David Borkholder

Photo of David Borkholder

David Borkholder

Bausch + Lomb Professor, Microsystems Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology

Rm: ENG/2195
david.borkholder@rit.edu
585-475-6067

My office (17-2195) is located in the IT Collaboratory building (ENG) at the east end of the north hallway on the ground floor. It is best to make an appointment.

Education and Training

Education and Training

2007

Biology of the Inner Ear: Experimental & Analytical Approaches. 
Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole

1999

PhD in Electrical Engineering 
Stanford University

1994

Master of Science in Electrical  Engineering
Stanford University

1992

Bachelor of Science in Microelectronic Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology

Positions

Positions

2020 - 2024

Co-founder and Chief Research Officer
Casana (formerly Heart Health Intelligence, Inc)

2018 - 2020

Co-founder, Chairman
Heart Health Intelligence, Inc

2016 – 2020

Founding Director
Personalized Healthcare Technology | PHT180

2015 – Present

Bausch + Lomb Professor
Microsystems Engineering, RIT

2012 - 2015

Bausch and Lomb Associate Professor
Microsystems Engineering, RIT

2011 – Present

Founder, Chief Technology Officer and Chairman
BlackBox Biometrics, Inc.

2007- 2012

Associate Professor
Electrical Engineering and Microsystems Engineering, RIT

2007 – Present

Adjunct Associate Professor
Otolaryngology and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester

2006- 2007

Adjunct Assistant Professor
Otolaryngology, University of Rochester

2004- 2007

Assistant Professor
Electrical Engineering, RIT

2001 - 2004

Director of Engineering
ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc.

1998 - 2001

Director of Engineering
Cepheid

Service

Service

2023 – Present

Member, American Heart Association Board, Rochester

2023 – Present

Member, NATO HFM-371 RSM Human Factors and Medicine Research Specialists Meeting on "Blast Exposure Monitoring in Military Training and Operations."

2021 – Present

Member, NATO HFM-388 Human Factors and Medicine Panel on "Guidelines to mitigate military occupational brain health risks from repetitive blast exposure."

2020 – Present

Editorial Board, Micromachines

2019 – Present

Associate Editor, IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine (JTEHM)

2014 – 2020

Board of Directors, RedSky (Biomedical Institute of the Americas)

2012 - 2016

NIH Bioengineering of Neuroscience, Vision and Low Vision Technologies (BNVT) study section
Chair 2014-2016

2009 - 2015

DARPA Defense Sciences Research Council

Honors, Awards and Grants

Honors, Awards and Grants

2020

Professor Borkholder elected to the College of Fellows in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, a distinction reserved for the top 2% of the field.

2016

Professor Borkholder honored as the Distinguished Inventor of the Year by the Rochester Intellectual Property Law Association for his development and commercialization of the Blast Gauge System.

2015 - 2020

Development of implantable micropumps and models of drug delivery for use in biotherapeutic treatments including permanent hearing loss, balance problems, and deafness.
NIH National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders ($2.8MM)
Role: PI

2014

Innovation award for research leading to the successful commercialization and fielding of the Blast Gauge System.

2013 - 2014

Develop an advanced Blast Gauge platform that integrates into the next generation soldier sensor system.
Sub-contract to BAE Systems
Role: PI (BlackBox Biometrics, Inc.)

Develop a portable, cost-efficient blast force monitoring device that can be easily deployed by Marines and other ground forces in the theater of operations to measure, record, and display overpressure and force acceleration data from varying blast type events to which these troops are exposed.
Marine Corps Systems Command SBIR ($150k)
Role: PI (BlackBox Biometrics, Inc.)

2012 - 2015

This research seeks to build innovation capacity pertaining to printed devices and materials including sensors, actuators, and displays.
National Science Foundation ($599k)
Role: Co-I (Cormier PI)

2012 - 2014

This research aims to apply porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si) membranes to microscale preparative and analytical systems, and low flow rate electroosmotic pumps.
National Science Foundation ($600k)
Role: Co-I (McGrath PI)

This research aimed to test the hypothesis that an assistive listening system with dynamic, user-controlled directional characteristics improves communication for the hearing impaired significantly relative to traditional fixed-directional systems.
National Science Foundation RAPD ($300k)
Role: PI
DARPA Microsystems Technology Office ($9.9MM)
Role: PI (BlackBox Biometrics, Inc.)

2012

 

 

2011 - 2013

This research aimed to pilot deployment of the Blast Gauge in Afghanistan to validate device performance, refine distribution and recovery logistics, and evaluate wearability of the device.
DARPA Microsystems Technology Office ($9.9MM)
Role: PI (BlackBox Biometrics, Inc.)

2010 - 2011

This research aimed to address a critical need for measurement of blast exposure and resulting head acceleration in combat troops through development of a soldier borne dosimeter system.
DARPA Microsystems Technology Office ($1.2MM)
Role: PI

2009 - 2010

Exploration of genetically expressed FRET probes for epidermal monitoring of blood glucose levels.
Blue Highway ($88k)
Role: PI

2009 - 2011

Research sensor modalities and pressure wave hemodynamics for robust cuff-less blood pressure estimation.
National Semiconductor ($130k)
Role: PI

2006 - 2011

A Mentored Career Development Award exploring intra-cochlear dosing profiles for gene therapy studies in the mouse model system while preserving cochlear function. Implantable micropump development is targeted at expanding drug delivery capabilities, allowing repetitive cochlear infusions of multiple agents over extended periods for more complex deafness therapies.
NIH National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders ($922k)
Role: PI (mentor: Robert D. Frisina)