Bioengineering News and Events
The Scientist
Dr. John DesJardins’s work in total joint replacement, orthopaedic biomechanics and biomaterials is featured.
Biofabrication: 2011 Highlights
Dr.
Bruce Gao’s article on heterotypic single-cell micropatterning was
among those selected for its high praise from referees, presentation of
high quality research and popularity with online readership.
Society for Physical Regulation in Biology and Medicine
Dr.
Jiro Nagatomi, a Rising Star awardee, spoke on cellular
mechanotransduction of hydrostatic pressure during the society’s 30th
Scientific Conference.
CRC Press
Dr. Jiro Nagatomi edited the recently published Mechanobiology Handbook.
American Chemical Society
Nathan
Brodsky, a student in Dr. Sarah Harcum’s lab, was selected to give an
oral presentation at the 243rd ACS National Meeting.
American Chemical Society
Yogender Kumar Gowtham, a student in Dr. Sarah Harcum’s lab, was selected to present a poster at the 243rd ACS National Meeting.
Haydom Hospital, Tanzania
In
addition to doing follow-up research with collaborators at Haydom
Hospital, Dr. Delphine Dean and her students met the president of
Tanzania.
American Association for Dental Research
Jonathan
Kuo, a student of Dr. Hai Yao, has been selected as the Oral Session
Chair for the ADDR’s keynote address at its annual meeting in Tampa. In
addition, he was selected to do an oral presentation on glucose and
lactate diffusion.
Society For Biomaterials: Inaugural Award For Service
Martine LaBerge, department chair, was awarded the SFB’s first Award For Service.
President Barker Highlights Bioengineering Research
Hip, knee and valve implants discussed with Miami business leaders.
McAlister Foundation Annual Scholarship for Engineering
Senior student Ariel Nissan was chosen for this award.
AIMBE Fellows
Dr.
Xuejun Wen’s recent election brings the number of Clemson Fellows to
seven, including Drs. Burg, Guiseppi, LaBerge, Latour, Swaja and
Vyavahare.
Alpha Eta Mu Beta
The department inaugurated the Clemson Chapter of AEMB.
Product Design & Development
Dr. Bruce Zhi Gao describes his work in cell-cell relations and biochips.
INTECH open
Drs. Dan and Aggie Simionescu edited Vasculogenesis and Angiogenesis — from Embryonic Development to Regenerative Medicine, an open access book, is now available online free.
Xin Xie, a graduate student in Dr. Martine LaBerge’s lab, has been awarded an Altair Fellowship
The department will recruit a scholar in the field of biomaterials science and engineering to fill the chair endowed by Carla and Mitch Norville in honor of his father.
Biomedical Engineering Society IdeaLab
Professor John DesJardins and students Eric Lucas, Roy Rusly, and Xin Xie attended BMES IdeaLab
Departmental and College of Engineering and Science Awards
S.W. Shalaby Sophomore
Larry S. Bowman Junior
Poly-Med Senior
Barry W. Sauer Researcher
Jonathan Black Leadership
Austin T. Moore Leadership
Page M. Hunter Researcher
Outstanding Graduate TA
Phi Kappa Phi Merit, CES
Samuel B. Earle, CES
Matthew Kofoed
Brittany Banik
Laila Roudsari
Brittany Banik
Brendan Roach
Brittany McGowan
Gary Thompson
Kevin Champaigne
Elizabeth Sloan
Matthew Cupelli
MUSC Presidential Scholar
Wenjun He, graduate student in Dr. Hai Yao’s lab, was recognized for her experience and perspective.
MUSC Presidential Scholar
Suzanne Parks, graduate student in Dr. Rick Visconti’s lab, was recognized for her experience and perspective.
NIH COBRE Annual Meeting
SCBioMat, Clemson’s NIH COBRE center dedicated to developing a new generation of scientists and research infrastructure in South Carolina, hosted its second Annual Meeting March 3-4. Visiting members of the center’s External Advisory Committee included Joachim Kohn, Ph.D., Rutgers University; Glenn Prestwich, Ph.D., University of Utah; Buddy Ratner, Ph.D., University of Washington; Ray Runyan, Ph.D., University of Arizona; and William R. Wagner, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh. Visiting members of the center’s Clinical Advisory Committee are Eugene M. Langan III, M.D., Greenville Hospital System; Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., Yale University; and Frederick Schoen, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard University.
Maglin Halsey and Kaitlyn Harfmann, students in the Technology in Developing Countries Creative Inquiry course taught by Drs. Delphine Dean and John DesJardins, won third place in this year’s Science as Art competition. Their image, taken on a TM 3000 microscope, was also chosen to illustrate the competition’s pamphlets and fliers. The students examined a cross-section of the middle of a porcupine quill. According to Ms. Halsey, “We wanted to examine the structure, and we felt that this image was the most intriguing. We didn't know what to expect, so I would say this was definitely a pleasant surprise.”
Engineering Fluids for Cholera
Students in Dr. John DesJardins’s developed fluids-delivery devices for cholera patients.
Testing by Design Theory Class
Tests of a popular bracelet by Dr. John DesJardins’s class showed no measureable effect.
Dr. Xuejun Wen’s work on the biofabrication of intervertebral discs is featured.
Of the 13 National Scholars Clemson has named for 2011, two are bioengineering majors, Medha Vyavahare of Easley and David Zhang of Mount Pleasant.
Dr. Ning Zhang was awarded a grant to study brain-tissue regeneration after stroke.
Most Outstanding Senior in Engineering
The College of Engineering and Science has awarded bioengineering senior Matt Cupelli the Samuel B. Earle Award, which is given to the most outstanding senior in Engineering on the basis of scholarship and character.
BMES 2010 Undergraduate Award
Carl Lindburg, a student in Dr. Delphine Dean’s lab, was awarded the BMES 2010 Undergraduate Student Award.
National Award for Excellence in Educational Innovation
Dr. Perry Sprawls, B.S (1956), M.S. in Physics, and Ph.D. in Bioengineering received the annual Award for Excellence in Educational Innovation.
CU-MUSC Joint Bioengineering Program graduate students Carmen Gacchina and Erin Pardue were recognized at a recent MUSC Student Awards Banquet for their work on bringing science projects to middle school classrooms.
CU-MUSC Joint Bioengineering Ph.D. Program students Xiaowei Li, of Xuejen Wen and Ning Zhang’s lab, and Erin Pardue, of Scott Argraves’ lab, have been awarded American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowships to study brain regeneration after stroke and tissue engineering approaches for cardiac applications, respectively.
Dr. Ning Zhang was awarded a DOD Investigator-Initiated Research Award to study spinal cord regeneration.
Outstanding Cardiovascular Research
Dr. Naren Vyavahare was recognized at CU’s biannual faculty meeting with the Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievements in Research.
Karen Burg, Professor and Hunter Endowed Chair of Bioengineering and Interim Vice Provost for Research & Innovation, has been elected Vice President-Elect of the Society For Biomaterials. Her presidency will extend from 2011-2012.
The department seeks a PhD student in polymer chemistry, drug screening, nanomedicine and drug delivery, and imaging agents.
Page Morton Hunter Seminar
Dr. Melinda Harman will present “Post-Marketing Surveillance of Medical Devices: Combining Explant Analysis with Clinical Outcome Registers.” Abstract: The aim of this seminar is to illustrate a post-marketing surveillance model based on the systematic characterization of medical devices. This model has been used successfully to complement traditional in vitro methods for preclinical validation. Dr. Harman will illustrate the combined synergistic use of clinical outcome registers, explant analysis, design review, and biomechanical simulations using specific examples drawn from her research on orthopedic devices. A biomedical engineer who recently completed a two-year international Marie Curie fellowship at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in Bologna, Italy, Dr. Harman has 20 years of experience applying biomedical engineering technology to the human musculoskeletal system. In her area of specialization, the assessment of explanted materials and medical devices, she works closely with leading device manufacturers and surgeons. Dr. Harman has led 12 collaborative research projects on analysis of explanted joint prostheses combined with clinical outcomes and biomechanical simulations. She has published three book chapters and coauthored more than 30 papers in international, peer-reviewed journals. Her educational background includes a BS in physics from Ball State University, an MS in bioengineering from the University of Utah, and a PhD in bioengineering from Clemson University.
MUSC Presidential Scholars
Eleni Katsanevakis, of Dr. Ning Zhang's lab, and Emily Ongstad, of Dr. Anand Ramamurthi's lab, have been selected as 2010-2011 Presidential Scholars at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Ground broken for South Carolina Bioengineering Center
This summer, ground was broken in Charleston on the MUSC campus for a 100,000 sq ft building that will house researchers within the South Carolina Bioengineering Alliance.
Carolina Medical Center grant
Dr. Alexey Vertegel’s project, Novel Antibacterial Peptide coatings of Hernia Repair Implants, has been awarded funding by the Carolina Medical Center.
Opened this fall, a 29,000-sq-ft addition to Rhodes Research Center provides laboratories, classrooms, and offices for bioengineering students, faculty, and staff.
The NSF awarded MRI grants to Drs. Bruce Gao and Jiro Nagatomi for development of a laser microbioparticle separator and acquisition of a nano-to-microscale 3D live-cell imaging system, respectively.
Research featured in Newsroom
Clemson University Newsroom articles feature bioengineering research by Drs. Ted Bateman and Frank Alexis. Bateman’s work on radiation-induced bone loss is being applied to both cancer patients and astronauts. Meanwhile, Alexis is using nanoparticles to develop targeted drug delivery systems.
Senior Anita Smalls tied for second place in the Louis Stokes South Carolina Alliance for Minority Participation (LS-SCAMP) undergraduate research conference poster competition.
Student and professional speakers presented research, career advice at the Madren Conference Center.
World Health Organization project
Students spend summer restoring medical machinery in developing countries.
CU-MUSC Junior RoboCup competition
Program hosts young engineers.
Undergraduates study abroad in Brussels during a five-week, six-credit summer program.
Inaugural Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
The University awarded the B.S. in Bioengineering to members of the department’s inaugural class on May 8, 2009. The 24 graduates received the Bachelor of Science in either the bioelectrical or biomaterials program.
Students receive awards at spring banquets
Bioengineers were recognized at the 2008-2009 Spring Awards Banquet on Monday, April 6.
Visual neural circuitry study published in Nature
Dr. Prakash Kara was published in Nature this year for his study on how imaging technology has uncovered a micro-architecture of brain cells that process visual information.
Xuejun Wen named Sigma Xi Researcher of the Year
The Sigma Xi Clemson chapter has awarded Dr. Xuejun Wen the Junior Researcher Award for his application of bioengineering to human tissue regeneration.
Guigen Zhang named Deputy Director of IBIOE
Bioengineering professor becomes deputy director of the Institute of Biological Interfaces of Engineering.
Article features radiation-induced bone loss research in Dr. Ted Bateman's lab.
This fall, bioengineering students, faculty, and staff are occupying the laboratories, classrooms, and offices in Rhodes Annex. The 29,000-square-foot addition to Rhodes Research Center is dedicated to advancing basic and translational biomedical research.
World Health Organization project
Student spends summer restoring medical machinery in Central America.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Opportunity
Michael Lemus, a PhD student in Dr. Ted Bateman’s lab, was awarded an HHMI Exceptional Research Opportunity for summer work with Dr. Eva Nogales at UC, Berkeley.
Carmen E. Gacchina, a student in Dr. Anand Ramamurthi’s lab, was awarded a second-year extension on her NHLBI T32 predoctoral fellowship to study delivery systems for elastogenic therapeutics to treat aneurysms.
Research featured by SC EPSCoR
Dr. Dan Simionescu’s research on heart valve replacement is featured by SC EPSCoR/IDeA.
Carmen E. Gacchina, a student in Dr. Anand Ramamurthi’s lab, was awarded a summer internship at the National Institute of Aging to perform translational cardiovascular research in the laboratory of Dr. Mark Talan.
Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
In BBSI and NASA REU summer research programs, undergraduates work in faculty labs to design and test biomaterials and medical devices.
The 2009 South Carolina Governor's Award for Scientific Awareness recognized Dr. Martine LaBerge, department chair, for outstanding contributions to the field.
Scott T. Wood, Ph.D. Candidate, was awarded Best Presentation and Technical Paper in the University & Research track at the 2011 MSC Software Users Conference.
22nd National NSF EPSCoR Conference
Rui Wang, a student in Dr. Bruce Gao’s lab, was one of three South Carolina students selected to present a poster at the conference in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Jordan Maivelett, a student in Dr. Dan Simionescu’s lab, has been selected for an NIBIB Intramural Research Training Award.
Molly Townsend, a student in Dr. Delphine Dean’s lab, was chosen to attend the 2011 NASA Glenn Academy for Space Exploration at Glenn Research Center.
Christian Kotanen, a student in Dr. Anthony Giuseppe-Elie’s lab, was invited to present a poster at DoD’s ATACCC meeting.
NIH National Graduate Student Research Conference
Jonathan Kuo, a student in Dr. Hai Yao’s laboratory, was chosen to attend the Sixth Annual NIH National Graduate Student Research Conference.
In a nationwide competition, Laura Wiles, a student in Dr. Delphine Dean’s lab, was one of 16 undergraduates chosen to attend the NIH Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program.
The Phil and Mary Bradley Award for Mentoring in Creative Inquiry was presented to Dr. Delphine Dean in recognition of outstanding work with undergraduate students.
NIH Fogarty International Research Collaboration
Drs. Dan Simionescu and Aggie Simionescu and collaborators Drs. Peter Zilla and Deon Bezuidenhout of The University of Cape Town were awarded the grant.
Erin Pardue, a graduate student in Dr. Scott Argraves’s lab, was inducted into the Student Leadership Society at Medical University of South Carolina. She was selected for her contributions to the university and her leadership qualities.
Sarah Cisewski, a junior in Dr. Hai Yao’s lab, was awarded Honorable Mention for her Graduate Research Fellowship Program submission.
The society awarded Laila Roudsari its C. William Hall Scholarship at its annual meeting in Orlando, FL. Ms. Roudsari is a student in Dr. Karen Burg’s lab.
Society for Biomaterials STAR Award Jeremy Zhang’s presentation for the organization’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL, received Honorable Mention. Mr. Zhang is a graduate student in Dr. Ken Webb’s lab.
American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
Christian Kotanen, a graduate student in Dr. Tony Elie’s lab, was recognized with a travel award for his presentation at the organization’s 20th Annual Event in Washington, DC.
National Science Foundation GRFP
Bioengineering senior Laila Roudsari was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Institute of Biological Engineering
Rajan Gangadharan, PhD student in Dr. Guigen Zhang’s lab, was awarded an NSF Student Travel Award for the 2011 meeting of the Institute of Biological Engineering.
Laura Wiles’s application for a Goldwater Scholarship received Honorable Mention.