SustaMED Lab

At SustaMED lab, part of Ghent University design.nexus, we perform research on the methodological integration of Sustainability in Medical Device Design processes. This to help the healthcare sector transition within planetary boundaries, promote social inclusivity and equity, and uphold the highest level of patient safety.

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research topics

Our research focusses on Medical Device Design towards three interconnected sustainability levels

ENVIRONMENTAL LEVEL

Exploring the integration of Safe and Sustainable by Design material selection methods in the medical device design process, enabling selecting materials that minimize environmental and health impacts across their lifecycle, while maintaining medical performance, biocompatibility, and safety

Researching the integration of Design for Disassembly principles in medical device design, to facilitate R-strategies and support efficient cleaning and sterilization processes

Addressing product-level circular economy strategies, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Design for Recycling, and related approaches to assess and minimize environmental impacts from production through end-of-life

Examining business and system-level strategies that reduce the environmental burden, including optimized value chains, procurement strategies, service-based models, and open-ended design approaches

SOCIAL LEVEL

Addressing the identification and mitigation of biases in medical device's design ensuring fair, safe, and effective treatment across diverse patient populations

Exploring how medical devices can be developed for people of all abilities, ages, and socio-economic conditions, ensuring accessible, effective, and equitable healthcare solutions

Examining the ethical dimensions of medical device design, including appropriateness for critical use, equitable access, and relevance to underserved and low-resource settings, ensuring solutions are responsibly developed and aligned with the values and needs of local communities

MEDICAL LEVEL

Focusing on integrating sustainability into existing Medical Device Regulation (MDR) frameworks, aligning design processes towards compliance requirements and sustainability

Exploring the role of technologies ranging from low-tech frugal innovations, high-level Industry 5.0 systems such as 3D printing, and emerging technologies such as AI in enabling sustainable medical device solutions

Encouraging participatory design approaches, involving all actors of the medical device value chain, to develop solutions that are actionable, accepted, and aligned with the sustainability domains