Engineering better urological care: How a cross-disciplinary collaboration is advancing diagnostic cystoscopy
Blood in the urine can have many causes and may be a common warning sign of bladder cancer. Diagnosing the cause often requires a procedure called cystoscopy, in which a small camera is used to examine the bladder and urethra. Because the current procedure requires specialized expertise and there are a limited number of urologists available to perform it, patients can face lengthy waits between the onset of symptoms and a diagnosis. For Sarah Vij, M.D., a urologist at UT Health Austin and associate professor in the Dell Medical School Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, those delays highlighted an opportunity to improve the process.
"I noticed a better option for this problem, but I knew the solution wasn't going to come from the clinic alone," Vij said. "Working with engineers allowed us to approach the challenge from a completely different perspective and start thinking about what might be possible."
That idea grew into a project aimed at making bladder cancer screening faster, easier to perform and more accessible for patients, led by Vij and Farshid Alambeigi, Ph.D., associate professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering. Supported by Texas Health Catalyst, the project brought together clinicians, engineers and student researchers, including undergraduate and doctoral student researchers Mohammad Rafiee, Mobina Tavangarifard and Hannah Choi, to explore new ways of improving diagnostic care.
From clinical challenge to collaborative solution
For Vij, the project began with a simple question: Could diagnostic cystoscopy be performed more efficiently and with improved quality?
Current cystoscopy technology requires specialized training and can be ergonomically challenging. Because there are a limited number of urologists available to conduct these procedures, patients may wait weeks or even months between the onset of symptoms and a definitive diagnosis.
When Vij connected with Alambeigi through a cross-campus innovation initiative, she found a collaborator uniquely positioned to help tackle the problem.
Alambeigi was already collaborating with Dell Medical School faculty on projects exploring how robotics and artificial intelligence could enhance diagnostic procedures. When Vij described the challenges associated with cystoscopy, he immediately recognized similarities to problems his team had been working to solve in other areas of medicine. Together, they began exploring how engineering solutions could improve access, efficiency and diagnostic capabilities in urologic care.
"The cool part with UT is that clinicians and engineers can work side by side," Alambeigi said. "If you develop technology without clinician feedback, no one is going to use it. We need that collaboration from the beginning."
The team's vision centers on improving diagnostic cystoscopy through robotic assistance, enhanced device ergonomics and future artificial intelligence-enabled diagnostic support. By making procedures easier to perform and expanding diagnostic capabilities, the technology could help reduce delays in care while supporting clinicians facing growing patient demand.
Building momentum through Texas Health Catalyst
The project, “Optimizing Diagnostic Cystoscopy to Increase Access and Improve Diagnostic Capabilities and Reduce Cost to the Healthcare System,” gained momentum through Texas Health Catalyst, Dell Medical School's innovation hub that helps connect researchers, clinicians, engineers and entrepreneurs across The University of Texas at Austin.
In December 2025, the team presented its concept during the Texas Health Catalyst Roundup and Rodeo, which focused on robotics, automation and autonomous care. The project was selected for funding, joining a growing portfolio of cross-campus innovations supported through the program.
For the past decade, Texas Health Catalyst has identified promising healthcare technologies and connected University innovators with industry advisers, investors and commercialization expertise. Through seed funding and mentorship, the program has helped accelerate dozens of projects aimed at transforming patient care.
The support allowed the team to further develop its concept while also providing opportunities for students to engage in research, entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation. The project later advanced to the Rice Business Plan Competition, where team members presented their work and received feedback from investors and industry leaders.
Training the next generation of health innovators
Faculty members provided clinical and engineering expertise, but students played a central role in moving the project forward.
Team members contributed to technical development, commercialization research, regulatory analysis and presentation preparation, helping transform an early concept into a multidisciplinary innovation effort.
For Hannah Choi, an undergraduate and aspiring physician, the experience provided a new perspective on what a career in medicine can look like.
"Working on this project reinforced my interest in pursuing medical school," Choi said. "Through this experience, I realized that physicians can also play a role in building innovations and improving how care is delivered."
One of the most valuable lessons, she said, was learning how experts from different disciplines approach the same challenge.
"Meaningful innovation depends on multidisciplinary collaboration," Choi said. "Even as an undergraduate student, I could make valuable contributions to a team tackling a much larger challenge."
A model for cross-campus innovation
Although the technology remains in development, the project already demonstrates the power of collaboration across disciplines.
For the faculty leads, the work reflects a broader vision for the future of healthcare — one in which engineers, clinicians and emerging technologies work together to improve patient care while supporting the professionals delivering it.
For Alambeigi, the project represents what's possible when engineers and clinicians work together to solve real-world problems.
"It's all about patients and quality of life," he said. "If we can make the process easier for clinicians and improve access to care, then we're making a real difference."
As the team continues refining the technology and pursuing future funding opportunities, the project serves as an example of how collaboration across disciplines can transform a clinical challenge into an innovation with the potential to improve care for patients across Central Texas and beyond.
