UNandUP Intern Spotlight: Meet Shalini Vlcan From Arts & Sciences to Biomedical Engineering
Shalini Vlcan is a rising senior at Washington University in St. Louis studying Biomedical Engineering and Physics. She originally got into the College of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St Louis where she discovered her passion for applying STEM and innovation to improve patient outcomes and transitioned into the Biomedical Engineering program during her junior year. Since then, real-world opportunities through WashU Research, Sling Health and UNandUP have continued to strengthen her love and passion for human-centered design, helping her create solutions that improve the lives of individuals around her.
Shalini was especially drawn to UN&UP’s mission and unique application of physics in its healthcare solutions. UN&UP, which is short for “Unmet Needs and Underserved Populations”, develops products that address critical healthcare needs, strongly aligning with Shalini’s goal of improving patient outcomes. She currently contributes to the ThromBot™ team, supporting the development of a thrombectomy catheter for thrombolysis of medium vessel occlusions (MeVOs) in ischemic stroke patients. MeVOs account for 40% of stroke cases and yet only about 15% fully recover, emphasizing the need to improve care for people impacted by this condition. Her background in physics further strengthened her interest in UN&UP’s use of magnetic therapeutics as a core component of its technology platform.
This summer, she is particularly excited to learn more about careers in engineering, her team, and ThromBot™ development process while contributing to R&D testing and marketability. Whether building test instruments, running protocols, coordinating with vendors, or designing new test fixtures, she loves exploring all aspects of product development. She is also eager to gain more experience in complex prototyping and building professional connections.
One of Shalini’s favorite experiences in biomedical engineering was during the WashU Assistive Tech Make-A-Thon. There, she worked on a team of engineering and occupational therapy students alongside co-designer Lilly, who has Rett syndrome and wanted a better way to engage with her service dog. Over the course of nine days, the team designed and built a fully functioning frisbee-launching device that could be activated by a light touch button, adapting to Lilly’s limited range of motion. Through the project, Shalini gained hands-on experience in electronics, prototyping, and needs-based design, while more importantly making a positive impact in Lilly’s daily life.
Outside of work, Shalini really enjoys staying active and being outdoors by dancing with her Garba team, working out at the gym, playing softball, and going on hikes. She also loves to picnic on Art Hill with her friends.
After graduation, Shalini plans to pursue graduate studies to further deepen her expertise in biomedical engineering while gaining exposure to diverse areas of the field, including clinical engineering, sales, research and development, and product development. Ultimately, she intends to build a career in industry after completing her master’s degree.
Shalini (middle), dancing with her Garba Team