Gary Perez '06 can look back at the moment that changed his life.

Several years ago, while riding his motorcycle, he was struck head-on by a car leaving him with a broken eye socket, cracked ribs, a dislocated and broken hip, and a shattered ankle that had to be rebuilt.

After taking a semester off from school to recover and reflect, Perez returned to the classroom to complete his Associates degree in business administration, graduating with honors. Still, he never forgot the work of the doctors who saved his life - and he wanted the ability to do the same for others.

"I began searching for a way to enter the medical field, but in a way that would let me apply my love of technology and utilize the degree I had just earned," he said.

He enrolled at Bryant as a computer information systems concentrator. Soon he discovered the biotechnology minor and "it fit right into what I was looking for," he said.

"It served as the perfect opportunity to further my education in business, focusing on technology, while incorporating scientific training that will help me become a more effective manager in the field."

He has lofty expectations for himself.

"I want to develop products that incorporate technology to aid people," he said. "For example, developing an artificial arm that can transmit sensory data to the patient's existing nervous system which allows them to feel with their hands again."

Other examples include an artificial eye being developed in Germany, as well as a man-made kidney being created by Nephros Therapeutics in nearby Lincoln, Rhode Island, he said.

"The next frontier for computers is the human body," said Perez. "We have the technology to aid people in a way we never could before. It's up to us to use it to improve their lives."

At Bryant, he had the chance to use his CIS knowledge and his background in biotechnology to work with Hong Yang, associate professor of science and technology, on a directed study research project. During Spring Break of his senior year, he spent a week at Yale University measuring carbon and nitrogen isotope levels found in Metasequoia leaf tissue samples. "I was able to come away with confidence knowing that I conducted this type of research and had it presented to a panel of experts," he said.

He then presented his findings at the 2nd International Metasequoia Symposium held at Bryant in August, the first such conference to be held in the United States.

Ultimately, he said his background in business and science would help him reach his goal of developing a company one day that conducts research and produces medical devices.

"To do so, I will need both a strong knowledge of the inner workings of a company and how to run one," he said. "At the same time, I need the scientific knowledge required to communicate effectively with staff and a full awareness of technological considerations involved in the production of such devices. My Bryant education has given me those skills."