Q&A Spotlight: Sarah Stabenfeldt on ASU’s NIH T32 Grant and Arizona’s MedTech Momentum

Sarah Stabenfeldt is trained in biomedical engineering. She earned her undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University with a focus on biomaterials, followed by a PhD in Bioengineering from Georgia Tech, where she specialized in  polymer based material systems for neurotrauma. 

She then completed  an NIH funded postdoctoral fellowship jointly administered by Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Morehouse College, This program integrated advanced research with formal pedagogical training and classroom teaching.

That path led her to Arizona State University, where she joined the faculty as an assistant professor and serves as a full professor. She has been at ASU for nearly 14 years.

Her research has focused primarily on diagnosing and treating traumatic brain injury using polymeric materials.

What makes Arizona and the Phoenix metro area a strategic place for medical device innovation?

 A: Arizona really is a rich environment for innovation. When I joined ASU 14 years ago, I saw significant potential. Under President Crow’s leadership, there has been steady investment in partnerships across academic, clinical, and commercial sectors. What stands out is the openness to collaborate across institutions. It is common to see projects that bring together partners from health systems and universities, which broadens the perspectives brought to a problem and accelerates progress.

Congratulations on the T32. Can you explain a bit about T32 and why it is important?

 A: The T32 is an NIH institutional training grant that enables a university to recruit and support cohorts of predoctoral or postdoctoral researchers in a focused area. The goal is workforce development, building the next generation of scientists with technical depth and professional skills. Our award is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, often abbreviated NIGMS. In practical terms, it provides stipends, tuition, and training-related support while we add structured professional development that complements a PhD program.

Q: What is RESTEP, and what will trainees actually do?

 A: Our program is called RESTEP, the Regenerative Engineering, Science, and Technology Education Program in Arizona. It focuses on regenerative medicine and biotechnology. Each year we will recruit a cohort of eight predoctoral trainees and support them for two years. Beyond their thesis lab work, trainees will participate in technical bootcamps and equipment workshops, strengthen scientific writing and responsible conduct of research, engage in entrepreneurship training, and complete a formal industry internship. The internship can be with a startup, a larger biotech company, or a clinical partner, depending on each trainee’s interests.

Q: Which graduate programs at ASU contribute to the RESTEP initiative, and which faculty members are currently involved? 

 A: Trainees can come from four doctoral programs at ASU: Biomedical Engineering, Biological Design, Biochemistry, and Molecular and Cellular Biology. The program brings together a cross‑university mentor pool, including faculty in engineering and the life sciences, with myself, David Brafman, and Kenro Kusumi serving as program leads alongside a broader group of mentors.

Q: You mentioned entrepreneurship and the business side of biomedical engineering—how are those elements integrated into RESTEP?

 A: We want trainees to understand how ideas move from lab to market. That includes a fundamentals course on the business of biomedical engineering developed with MDM2 leadership, plus connections to ASU’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute. We also bring in partners from the School for the Future of Innovation in Society to explore responsible innovation and how society evaluates and adopts new technologies.

Q: How does RESTEP align with ASU’s broader strategy at the intersection of health and engineering, and how does it contribute to regional growth?

 A: Timing matters. John Shfeldt School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering is coming online with its first class targeted for 2026, pending accreditation, and ASU Health’s headquarters will be part of the Phoenix Bioscience Core in downtown Phoenix. That positions trainees close to clinical partners, startups, and research institutes in a 30‑acre life sciences district. On the industry side, greater Phoenix has seen sustained investment, including large‑scale medical device manufacturing like Dexcom’s operations in Mesa. Together, these assets create a living laboratory for translational training, internships, and placement. 

Q: What do you hope trainees gain by the end of the two‑year training interval?

 A: Clarity and capability. Trainees will test their interests across academia, industry, and policy, and they will leave with sharper technical skills, stronger communication, hands‑on exposure to commercialization, and a professional network that spans labs, companies, and clinical environments. The point is to help them see the full landscape and choose a path where their values and strengths align.

Q: How does your research intersect with medical device manufacturing, and are there local partnerships you are proud of?

 A: My work centers on polymeric systems, nanoparticle drug delivery, and some cell‑based therapies, which still depend on manufacturable pathways. Being engaged with MDM2 helps surface manufacturability and translation issues early. I am also collaborating with a local startup on a blood‑based diagnostic tool for traumatic brain injury. The team is working with clinicians to frame the right questions and exploring integration with other modalities like wearables or imaging, plus AI for analysis.

Q: Have you noticed shifts in the field that are shaping your research or curriculum development?

 A: Absolutely. There is a stronger emphasis on aligning training with industry needs, particularly in medical device manufacturing and quality systems. For example, our biomaterials course now includes content on FDA pathways and standards. Students complete a mock FDA submission, which forces them to design to real constraints and documentation requirements.

Q: How important is interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, clinical practice, and business?

 A: It is essential. Engineers can optimize technical performance, but without clinical fit and market viability, even elegant designs can stall. We start early with clinicians to define needs, then layer in the business case to ensure feasibility. This kind of cross‑talk is a strength in Arizona because the culture welcomes collaboration.

Q: Looking ahead, what excites you about the future of medical device innovation here and within your department?

 A: We are at a tipping point. Data, computing, and AI are enabling deeper insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic outcomes. The challenge is navigating funding cycles, but Arizona and ASU are good at finding creative paths forward. Programs like MDM2 help align people and resources in ways that are practical and sustainable. We have also learned from the state’s semiconductor playbook how to scale manufacturing knowledge into medtech.

How can regional partners and MDM2 members get involved?

A: We welcome internship hosts, guest instructors for workshops, mentors for project teams, and sites for real‑world problem briefs. If you are a startup, manufacturer, or clinical group in Arizona, we would love to connect trainees with your challenges and help them contribute to solutions.