Dr. Kenneth Carr Dr. Kenneth Carr explains the purpose of a device designed to warm blood. It provides uniform and controlled warming to hypothermic patients to raise their body temperature. (Photo Charlotte Boynton)

A Woolwich man who had a mid-life career change has received $11 million in grants to develop medical devices.

Dr. Kenneth Carr has received 37 grants and holds 39 patents - 31 of them related to medicine.

After receiving his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University in 1953, he became a military weapons' expert for over 20 years with Philco Corporation's Government and Industrial Division, receiving the Outstanding Engineer Award. Although he believes in the importance of the country's weapons systems, he said he reached a point in his life when he thought, "I want to be able to say, `I did something."'

From weapons he went to education, after receiving a NASA appointment to Eastern Virginia Medical School where he said, "I lectured, I taught, and I learned at the same time."

Then in September of 1985 he founded Meridian Medical Systems, LLC, in the state of Massachusetts. He is currently President and CEO of the company, which develops medical devices based primarily on the use of microwave technology.

According to Carr, microwaves can be used to generate heat, measure and monitor temperature, and measure motion. Much of his recent work has been in the development of microwave techniques to detect and treat cancer for which he twice received NASA's Certificate of Recognition.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development recently awarded his company a grant of $750,000 to be used for brain temperature monitoring in neonates. According to Carr, recent studies show that cooling the brain of an oxygen-starved newborn dramatically reduces the incidence of death, cerebral palsy, and other neurological damage.

Carr explained that when a baby is born, and someone puts their finger in the palm of the baby's hand, the baby will close its hand around the finger; if the baby doesn't, there is something wrong neurologically. Carr refers to studies done on seals which show a seal will shiver when exposed to cold weather, but not when diving into frigid water for long periods of time. While diving, seals conserve oxygen and minimizes brain damage.

Although, therapeutic hypothermia (cooling of the body) has proven to be effective, currently there is no way to measure brain temperature during the cooling period. At present the only test to measure hypothermic cooling is by taking a newborn's temperature rectally. However, the difference between the rectal temperature and the brain temperature is great, according to Carr.

This technology would also be helpful in the treatment of hypothermia and trauma patients.

It is possible to measure deep brain temperature using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), he says. However, the costs are high, and other problems arise from this technique. Meridian Medical Systems has developed products that are unique in not only measuring and monitoring temperature and flow rate, but are also used to heat blood, fluid or tissue to a specific temperature.

Products that have been developed by the company include ablation of cardiac tissue; ablation of prostate tissue; intravascular warming of blood; detection of vulnerable plaque; measurement of Intravascular blood flow; Dual-mode therapeutic probe thermostat fluid and blood warmer; extravasation detection IV site monitor; ONCOSAN system early dection of breast cancer; brain temperature monorting; measurement of flow rate and volume infused; sterile docking; and viral inactivation of blood.

The clinical trails on the company's products are tested in three hospitals in the United States.

Carr does a great deal of traveling, doing lectures at several different universities throughout the country.

He credits his success to curiosity and persistence. "If an engineer is not curious, he is only a technician."

He says when an engineer sees something that is wrong, "We accept it happened, then we ask ourselves, how did it happen? What can we do so it doesn't continue to happen?"

At the age of 75, with all his awards and accomplishments, there is no sign, or hint, of retirement for him. He said, "I'm having fun. I feel good, and doing something worthwhile."

He and his wife are currently hosting an exchange student from the Ukraine who is attending the University of New Hampshire. Yuliya, is in her junior year at the school. In order for her to come to this country to go to school, the Carrs had to prove they had the money to pay her tuition for four years, and set that money aside.

Carr said he went to the Ukraine to ask her parents to allow her to come here. "Her father and I got along great," he said. "He couldn't speak English, and I could not speak Ukrainian, but the children could speak English and they spoke for us."

For Carr, helping people started early in his life. As a Boy Scout, he guided people who were blind as they walked from door to door, selling goods to make a living.

"I learned a lot from the blind," he said. In fact the sterile docking machine he developed was made so a blind person or disabled person can use it.

He said a blind person will always use a tall glass because as the water fills the glass it gives out different tones as the glass fills. His machine also gives different tones as it fills with fluids, and the button to open the machine only needs to be pushed making it easy for someone blind or disabled to use.

"I like to work, and that is what I am going to continue to do." He said.