Wayne State engineering students working with Therapeutics to battle opioid epidemic
As part of a concerted effort to interlace the Wayne State University College of Engineering's academics with industry, the college and Therapeutics Controlled Substance Management announced a new opportunity for students eager to work in interdisciplinary teams and address real-world issues. The goal of this project, structured within a 15-week course, is to advance a new, patent-pending medication dispensing system to combat opioid addiction, which claims the lives of more than 130 Americans daily.
Therapeutics CSM, an Ann Arbor-based company that specializes in comprehensive wellness and rehabilitation services, is developing a method to ensure methadone, buprenorphine, suboxone and other medications are not used or sold illicitly, and are accessed in a safe manner and only by appropriate individuals.
"This system is intended to limit access to medication to specific dates and times, and to prevent children from accessing these dangerous and potentially deadly pharmaceuticals," said Gregory Garland, director of market management for Therapeutics CSM.
Deployment of this method will make treatment more convenient, and therefore more effective, for individuals attempting to recover from opioid addition and lead normal lives.
Business professionals serving as course instructors will also guide students through the process of formulating a business plan and navigating the social and political dynamics in the process of securing funding.
"We are anxious to make a significant difference in the battle against the opioid epidemic and look forward to the participation and support of Wayne State's engineering students," said Garland, who also noted that several senior members of Therapeutic's management team have degrees from the Wayne State College of Engineering. "We see this as a way that we can exploit the intersection of engineering and humanities to address one of the most significant problems in our society today."
This project is the latest in a series of pathways that bring industry closer to the college's academics in order to improve learning outcomes, maximize the value of research, strengthen commercial impact and provide top-level engineering prospects with relevant industrial skills.