Madison Procyk’s innovative concept could reshape daily life for millions living with Type 1 Diabetes
Madison Procyk isn’t a household name—yet. But her work might one day change how millions of people live with Type 1 Diabetes.
The Georgia Southern University grad student just clinched first place in an international competition with her concept for a new kind of insulin pump: smaller, simpler, cheaper, and less frustrating to use.
Rethinking the Tech Keeping People Alive
Let’s start with the basics. Insulin pumps are worn 24/7 by people with Type 1 Diabetes to help regulate blood sugar levels. They deliver insulin in steady doses, doing the job the pancreas can’t. But these devices? They’re clunky. They break. And they’re expensive.
Traditional pumps can cost around $6,000 out of pocket. Even with insurance, they’re still hard to access for many. If one part fails, the whole unit often needs to be replaced. There’s no quick fix, just more bills and more stress.
Procyk, a mechanical engineering student, is cutting through the noise with a design that skips unnecessary complexity. Her pump is lightweight, less fragile, and more affordable to produce. It uses electromagnetic pressure instead of the usual mechanical gears and motors—reducing failure points and, hopefully, user frustration too.
The Tech Behind the Breakthrough
Her idea stands out for a few reasons. First, it shrinks the size of the pump significantly without losing the ability to store and deliver insulin safely. Second, it’s 3D printable. That means it’s easier to prototype, easier to repair, and easier to scale.
The pump also includes multiple one-way valves. These control the flow of insulin from the reservoir to the patient, allowing for more accurate doses and safer operation.
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Uses electromagnetic actuation to deliver insulin
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3D printed body makes it patchable and refillable
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Rechargeable design offers more sustainability
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One-way valves reduce chances of insulin backflow
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Smaller size improves wearability and comfort
And here’s the kicker—it’s reusable. That alone could mean massive savings and better access for patients who can’t afford to throw out an entire pump every few months.
A $200,000 Vote of Confidence
Procyk’s work is backed by Breakthrough T1D, the global foundation formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The nonprofit awarded a $200,000 grant to her advisor, Dr. Sevki Cesmeci, to further their research into better insulin delivery systems.
“This isn’t our first look into micropump design,” said Cesmeci, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Southern. “We’ve been exploring this tech for a while—this award lets us go further.”
The duo has already published several papers and previously landed two internal seed grants from the university to support early development. But this new round of funding gives them more runway to turn their concept into a working prototype.
Who Benefits—and How Soon?
While there’s no release date or commercial rollout yet, the implications are huge. According to the CDC, around 1.9 million Americans have Type 1 Diabetes, and many use some form of insulin pump. But for every person using one, there are plenty who can’t afford it or gave up on it due to discomfort or malfunction.
That’s the problem this team wants to solve.
Here’s a look at how their design compares with existing insulin pump systems:
| Feature | Traditional Pumps | Procyk’s Design |
|---|---|---|
| Average Cost | ~$6,000 (without insurance) | TBD, but significantly lower |
| Size | Bulky, belt-worn | Compact, patch-like |
| Delivery Mechanism | Mechanical gears | Electromagnetic pressure |
| Manufacturing Method | Factory-assembled | 3D printed |
| Usability | Often fragile, single-use | Rechargeable, refillable |
| Risk of Failure | High due to multiple parts | Reduced via fewer components |
“This design checks a lot of boxes,” said Cesmeci. “It’s accessible, it’s practical, and it’s rooted in solid engineering.”
From Class Project to Global Stage
Procyk isn’t a seasoned biotech engineer or a serial inventor. She’s a graduate student who saw a problem and decided to fix it. The competition she won was international, bringing together students and researchers from all over the world. And she took first.
What’s even more impressive is the focus she brings to the work. This isn’t just a research paper or a prototype—it’s something people desperately need.
“This kind of hands-on, applied innovation is exactly what we try to foster in our program,” said Cesmeci. “Our students are solving real problems.”
And the momentum is growing. The Breakthrough T1D foundation has made clear that their long-term goal is the development of a fully automated artificial pancreas system. Procyk’s work feeds directly into that vision.
What Happens Next?
Procyk’s concept now moves into a deeper phase of development with help from her advisor and the grant funds. That means more testing, more iterations, and eventually—hopefully—clinical trials.
But the early signals are strong. It’s rare for student-led proposals to earn this level of backing, and rarer still for them to deliver such an immediate sense of promise.
You can feel it in how they talk about it. There’s urgency. There’s hope. There’s a real shot at making insulin pumps less of a burden and more of a tool that simply works—quietly, reliably, and without drama.
