Fogarty Innovation

The U.S. is a global leader in medical technology innovation, and teams like Fogarty company-in-residence Eclipse Regenesis are a big reason why. Eclipse, which is developing a regenerative therapy for Short Bowel Syndrome, has now treated 18 patients - most of them pediatric - with strong device performance, consistent intestinal lengthening, and no serious adverse events.

Recent procedures at Stanford Medicine Children's Health and Cincinnati Children's achieved significant bowel-lengthening outcomes, and the clinical trial has expanded to UCLA Health and Children's Hospital Colorado. The team is also advancing the XL2, a minimally invasive approach to deliver the therapy, through ongoing preclinical testing.

Each case is not only a clinical milestone - it's renewed hope for a patient and their family. Photo #2 features Diego, the first pediatric patient, excited to play outside this summer. ❤️

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
– William Butler Yeats

There’s a buzz in the office these days. Our shared kitchen looks like a mini-Costco, overflowing with a prodigious variety of snacks. Extra workstations have appeared in nearly every company cubicle, and there are new faces at desks and lab benches everywhere.

Did you guess? Our fabulous 2026 Lefteroff interns have arrived: 25 rising juniors, seniors, and master’s students representing 18 colleges across the U.S. and beyond. With majors that range from biomedical engineering and business to neuroscience and nursing, they’re an impressive group.

We’ve always said the Lefteroff program is more than an internship. For many students, it’s a transformative experience that helps them discover, envision, and pursue meaningful careers in healthcare and innovation. Through foundational learning, candid conversations with industry leaders, shadowing our physician leaders Fred St Goar and Zachary Edmonds, and hands-on experience working with Fogarty startups and administrators at El Camino Health, interns gain insight that extends well beyond the classroom.

What truly sets the Lefteroff program apart—and what I believe most often "lights the fire"—is the one-on-one access students have to the Fogarty team and our broader network. Over the course of the summer, these relationships give students the opportunity to explore individual interests, ask difficult questions, and build connections that often shape the trajectory of their careers.

As I was thinking about this year's intern class, I found myself reflecting on another group of young people standing at the beginning of an exciting new chapter—including one very close to home.

We took a family vacation this summer, and for the first time, my daughter Jordyn did not travel with us. Instead, she met us at our destination, having come directly from her first trip abroad with friends following her high school graduation. Those of you who know me know that I had the privilege of raising her, mostly as a single parent. While I couldn’t be prouder or happier for her, this is a very big milestone. And as my friends with older children have warned me, it’s just the first of many.

One of the quiet surprises of parenthood is that success feels a little like loss. We spend years helping our children become independent, and then one day they are. I'm excited for Jordyn, just as I'm excited to spend the summer with another remarkable group of young people beginning journeys of their own.

I know the summer will pass quickly for all of us, so enjoy every moment with your kiddos and the other young people in your life.

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
— Winnie-the-Pooh

Cheers,
Andrew

The above is an excerpt from Andrew Cleeland's CEO column in our monthly newsletter. You can receive it in your inbox directly by signing up here: https://www.fogartyinnovation.org/get-involved/

“Go after any opportunities you see or can be a part of. It might be hard, but it’ll be worth it.”

This mindset has shaped every step of Lizbeth Villalobos’ journey. As a first-generation college student, Lizbeth balanced school, work, and family responsibilities while pursuing opportunities that could help her achieve her goals. Through programs like Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, AVID, and Future Grads, she earned a full-ride scholarship to University of California, Merced, and eventually found her way to Fogarty Innovation as a Lefteroff Intern.

Today, she is a valued member of our team, helping lead education, communications, and community service initiatives that give back to same the organizations that helped her succeed.

read more:

Lizbeth Villalobos Comes Full Circle - Fogarty Innovation “Will do!”  This phrase, which Fogarty communications and education associate Lizbeth Villalobos uses almost reflexively as an email response when asked for help, captures the positivity and can-do spirit that have made Villalobos an invaluable member of the Fogarty Innovation team. She came to...