Human-Centered Design in Medical Technology: Nicole Caballero-Canchanya at the NRT Spring Retreat
MIT Catalyst Europe Fellow Nicole Caballero-Canchanya opens the NRT Spring Retreat with a talk on human-centered design in medical technology and clinical translation on April 28.
We are thrilled to open our NSF NRT Spring Retreat with a talk by Nicole Caballero-Canchanya, a biomedical engineer, MSCA PhD Researcher in Human-Centered Medical Technology, and MIT Catalyst Europe Fellow, whose work sits at the intersection of engineering, clinical practice, and human experience.
About Nicole Caballero-Canchanya
Nicole brings an impressive and international background to her research. As an MSCA (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) PhD Researcher, she has worked within some of Europe’s leading research environments, and as an MIT Catalyst Europe Fellow, she has engaged deeply with questions of innovation, translation, and impact in healthcare technology.
Her work focuses on how human-centered design principles can be integrated into the development of medical devices and technologies, ensuring that engineering solutions are not only technically sound, but safe, usable, and adoptable in real clinical settings.
The Talk: From Research to Clinical Translation
Date: April 28, 2026
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Location: ISTB4, Room 492, Tempe Campus (+ Virtual Option)
In her presentation, Nicole will share her international experience in biomedical engineering and clinical translation, discussing how a human-centered design approach can shape every stage of medical device development, from initial concept to clinical adoption. She will explore the practical challenges of ensuring that new technologies are designed with the end user in mind: patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems.
This is a conversation that goes to the heart of what the NRT program is about: preparing researchers to build solutions that matter, not just in the lab, but in the world.
Join Us — In Person or Virtually
This session will be held in person at ISTB4, Room 492 on the Tempe Campus, with a virtual option available for those who cannot attend in person. We encourage all NRT students and faculty to join for what promises to be an inspiring and internationally informed perspective on the future of medical technology.