UToledo to Host First-Ever Biomedical Ideation Hackathon

UToledo to Host First-Ever Biomedical Ideation Hackathon

The University of Toledo will host its first-ever Biomedical Hackathon on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in North Engineering Building Room NE2100, bringing together students from across disciplines to develop innovative ideas that address real-world medical and healthcare problems.

Organized by the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), the event is led by senior bioengineering students Abhijeet Rekhi and Rupika Arora along with the BMES executive team. Unlike traditional hackathons that focus on prototyping or coding, this will be an ideation-based competition that encourages creative thinking and collaboration rather than technical expertise.

"Our goal is to inspire students to apply biomedical engineering principles in creative and accessible ways that improve healthcare," said Rekhi, event co-organizer. "You don't need prior biomedical experience; all you need is curiosity and innovative thinking."

The hackathon is open exclusively to University of Toledo students majoring in bioengineering. Each team will be assigned a unique case statement aligned with one of several biomedical tracks.

The event will begin with a keynote session led by Dr. Akash Parvatikar, AI scientist and product leader at HistoWiz. Teams will then work collaboratively on their assigned challenges before presenting their ideas to a panel of judges. The first round will be evaluated by University of Toledo faculty, while the final round will be judged by industry leaders from University of Toledo Medical Center, First Solar and Eli Lilly.

Participants will compete for biomedical-themed prizes and have the opportunity to network with judges and professionals from leading organizations during the event's closing session.

"We've both participated in several biomedical hackathons before and we've always dreamed of bringing that experience to UToledo," said Arora, event co-organizer. "We hope this event builds a stronger sense of innovation, motivation, and competitive spirit among students."

"We're incredibly grateful to the Department of Bioengineering for sponsoring this event," added Nabeel Khatri, BMES president and bioengineering senior. "A huge thank you to Dr. Brent Cameron, professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering, and Dr. Eda Yildirim-Aya, an associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering, for their constant guidance and support; this hackathon truly wouldn't have been possible without them."

The University of Toledo Biomedical Hackathon 2025 will include free food, networking opportunities and a collaborative environment designed to spark the next generation of biomedical innovators.

For more information or media inquiries, contact Abhijeet Singh Rekhi at [email protected]; Rupika Arora at [email protected]; or Nabeel Khatri at [email protected].