Marco Nino: Engineering medical breakthroughs

Marco Nino wants to develop a medical device that will save lives. The University of Iowa senior says his course work in biomedical engineering and experience working in a campus neuroanatomy lab are preparing him to do just that.


When Southern California native Marco Nino announced to his family that he was going to attend the University of Iowa, many asked him the same question: "Why?"

A cousin had earned a PhD in pharmacology at Iowa, so Nino was aware of the university's health science programs. Long interested in science and medicine, he was taking pre-engineering classes at a community college near his hometown of San Dimas and was intrigued by the collaboration between Iowa's engineering and medical colleges. So he applied as a transfer student.

And if Nino had any lingering doubts about leaving the West Coast for what some dub "flyover country," they were swept away when he and his mother visited campus in November 2016 and attended a Hawkeye football game.

"Iowa beat Michigan at Kinnick Stadium that weekend, and it was thrilling," he says. "I loved the welcoming environment and the friendliness of the people. I'm even a fan of the cold-I like the change of seasons."

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