With funding from a new Pitt commercialization program, Francesco Egro is aiming to transform the way complex microsurgeries are performed
As a clinician, Francesco Egro has performed hundreds of complex reconstructive microsurgeries. As a researcher, he has published more than 160 articles and book chapters, and along the way has become an associate professor at the Pitt School of Medicine, chief of plastic surgery at UPMC Mercy, and associate director of the UPMC Burn Center.
But it’s only in the past two years, since he began exploring academic entrepreneurship, that he is most excited about the impact he can make on patient care, far beyond just the people who pass through his operating room, lab, or classroom.
Egro recently received one of two inaugural grants through the new PittSPARK program administered through the Innovation Institute, part of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE). In addition to funding to accelerate the commercial development of his novel microsurgical device, he is now fully immersed in the university’s innovation ecosystem, providing him with the support and guidance to navigate this new and often unfamiliar territory.
Now that he is on the cusp of bringing his first innovation to market, his entire approach to research has been reframed through the lens of achieving impact through commercialization, and there is no turning back.
What’s the Problem You’re Trying to Solve?
Egro’s innovation journey began with identifying a vexing problem faced by himself and other surgeons who perform complex microsurgeries – the painstaking and time-consuming task of suturing blood vessels as small as a millimeter in diameter, which, in addition to immense skills, requires a microscope, specialized forceps, and ultra-thin thread.
Even the best surgeons risk accidentally putting a stitch through the back wall of a vessel, resulting in an occlusion that narrows the inner channel, creating a significant risk of a clot that causes tissue death. The time it takes for these procedures can lead to other complications.
As Egro contemplated this pain point for surgeons like himself, he began sketching out ideas for a device that could prevent back walling while giving surgeons a template for suture placement.
With a rough prototype in hand, he and one of his students entered the Wells Student HealthTech Challenge last year, taking the second-place prize, supporting further in vivo studies and prototype refinement.
With solid proof-of-concept data in hand, Egro then applied for PittSPARK, which awards up to $250,000 for promising innovations with high commercial potential. Successful applicants develop a milestone-based commercialization plan with OIE and potential external partners. Upon completion of the first-year milestones, participants may apply for a second year of funding.
It is one of a suite of programs offered through the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship designed to provide funding and wraparound mentoring and networking opportunities for innovators as they progress from ideation to commercialization.
“Just as important as the funding, which is critical, the people that I have been introduced to through the Community of Innovators have been so helpful,” Egro said. “We learn from our mentors and from each other about common challenges that we face. As academics and clinicians, this new world of business development reveals significant knowledge gaps for us. Having this support through the OIE has been invaluable in navigating these challenges.”
Jeff Garanich, OIE’s Director, Innovation Programming and co-Director of Pitt SPARK, adds, “We are thrilled to support Dr. Egro through Pitt SPARK and our broader innovation ecosystem at Pitt. It has been a joy to work with him and observe his development as an academic innovator. I am excited to see the high potential innovations he and his team bring to OIE in the future.”
Innovation is Contagious
Now Egro has caught the innovation bug, he can’t stop.
In this year’s Wells competition, students under his tutelage entered two different innovations. One is a battery-powered glove to treat frostbites. The other is a portable imaging device that employs infrared light to help first responders, nurses, and physicians obtain a rapid assessment of burn wound depth to arrive at optimal treatment decisions.
The project, dubbed MicroSWIR, won the second-place prize, the second consecutive year an Egro student has captured a Wells award.
“New product development in medical devices has become an essential part of rounding out my skill set as a medical student,” said Chris Fedor, the student who pitched the MicroSWIR project in the Wells competition. “In hospitals and operating rooms, there are thousands of devices that often go unnoticed during training. Yet, working through every step — from problem validation to initial discussions with an acquiring company — has given me a deeper appreciation for the complex, highly regulated process behind meaningful innovations that truly impact patient care.”
Egro says he has no lack of ideas for him and his students to pursue, and looks forward to seeing the innovations they create make the journey from the lab to the market.
“To bring your research that final distance from the lab to the market is a big challenge, but it is an exciting journey. I am grateful for all the support I have received and look forward to being a part of the innovation ecosystem here at Pitt,” he said.
Applications for the next round of PittSPARK grants open February 6, 2026. Learn more.
A virtual information session will be held February 18, 2026. Register here.