Innovation Workshop on Novel Treatment Paradigms for Severe Sepsis

On behalf of the Bioengineering and Organ Support Program, CRISMA Center, Drs. Ragi Murugan and John Kellum recently conducted two novel workshops to stimulate creative, synergistic, and "out of the box" thinking to explore novel treatment paradigms for severe sepsis. The workshop was designed based on the concept of "The 3rd alternative thinking" by Stephen R. Covey to come with paradigm shifting, seemingly crazy, but revolutionary solutions for most intractable problems where breakthrough seem improbable. 

The 2 workshop sessions conducted in May and July involved 15 participants from diverse disciplines unrelated to Medicine such as Physics, Biology, Bioengineering, Information technology, Mathematics, Office of Technology Management, Business Marketing, and Veterinary Medicine. In breakout sessions and the groups explored several novel prototypes and countertypes of sepsis treatment and used novel methodology such as random stimulus thinking to develop concepts and ideas. The workshop was designed in such way that any random thought that is totally crazy and out of the box could be explored without prejudice, rationalizing, criticisms, and with all judgements on ideas being suspended. The sessions were moderated by Jesse Shearin, Director of Enterprise Excellence from PPG Industries and Dan Bates, Strategic Relations Manager, Office of Technology Management.