MUSC Department of Surgery Opens Surgical Innovation Center: A Bold Step Toward the Future of Surgery

The MUSC Department of Surgery celebrated a major milestone with the official opening of its Surgical Innovation Center—a physical and symbolic hub for advancing research, technology, and collaboration in surgical science. The event marked the culmination of a vision born in 2019, now realized thanks to years of determination, partnership, and resilience.

A vision six years in the making, Prabhakar Baliga, M.D., Chair of Surgery, opened the ribbon-cutting ceremony with a message of gratitude and reflection. “This is a combination of a vision that we’ve had since 2019. Thank you, COVID,” Baliga said with a nod to the delay caused by the pandemic.

Recognizing that MUSC’s Department of Surgery is already known for its excellence in translational research, Baliga highlighted a growing commitment to developing a parallel strength in outcomes research. He said the idea gained momentum through cross-institutional learning—most notably a trip to Wisconsin’s outcomes research program. With input from Vice Chair of Research Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D., Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research Dave Taber, Pharm.D., and Director of Research Administration Morgan Overstreet, MS, who ventured to Wisconsin, the team set out to define what a surgical outcomes research environment should look like.

“We’re now creating an environment for our outcomes research to succeed,” he noted. “Our outcomes programs are filled with talented individuals, many of whom are just starting to build their careers,” he said. “The new center serves as a cornerstone of an environment that is designed to catalyze collaboration between clinicians, researchers, and innovators, providing a springboard for their research.”

Building Culture, Connection, and Discovery

Taber praised Dr. Baliga’s leadership and his vision and strategic foresight behind the center while emphasizing the human dimension of innovation.

“What we’ve learned from COVID is that technology helps us stay connected, but it doesn’t replace face-to-face collaboration,” Taber said. “This center is about putting great minds in the same room—the shared energy, the energy created through things like whiteboard brainstorming—it’s invaluable.”

This theme of human connection was echoed by Kristen Quinn, M.D., PGY-5, an early innovator in the Human Centered Design program, who recalled the center’s early startup feel when the team was working out of small office spaces re-organized for innovation, noting how its new physical presence reflects MUSC’s growing commitment to innovation.

She says the new design has dedicated prototyping and collaboration rooms as well as conference rooms, providing dedicated space for the faculty and trainee-led companies interested in engaging with medical technology companies and venture capitalists to meet. 

A Flagship for Surgical Innovation and Education

The location of the center—strategically placed across from MUSC’s educational programs and simulation center—is no accident.

“It’s meant to spark cross-fertilization,” said Baliga. “We want students and young professionals to engage with this space, to grab a coffee and encounter innovation as part of their daily environment.”

He described the center as a “flagship” program, anchoring the academic mission and visibly reinforcing innovation as core to the MUSC Department of Surgery's identity.

Looking Ahead: A Launch Pad for Future Breakthroughs

With ribbon cut and applause echoing through the hallways, the center now begins its mission—to be a launch pad for transformational surgical advancements, AI integration, human centered design prototyping, and cross-disciplinary discovery.

As Dr. Baliga emphasized, “This center reminds us every day that what we do is bigger than ourselves. Our academic mission, our culture of innovation—that’s what sets MUSC apart.”

Stay tuned for more updates as the MUSC Department of Surgery’s Surgical Innovation Center grows into a national model of innovation, collaboration, and advancement in surgical care.