The idea for his first biomedical device came to him in 2006. The Food and Drug Administration had approved the use of silicone implants for breast augmentation. Unlike saline implants, silicone implants are prefilled with a silicone gel and can be more difficult to insert into the breast cavity.

At the time, Keller was working at Upstate Plastic Surgery, a private practice he founded in 1999. He built his practice based on completing underarm incisions for breast augmentation surgery and maneuvering the implant across the chest into the designated pocket. 

“To get a silicone prefilled implant through that area is a lot,” Keller said. “It’s not good for the implant because you have to manipulate it so much.”

He invented the Keller Funnel, a sterilized, lubricated funnel, to efficiently place a silicone implant into the breast pocket. The prototype for the device consisted of a sterilized cake piping bag. Keller filed a preliminary patent for the device in 2006.

“I had no idea how to get it to the next step,” Keller said. 

Luckily, Keller met Howard Preissman, a biomedical engineer living in Florida, who was willing to help get his invention into the market. They each invested $5,000 to start a private medical device company called Keller Medical. 

The two men worked together for six months developing the Keller Funnel. The product began to sell in the market in 2008.

“We were profitable the second year we were in the market,” Keller said. 

Keller and Preissman received a patent for the device in 2013.

For the next 10 years, Keller served as the medical director for Keller Medical and Preissman served as CEO. In 2017, they sold the company to a global pharmaceutical company called Allergan, now a part of AbbVie.

The Keller Funnel is now a widely used device in breast augmentation surgery. The one-time-use device costs around $100 per funnel. It has proven to cause less trauma to the implant and incision area, better wound healing, and less contamination.

In 2021, Keller left Upstate Plastic Surgery to focus on noninvasive aesthetic medicine. He founded Augusta Road Aesthetics in May 2022. 

A common procedure completed at Keller’s new practice is neurotoxin injections that temporarily block muscle nerve receptors. By doing this, the drug can ultimately reduce the appearance of wrinkles and aging in the face.  Botox and Dysport are the two types of neurotoxins that are used at Augusta Road Aesthetics.

Keller’s most recent idea was for a medical device called NavaClick, which would improve the accuracy of neurotoxin injections. The invention consists of a metered-dose syringe that injects exactly 0.02 milliliters of neurotoxin through an ultra-sharp needle that helps with patient comfort. 

“You can deliver an exact amount per site for neurotoxin, which is important in your treatment,” Keller said. “In the past, it’s always been based on vision. My vision is not as great. I think I’m a good injector and have been for a long time but I think I’m even better now with this device.”

Keller and Preissman co-founded a new company called Lineage Biomedical in 2021 with Bradley Pliskow and Keller’s son, Garrett. The company spent two years developing the NavaClick device and received FDA approval in 2023. 

“We’re in the launch phase of the device,” Keller said. 

The NavaClick injection system costs between $55 to $65 per kit. Keller explained there is a learning curve for the device so they currently are training clients on how to use it. 

Looking toward the future, Keller said he will continue to provide Lineage Biomedical with ideas for new medical inventions; however, he does not want to be as involved in the development and rollout of the devices. 

“I would like to continue being the idea guy,” Keller said.

How you would describe yourself?

“I’m just a normal person that has taken advantage of my gifts.”

What drives you?

“Personally, I am driven by two major desires: do what is best for my family and I have an uncontrollable energy and I try to channel it to creative outlets which will bring happiness to others.”

What is your favorite part of your career?

“When you’re early in your career, you like excitement. You like challenges. Then as you age into that and you deal with complications, you’ve become very happy with more static. So when I was involved in the development of the Keller Funnel and now (the NavaClick), that gives me a little bit more variety.”