It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Chris Jacobs.
Chris was a long-time supporter of the Biomedical Engineering Society and was instrumental in launching the Society's first special interest group: Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering.
Dr. Jacobs joined the department of biomedical engineering at Columbia University in 2008 after already establishing himself as a leader in the field of biomechanics as a professor both at Stanford University and Pennsylvania State University, according to an announcement by X. Edward Guo, Chair and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia.
Dr. Jacobs was recognized for his seminal research in bone cellular mechanotransduction and computational biomechanics, specifically, for his demonstration of the importance of load-induced interstitial fluid flow and how the primary cilia are involved in the signal transduction mechanisms in bone and stem cells.
Athanasiou receives Savio L-Y. Woo Translational Biomechanics Medal
Kyriacos Athanasiou received the 2018 Savio L-Y. Woo Translational Biomechanics Medal at World Congress of Biomechanics conference this month in Dublin. The medal is awarded by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Athanasiou is a professor of biomedical engineering at the UC Irvine Samueli School of Engineering.
The award was in recognition of his exceptional contributions to bioengineering.
The Savio L-Y. Woo Medal is bestowed upon an individual who has translated meritorious bioengineering science to clinical practice through research, education, professional development, and with service to the bioengineering community.
Examples of meritorious activity might be basic bioengineering science that translates into a medical device or equipment, contributes to new approaches of disease treatment, establishes new injury treatment modalities, etc.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering achieves highest impact factor in publication's history
Annals of Biomedical Engineering - the Biomedical Engineering Society's flagship journal - reached its highest impact factor in publication's history. Its most recent impact factor is 3.405.
The journal's editor-in-chief, Stefan Duma, said many years of work led to the success of the journal. In particular, many of the initiatives launched by previous long-time editor in chief Kyriacos (Kerry) Athanasiou set the journal on a course of prosperity.
According to Athanasiou: It is gratifying to see the continued increase of the journal's impact factor which denotes that the work published in the Annals is reaching more scientific readers and it is helpful in more researchers' work.
U of Arkansas researchers develop method for identifying radiation-resistant tumors
New research at the University of Arkansas has found a way to identify radiation-resistant cancer cells, a breakthrough in the treatment of lung cancer that uses imaging to evaluate the response to treatment and match treatment to specific tumor cells, according to a university article.
Currently, there has been no way to determine immediately after beginning therapy if a tumor is resistant to radiation therapy or not, according to the article. The findings were published this month in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal.
"Our results demonstrate that the use of autofluorescence imaging of cell metabolism can identify treatment-resistant cancer cells," said Narasimhan Rajaram in the article. Rajaram is an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Arkansas and lead researcher on the project. He is also a BMES member.
"More importantly, we think that this technique provides a sound method to evaluate tumor response to treatment and match tumors to the right therapy."
U of Del. Sarah Rooney receives national biomedical engineering teaching award
University of Delaware Assistant Professor Sarah Rooney received a Biomedical Engineering Teaching Award from the American Society for Engineering Education recently, the university announced.
The award is given annually by the society's Biomedical Engineering Division (BED) "to recognize contributions in the field of biomedical engineering education by new faculty members as evidenced by innovative teaching materials, curricula, textbooks and/or professional papers and by activity in ASEE/BED and/or other biomedical engineering organizations," according to the ASEE.
To be eligible, faculty members must have no more than five years of post-secondary teaching experience with primary course responsibility.
Barabino awarded presidential stem award for mentoring
BMES Fellow and past president Gilda Barabino was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) along with the National Science Foundation announced this week.
The PAESMEM award is for Barabino's work in the area of mentorship.
PAESMEM recognizes the critical roles mentors play outside the traditional classroom in the academic and professional development of the future STEM workforce.
Colleagues, administrators, and students nominate individuals and organizations for exemplary mentoring sustained over a minimum of five years. Since 1995, PAESMEM has honored the hard work and dedication mentors exhibit in broadening participation in the STEM pipeline.
As part of the Biomedical Engineering Society's 50
th Anniversary celebration, the Society is fabricating a time capsule which will be displayed in the National Museum of Health and Medicine until it is opened in 2068.
