TLI, Biomerics Announce Training Partnership in Medical Device Manufacturing

Minneapolis, MN (April 18, 2023) -- The University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute (TLI) and top medical device contract manufacturer Biomerics today announced a partnership with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to develop critical technology training for professionals entering the medical device field.

“We’re thrilled at this unique partnership and what it means to the medical device industry,” said Travis Thul, Operations Director for TLI. “We’re currently seeing a huge demand for designers and engineers who are qualified to work in the medical device manufacturing space. This will help to meet that demand.”

TLI and Biomerics will collaborate on a new industry-focused short course, tentatively called “Introduction to Medical Device Manufacturing”. The project will be underwritten by DEED thanks to an estimated $60,000 grant, with content developed by TLI and delivered to dozens of Biomerics employees at their site in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

“I am thrilled Biomerics continues to expand and reinvest in Minnesota partnerships,” Tom Winegar-President Biomerics Brooklyn Park, MN facility said. “In Minnesota we have some of the best talent in the nation. This makes our city and state a perfect fit for innovative companies like Biomerics to operate in. Providing continuing education opportunity, is key to retaining talent in our competitive employment landscape. I look forward to seeing the continued growth and furthering our partnership with DEED.”

DEED’s contribution is made possible by the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP), which works with businesses, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations to train or retrain workers, expand work opportunities and keep high-quality jobs in the state. The goal is to target short-term training for full-time employment in the growth sectors of the state economy.

TLI is slated to provide content including regulatory requirements, additive manufacturing, andthe industry ecosystem. Faculty for the course include Chuck Extrand, a luminary in the rapid prototyping field, and Courtney Backstrom, a graduate of TLI’s Medical Device Innovation MS degree and practicing technologist.

TLI has a long history of leadership in the medical device education field, having launched the nation’s first Master of Science degree in Medical Device Innovation.

Biomerics, the leading vertically-integrated medical device contract manufacturer, has become a key player in the interventional medical device space. Through investment and acquisition, they’ve strategically added all the core technologies—both materials and processes—to meet the needs of the interventional marketplace. With both technical and applications expertise, they assist OEMs in bringing the best possible devices to market.