Fabian Flürenbrock – 2025 Engineering Prize
2025 Engineering Prize
Engineering a Smart Shunt System for Hydrocephalus
Fabian Flürenbrock
Under the mentorship of Dr. Melanie Zeilinger
Soon-to-be PhD graduate Fabian Flürenbrock from ETH Zurich developed a smart shunt research platform aimed at improving the treatment of hydrocephalus. His project sought to address key limitations of traditional shunt systems by creating more advanced tools for fluid control and patient monitoring.
This project introduces a new kind of “smart shunt” research system designed to address challenges, such as overdrainage, underdrainage, and high failure rates. It includes three major innovations:
- A smarter valve system that uses advanced technology to better control brain pressure and understand how cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) moves.
- A set of sensors that can closely monitor the patient’s condition in real time.
- A computer model that helps researchers and engineers test how shunt systems work, so they can keep improving them.
The goal of his work is to pave the way for safer, more reliable, and more personalized shunt therapies through innovative engineering and open-access research tools.