Biomedical Structures LLC (BMS), Warwick, R.I., has expanded its medical textile development and manufacturing facility, and appointed Jonathan Howe vice president of research and development (R&D).
The 10,000-square-foot addition involves expansion of BMS's engineering center for product development, a tripling of cleanroom space and additional weaving capacity. Ultrasonic and roll-to-roll triple cleaning capabilities have been added in the cleanrooms; and new weaving equipment is being used to produce vascular grafts, synthetic tendons, orthopedic tissue repair materials and other woven textile structures.
Howe's experience includes 15 years of involvement in developing medical device solutions for spinal, sports medicine and interventional cardiovascular applications. He holds a number of patents for various product developments. Previous professional experience includes positions at DePuy Spine, DePuy Mitek and Cordis. He earned a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and master's degrees in mechanical engineering and business administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
According to BMS CEO Dean Tulumaris, the company has seen increasing demand for its products for more and more sophisticated orthopedic and cardiovascular applications. "Jonathan's track record of device development and innovative engineering approach are a great fit for our customers' needs as they continue to evolve."
"Biomedical textiles can provide the perfect solution for many medical device engineering challenges," Howe said. "A cutting-edge medical textile developer like BMS is in the middle of a perfect storm of opportunity as device engineers look to improve performance and move toward more lifelike solutions for patients. I'm excited to join the BMS team with the chance to truly innovate on established designs."
