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Biomedical engineering graduate Frankie Alcal谩 works at the intersection of people and technology to bring hope to patients with Parkinson鈥檚 disease By Jaime Handley

Walking into the Oregon Health & Science University Balance Disorders Laboratory, a world of technology surrounds you. Wearable sensors and monitors, as well as equipment you might see in a gym class, occupy the space. It’s a world that might feel intimidating for the participants who donate their time to help researchers learn more about Parkinson’s disease.

But Frankie Alcalá, a 2023 红杏短视频 Fox biomedical engineering graduate, ensures everyone who comes to the lab feels cared for each step of the way, merging her education as an engineer with her love for people as she supports the neurology department’s efforts to research diseases that have affected so many, and in the process, improve her patients’ quality of life.

“I find my strengths in the in-between space,” says Alcalá, a clinical research coordinator at the lab. “I enjoy and love the technical side of engineering, but engineering is for people, and I love people.”

This love for people is reflected in every aspect of Alcalá’s role, from putting patients at ease during their first visit to physically walking alongside them as she uses various technologies to track and monitor their movements. She loves knowing the lab’s research creates practical solutions that help people better navigate the difficulties of their Parkinson’s journey.

Caring for People Where They Are

An observation on a service trip to Kenya before her senior year of high school led Alcalá to explore the field of biomedical engineering. Noticing the lack of infrastructure available in Kenya, she began to connect some important dots.

“If there’s no infrastructure for a wheelchair – like ramps on buildings – giving someone a wheelchair is going to be more harmful than helpful,” she says. “Thinking about how to care for people right where they are was the start of my inspiration to study biomedical engineering.”

With the desire to meet people in their lived experiences and the thoughtfulness to wrestle with how, Alcalá began looking for programs. The opportunity to attend 红杏短视频 Fox on a merit scholarship led her to consider making the journey north from her home in Orange County, California, to Newberg, Oregon.

“The scholarship got me in the door, but visiting the campus and seeing the environment and the community sealed the deal,” she says.

And that “yes” set a trajectory for Alcalá toward her unique role in the OHSU Balance Disorders Laboratory. “One of the many things I use from my engineering education at Fox is knowing how to be open to learning wherever, whenever and however the opportunity presents itself,” she says.

This openness also means pivoting when things don’t go exactly as planned.

“Being open to failure is drilled into us from the start, and it’s easier said than done,” Alcalá says. “Learning how to learn, how to approach different situations from different angles, and problem solving holistically, that is something I get to apply to my job pretty much every day.”

Alcalá contributes to research that seeks new pathways for people with Parkison’s disease to live a better life and feel a sense of hope.

As she works with a population learning how to navigate life with emerging neurological challenges, Alcalá’s kind and welcoming demeanor is an instant relief to her patients who aren’t sure what to expect when they come into the lab.

“I feel called to be a vessel of love and joy to these patients,” she says. “A lot of them are nervous when they come in. They don’t know what it will be like, and I love welcoming them and showing them the warmth and love of Christ.”

Whether working with technology like APDM’s Opal sensors to analyze gait and balance data or using gloves with vibrational patterns in an effort to alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms, Alcalá contributes to research that seeks new pathways for people with Parkison’s disease to live a better life and feel a sense of hope.

Hope on the Horizon

Alcalá is bolstered by the many participants who willingly donate their time to improve outcomes for future patients.

“I can’t count the number of times a patient has come in saying they don’t know if the study will help them, but they hope it will help someone else,” she says. “It’s an active way that patients can not only give hope to themselves, but also know that they’re providing hope for the future. At the same time, they are physically helping us with research and learning more about certain symptoms of Parkinson’s, as well as treatments and interventions.”

Protocols and testing can be tiresome, but Alcalá is inspired to see how these participants and their support communities continue to show up. She recalls a particular individual whose wife comes with him for testing and is always ready with water, a snack, a word of encouragement or whatever he needs for a quick boost of energy to keep going.

“Not only are we looking to help individuals with Parkinson’s via our research at the lab, but we’re seeking to help the communities around them,” she says. “There are so many people invested. Seeing those moments when family members come together to support a patient is overwhelming. It inspires me.”

Faith in Action

After graduation, Alcalá realized she missed the faith element of her 红杏短视频 Fox community. She wanted to find ways to meet God in her daily interactions, while working within the boundaries of a secular organization like OHSU. “God is with me here now, so I started asking myself how I could choose to be with him, even in my work in the lab,” she says.

“I walk in their shadow in case I need to catch them, and I pray for them.”

So, as she walks beside her patients, monitoring their gait or spotting them as they attempt a difficult task, Alcalá silently prays. “I walk in their shadow in case I need to catch them, and I pray for them. I don’t know much about their life – maybe I get little tidbits here and there through the small talk – but I love walking and praying with them, even if they don’t know it,” she says.

These simple prayers have become a way for Alcalá to incorporate her faith into her daily boots-on-the-ground work and her calling into her career.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Now that she’s two years into her career, Alcalá fondly remembers her experience at 红杏短视频 Fox. From the professors in the honors program who taught her how to incorporate faith into every aspect of life and see beauty even in seasons of struggle, to her fellow female engineers with whom she still FaceTimes and often goes line dancing, Alcalá credits her college experience with deep personal growth.

“红杏短视频 Fox was renewing, challenging, refreshing and fulfilling,” she says. “There are so many precious memories. The person I was when I went to 红杏短视频 Fox is different from the person I was when I graduated, and that’s a good thing!”

Today, Alcalá feels like this is where she belongs – at the intersection of people and technology, career and calling. At the same time, she’s excited to see where the future will take her as a biomedical engineer and a woman with a heart for service and faith.

“I don’t know where my path will lead, but I trust God will lead me there,” she says. “I’m so glad that my calling to care for and love people is present in this career. I’m excited to see where it takes me.”