but with no immediately available appointments, the relative soon had a mental health episode. The situation ended in the death of two of Wyman’s family members and left the rest of them reeling.Now, Wyman is working to ensure other families don’t experience that kind of tragedy. Learn about his research and how the University of Notre Dame is combating America's mental health crisis: https://go.nd.edu/932e34

Dean of the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame, Santiago Schnell, shares his personal story as to why he is committed to advancing rare disease research that changes lives.Learn more about his work at https://go.nd.edu/FightingForRareDiseases.