Meet Frank

Innovation never occurs in a vacuum; it requires a team effort. Such is the practice within the Marquette University and MCW Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Since 2016, the two institutions have partnered to combine resources and fast-track biomedical innovation as a joint department. The collaboration brings together Marquette’s renowned engineering education and research with MCW’s state-of-the-art biomedical research and clinical practice. Faculty members from Marquette and MCW work side-by-side on projects to create and test devices for medical treatment.

And behind the helm of this partnership focused on fostering innovation is Frank Pintar, PhD, MCW professor of neurosurgery and founding chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Pintar received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University in 1982 and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in biomedical engineering from Marquette in 1986. He has held dual positions with both Marquette and MCW since 1987.

For Dr. Pintar, partnerships – between institutions, between disciplines, between teams – is critical to the Department of Biomedical Engineering’s future, which he hopes will involve the generation of enormous improvements in healthcare for years to come.

“Partnership is key to pushing innovation forward,” Dr. Pintar states. “When these interdisciplinary teams form, each member gains from the others with a multiplying effect.”
Ultimately, Dr. Pintar’s vision is for the joint department to be a significant economic development driver for the region, building upon the medical device, imaging and pharmaceutical innovation already in the area.

“The Biomedical Engineering Department has become a catalyst for economic, workforce, and biomedical development in the region,” says Dr. Pintar. “We see it as an international destination for research, education and development partners to help foster cutting-edge medical treatments and devices that improve patient care and quality of life.”