UVA Capstone Students Conduct Projects at Foundation

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In January the Foundation welcomed six interns from the University of Virginia for their capstone projects. This year’s students included 2019 graduates from both the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Isabel 80

Isabel Jones
School: Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Major: Public Policy and Leadership
Project: Social Media Toolkit

“I was interested in working with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation because it is doing groundbreaking work that will change lives and truly make a social impact.My project taught me how important social media is becoming in marketing different products and technologies. I also learned how to use digital media monitoring, which will be a helpful professional skill. I had a truly great experience at the Foundation, and I am grateful for how kind and helpful everyone was. I cannot wait to see what the Foundation accomplishes in the future!”

Peyton 80Peyton Brooks
School: Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Major: Public Policy and Leadership
Project: Social Media Toolkit

“My mom is a two-time breast cancer survivor, and I saw working with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation as a great way to be a part of something that is working to help the fight against breast cancer and other conditions. My experience helping the Foundation with their social media presence was amazing. It showed me the value social media can have for a growing venture and the importance of developing a strong social media following.”

Patrick 80Patrick Schopper
School: Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Major: Public Policy and Leadership
Project: Insurance Reimbursement Research Project

“When Dr. Kassell presented to our class, I was astonished by the work the Foundation was doing and immediately wanted to be a part of it. This world-class technology has a chance to change the landscape of healthcare, through cheaper and more effective treatments for numerous diseases. I wanted to do whatever I could to accelerate this technology into the current market. Personally knowing many friends and family members impacted by cancer also played a part it my decision to work with the Foundation, in the hope of finding better treatments for patients.

Working on insurance reimbursement gave me insight into one of the Foundation’s major challenges. Treatments using focused ultrasound technology cannot be used or advanced if insurance companies are unwilling to reimburse their patients.

Isaac 80Isaac Mortimer-Lotke
School: Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Major: Public Policy and Leadership
Project: Insurance Reimbursement Research Project

“I wanted to work at the Focused Ultrasound Foundation because I was blown away by the technology. Dr. Kassell and the whole team were so passionate about the promise of focused ultrasound therapy – it really motivated me to contribute to an organization totally dedicated to its mission.

My experience at the Foundation was rewarding. I worked on compiling data to assess the insurance coverage landscape for focused ultrasound treatment. I came away with a much better understanding of healthcare networks and a better appreciation for the challenges small companies face in interfacing with massive industries. 

Ian 80Ian Linville
School: School of Engineering and Applied Science
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Project: In-vivo Microbubble Distribution in the Human Brain Quantitative Analysis: Impact on Imaging and Treatment

“I was interested in working with the Foundation because I found the project and the research to be engaging and challenging. There is a lot more to explore than I previously thought. It is really cool to see that the work we conducted opened the doors to new research, and I had an excellent experience!

Michael 80Michael Mutersbaugh
School: School of Engineering and Applied Science
Major: Biomedical Engineering 
Project: In-vivo Microbubble Distribution in the Human Brain Quantitative Analysis: Impact on Imaging and Treatment

“I was interested in working with the Foundation because their work is closely aligned with my research interests and passions. The experience was very rewarding, and I learned a lot about the potential of ultrasound to image and treat brain cancer.”