Want to know more about the RGME experience? Read first-hand accounts from our students.
Lindsey Kaydo
After two classes it became clear how well connected the Regenerative Medicine and Entrepreneurship program is to the full array of experts in the field. Each week a different scientific, regulatory or ethics topic was presented in depth to build our understanding of the complexities in the field. By the end of the first semester, we gained expert faculty and industry contacts, knowledge of the field’s current state and future directions. After two semesters, I have gained more knowledge related to clinical trials, FDA regulations and designations, manufacturing, marketing and entrepreneurship.
The first four core classes engage students by writing reflections or reviews and presenting on different topics over the semesters. The BIOL 491/492 courses are comprised of students from the Entrepreneurial Biotechnology program and the Regenerative Medicine and Entrepreneurship program; projects are team based to allow for the experience of working with people from different backgrounds in completing a grant to fund an innovative and novel product. I have gained an appreciation for the business end of medicine and learned one of the most important skills to build is interdisciplinary communication. In RGME 535/545, the first semester explores the foundation of the field and the second semester dives deeper to reach the clinical and manufacturing settings in which regenerative medicine continues to trail blaze due to the uniqueness of product or treatment. I plan to shape my electives around impacting the road map a product follows to successfully become an approved treatment or marketed product; this requires the science to be understood, management to be stellar, regulations to be followed and ethics to be sound.
Jessica Ludwig
I initially transferred to RGME from Biomedical Engineering because this program better fit my interests. What I did not realize at the time was how much more I would gain from each class in this program. The small class sizes allow for one-on-one connection, not only with my peers but also with the instructor, program faculty, and guest lecturers. After one year in the program, I have a wildly greater understanding of both the underlying science and the current state of regenerative medicine in Cleveland. I am from the area, and I have been interested in this field for some time, but there is so much more happening here than I had any idea about. My background is in the sciences, but I have deeply enjoyed the entrepreneurial training and it has added to my ability to understand which projects should move forward, and how to move them out of the lab.
This program is unique in several ways. The types of people you are introduced to covers the vast array of concepts in regenerative medicine. The coursework combines the science, business, regulatory, and finance aspects that are all required of someone who wants to be a key player in this field. Classes directly foster connections to peers with different backgrounds but similar goals. Campus resources are already built to support your endeavors, including the Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club, Clinical Cell Therapy Lab, Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and of course, the National Center for Regenerative Medicine – not to mention the incredible primary investigators! Finally, Cleveland also offers spin-offs, incubators, and local bio-tech companies to interact with who are hungry for people with the skills developed in this program.
Jordan Campanelli
My name is Jordan Campanelli and I’m a second year RGME student. I am originally from Canfield, Ohio. I received by Bachelor of Science from Kent State University in 2019 where I majored in Biology. While in undergrad I had planned to go to medical school. I took the MCAT, applied to schools, went through interviews, and then ultimately decided that wasn’t the direction I wanted to take my career. I knew I wanted to get a second degree but wasn’t sure what program I wanted to pursue. Thankfully, I incidentally stumbled upon the RGME program and was immediately excited about it. I have always had an interest in stem cells, and I loved how innovative this field was.
This program has taught me about stem cell properties, FDA regulations, and relevant marketing skills needed for bringing scientific findings to market. As someone who has taken science classes their whole life, I enjoyed the opportunity to take business courses. I believe the RGME program, specifically at Case Western, provides an excellent education because of the connections at this university. Our guest speakers each week are experts in their field. For instance, we have received multiple lectures from Dr. Arnold Caplan, the individual who first discovered Mesenchymal Stem Cells. In addition to the great education, this program has brought me great opportunities. I currently work in a research lab studying hematopoietic stem cells. I was first introduced to the PI of this lab when he gave a lecture in our Foundations of Regenerative Medicine course.
I have loved the opportunity to live on campus and in Cleveland! I live in an apartment right in Little Italy and I love it. The food is amazing, I love the neighborhood and I’m so happy I got to experience the city after living in a small town for so long. I think I’ll be sad to leave Cleveland when the time comes, which is actually pretty soon! I will be graduating this December and starting my career. I am currently looking at quite a few directions including clinical research, medical affairs, and regulatory affairs.