Biomedical Engineering Society Blog

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Biomedical Engineering named most valuable college major

Biomedical engineering is the number one best college major to score a well paying job after graduation, according to an article this week from Forbes.

Visitors flock to biomedical engineering demo at DC festival

The 2nd USA Science & Engineering Festival held late last month at the Washington Convention Center featured more than 3,000 interactive exhibits, 100 stage shows and 33 Author Presentations. This was the first year where BMES had its own booth. BMES’ mission was simple: bring an understanding of biomedical engineering to the larger public and try to create excitement with kids of all ages about BME, according to Paul Fagette

BMES President Waugh comments on new U of Arkansas BME program

The University of Arkansas recently received approval to create a Biomedical Engineering Department within its College of Engineering, according to an article in Northwest Arkansas Times. BMES president Richard E. Waugh commented in the article that biomedical engineering is fast becoming one of the most sought out areas of study.

Detection of oral cancer is easier with new handheld probe

Researchers have created a portable probe that can be used by doctors to diagnose oral cancer in real-time or as a surgical guidance tool, according to a paper published in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering this week.

Web version of BMES 2011 Annual Report available

A web version of the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Report is now available. The Society is healthy and has continued to grow in 2011, BMES President Richard E. Waugh said in the report.

Record number of abstracts submitted for 2012 BMES Annual Meeting in Atlanta

A record number of abstracts were submitted for the 2012 Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting which will take place in Atlanta, October 24-27.

Technology to assist children with disabilities sought

Technology designed to help disabled children is being sought under a program being run by V-LINC, an organization focused on improving the independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities.

$10 million in grants available for diabetes research

A charitable organization is offering $10 million in grants for researchers developing technologies to improve the management of type 1 diabetes. Applications are due May 7, 2012.

BMES member Blemker wins Hartwell Biomedical Research Award

University of Virginia engineer—and BMES member—Silvia Salinas Blemker and biologist Christopher Deppmann have been named recipients of 2011 Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Awards, which provide $100,000 in annual research support for three years to each awardee.

Abstract-submission deadline EXTENDED for 2012 BMES Annual Meeting

The Technical Program Committee has extended the deadline for abstract submissions for the 2012 BMES Annual Meeting in Atlanta. Abstracts are now due by Monday, April 23 @ 11:59 pm EDT.

Student projects tackle global health problems

A project designed to help infants with sleep apnea was awarded top honors at the second annual National Undergraduate Global Health Technologies Design Competition hosted by Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies and the Beyond Traditional Borders initiative.

Biomedical engineering creates jobs while helping patients

Federal funding is a key component to helping important biomedical engineering research that eventually leads to jobs and technology to help patients, according expert speakers at a Capitol Hill briefing this week.

VIDEO: Early warning system developed for controlling epileptic seizures

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed new seizure detection software that vastly reduces “false alarms” that can trigger brain implants designed to stop seizures.

Wanted: Blogger/Moderator

Do you love reading the biomedical engineering literature? Are you a fan of blogging and social media? We are looking for you to share your love of the engineering literature with your BMES colleagues.

New cancer treatment approach shows promise for treating brain tumors

A new treatment approach for brain tumors might be able to halt the spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue, according to researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University.

Biomedical industry is important to keeping the US economy thriving

Nationally, 1.2 million Americans are directly employed by the biomedical industry. The average salary of $118,690 is significantly more than the average American job. All told, the sector is directly and indirectly responsible for 5.3 million American jobs — 4 percent of U.S. non-farm employment. So says a column that appeared in the Statesman, an Austin, Texas newspaper this week.

Duke’s Reichert wins 2012 BMES Diversity Award

Dr. William “Monty” Reichert, will receive the 2012 BMES Diversity Award at this year’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Oct. 24-27, BMES Diversity Committee announced this week.

UW-Madison program helps science-minded women succeed

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) residential learning community offers a support system that ranges from social connections to academic resources and mentoring connections that helps female students succeed and graduate

BMES acquires BME Career Alliance

The Biomedical Engineering Society acquired the BME Career Alliance, an organization dedicated to bringing biomedical engineering /bioengineering programs and industry together for internships, co-ops, research opportunities and jobs, the two groups announced this week.

Michael King named editor of journal on nanotechnology in medicine

BMES member Michael R. King, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell University, was named editor-in-chief of the first scientific journal focused on nanotubes, nanorods and nanowires applied to medicine and biology, the university announced.

Collaboration is key to solving daunting challenges, experts say at Minority Faculty Development Workshop

Faculty members at the United States’ universities have the challenge of both educating students and producing scientific breakthrough to address the world’s most daunting challenges, said Gary May, Dean of Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Engineering at the opening of the 2012 Minority Faculty Development Workshop.

U Mass-Lowell introduces biomedical engineering minor for undergraduates

To help achieve the University’s goal of creating interdisciplinary programs with a focus on real-world challenges, the Francis College of Engineering will offer a Biomedical Engineering Minor for undergraduate-degree programs starting this fall.

US News & World Report ranks biomedical engineering programs

U.S.News & World Report today released its 2013 Best Graduate Schools rankings online, including a subcategory for biomedical engineering and bioengineering.

Wright State students launch project to improve prosthetic limbs

A team of students at Wright State University launched a project with the goal of improving prosthetics.

UC Davis BMEs discover sticky material that could revolutionize microchip fabrication

Biomedical engineers at the University of California, Davis, have invented a superthin “nanoglue” that could be used in new-generation microchip fabrication.

Hopkins research could lead to gentler, less painful defibrillators

Research out of Johns Hopkins could lead to new heart defibrillators that apply a more gentle, less painful current to restart the heart rhythm, according to an announcement on the Johns Hopkins Website

Promising research could lead to treatments for aggressive type of brain cancer

The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health this month awarded researchers at the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins University a $3.3 million, five-year grant to continue their work developing techniques to treat a highly aggressive form of brain cancer

Pitt’s Woo wins award for innovations in healthcare technology

BMES Fellow Savio L-Y. Woo was named the 2012 recipient of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Gold Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology, the organization announced.

Ingested nanoparticles can be harmful to humans, study finds

The use of engineered nanoparticles in food and pharmaceuticals is expected to increase in the future, and those particles potentially could be harmful to humans, according to a new study from Cornell University published this month.

Hits during youth football practice can cause concussions, study finds

Hits to the head players experience during practice for youth football leagues can sometimes be strong enough to inflict concussions, according to a study conducted by the Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences.

AIMBE President: Technology can play key role in reducing health-care costs

The AIMBE’s 21st Annual Event kicked off in Washington, DC Sunday with speeches from Segway inventor Dean Kamen, Arthur Coury (the Pierre Galletti Award winner) and AIMBE President Kenneth Lutchen, from Boston University.

Lab grown tissue could one day lead to replacement organs

Researchers at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston are making significant strides in engineering cell growth with hopes of someday being able to create replacement organs in the laboratory, according to a TV report.

Video: Julia Babensee discusses abstracts for the 2012 BMES Annual Meeting

A new video is available featuring Julia Babensee, the program chair for the 2012 BMES Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

Call for abstracts open for 2012 BMES Annual Meeting in Atlanta

Abstracts are now being accepted for the 2012 BMES Annual Meeting which will take place in Atlanta, Oct. 24-27.

Researchers develop way to use agriculture waste to build solar panels

Biomedical engineers at MIT have developed technology that could make it possible to build low-cost solar panels using agriculture waste, according to an article on the MIT Website

Purdue launches commercialization center to accelerate discovery to delivery

Purdue University plans to build a a new research commercialization center that will move Purdue discoveries to the marketplace more quickly, increase revenue for the university, and spur economic development.

Nominations sought for National Medal of Technology and Innovation

The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is seeking nominations for the 2012 National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The medal is presented each year by the President of the United States and is this country’s highest award for technological achievement.

Tufts researchers use silk to build microneedles

Researchers at Tufts University created a new microneedle using silk that could eliminate many of the shortcomings of today’s microneedles, according research published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Carnegie Mellon's Christopher Bettinger receives National Academy of Sciences' research award

He's honored for his work to improve implanted medical devices

Carnegie Mellon University's Christopher Bettinger won the National Academy of Sciences Award for Initiatives in Research for his work on advanced materials for next-generation implanted medical devices, according to a university announcement.

The Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference seeks abstracts

The 28th Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference in Houston, Texas is seeking abstract submissions. Abstracts for podium or poster presentations are due by Feb. 1 and must be e-mailed to 2012SBEC@mdanderson.org. Acceptance notices will e-mailed on or before February 29, 2012.

Teen's drug delivery research to treat cancer wins science prize

Angela Zhang, a 17 year old high school senior from Cupertino, Calif., won the 2011 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology for her research that aims to use nanoparticles to treat cancer.

President’s Column: Biomedical Engineering poised to excel in 2012

As we begin the New Year 2012, it is a pleasure to reflect on the field of Biomedical Engineering and the opportunities that we have to improve the length and quality of life for so many. In spite of economic challenges, the future of Biomedical Engineering continues to be bright. Several recent articles have identified Biomedical Engineering as the occupation with the largest growth potential of any career over the next ten years.

BMES member releases book that explores fundamental attributes of reality

BMES member Dr. Daniel J. Schneck’s new book “OMNIOLOGY: A Unified Approach to the Study of Everything” explores the underlying common denominators of all forms of realizable energy and the limits of humanity’s capacity to understand that reality.

Nominations sought for women engineers and scientists’ prize

The Society for Women’s Health Research and the Medtronic Foundation have established an annual prize of $75,000 to recognize a women scientist or engineer for her contributions to women’s health, the organizations announced.

FASEB Launches BioArt: Biomedical Image Competition

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) is launching BioArt: Biomedical Image Competition.

University of Utah Team Builds LED Surgical Retractor

Biomedical Engineering students at the University of Utah have developed a surgical retractor with a battery-powered LED and hope to eventually sell their device to hospitals across the country.

Rensselaer engineering students to visit South Africa to study medical clinic needs

Biomedical engineering students from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will travel to South Africa on a mission to identify the unique needs of remote, under-resourced medical clinics.

BME students at Arizona State win entrepreneur award

The founders of an Arizona State University student startup, called G3Box, were named "College Entrepreneurs of the Year for 2011" by Entrepreneur Magazine.

UConn BME students design custom devices for disabled girl

Biomedical engineering students at the University of Connecticut designed a customized chair, a personalized ski sled, and a remote-controlled, battery-powered car for a girl suffering from Rett syndrome, a disorder of the nervous system that occurs mostly in females and can limit a child’s mobility, speech, and cognitive development, according to a an article posted on UConn Today.

UW-Madison engineer receives Gates Foundation grant for Point-of-Care Diagnostics technology

BMES member David Beebe, a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will receive a $2.5 million Point-of-Care Diagnostics Grant through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges in Global Health.

Political Update: Omnibus Bill passed by House and Senate

House and Senate leaders announced that they had finished negotiations and are ready to move forward on approving the pending fiscal year (FY) 2012 omnibus appropriations bill that includes small funding increases for both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE SC), FASEB reports.

Nanoparticle could lead to new cancer therapies for brain tumors

A new nanoparticle developed at Yale University could one day lead to new therapies for many forms of cancer, including brain tumors, according to a report on the Yale Website.

Bellamkonda receives endowed chair at Georgia Tech/Emory BME department

Professor Ravi Bellamkonda has been named the first Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.

Video: Michael L. Shuler keynote address at 2011 BMES Annual Meeting

Michael L. Shuler, PhD, was the recipient of the Prizker Distinguished Lectureship Award at the 2011 BMES Annual Meeting. Click on the above headline to see the video of his keynote address.

Madrid/Boston fellowship seeks candidates

The Madrid-MIT M+Vision Consortium is seeking applicants for the M+Visión Fellowship in Translational Biomedical Imaging. The Fellowship admits 10 promising individuals (post-docs and MDs recruited globally) each year to spend time in Madrid and Boston

46 BMES members elected to AIMBE College of Fellows

Nearly 50 BMES members were elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s College of Fellows, the organization announced.

Lab-grown cartilage could help patients with damaged knees, ears and more

Technology to grow replacement cartilage in the lab could one day help patients who have damaged knees, shoulders, ears and noses.

Brown’s Webster elected AIMBE Fellow

Thomas Webster, a BMES member and an associate professor at the School of Engineering and the Department of Orthopaedics at Brown University, has been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

Va. Tech’s Rylander wins Fung Young Investigator Award

BMES member Marissa Nichole Rylander, an associate professor jointly appointed in the Virginia Tech mechanical engineering department and the Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, is the recipient of the 2012 Y.C. Fung Young Investigator Award.

Regenerated muscle tissue could help those who suffer major trauma

A team of scientists from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and CellThera, a private company located in WPI's Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center, have regenerated functional muscle tissue in mice, opening the door for a new clinical therapy to treat people who suffer major muscle trauma.

Sea cucumber inspires improved brain probe at Case Western

New brain probes developed at Case Western University could induces less scarring and enable the brain to heal faster than traditional methods, according to an article posted on Case Western’s news Website The Daily.

NIBIB solicits innovative diagnostic and therapeutic devices and technology for the underserved and disabled

A competition for undergraduate students to foster the design and development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic devices, and technologies to aid underserved populations and the disabled is being sponsored by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health

Congressman: Federal spending on research creates jobs and saves lives

Federal government funding for biomedical researcher leads to jobs and life saving technology, according to experts who gathered on Capitol Hill this week to discuss funding at institutions including the National Institutes of Health.

High-tech bandage could help save wounded soldiers in combat settings

Researchers at Virginia Common Wealth University have created a fiber mat that uses a unique material that can stop massive bleeding in a short period of time – possibly one day saving the lives of severely wounded soldiers on the frontlines of combat.

Symposia proposals for International Union of Physiological Sciences due Dec. 1

Proposals for symposia are being accepted for the International Union of Physiological Sciences 2013 meeting which will be held July 21 to 26, 2013 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham, UK. Proposals are due Dec. 1.

Carnegie Mellon biomedical engineers win Gates Foundation grant to fight malnutrition in Africa

Carnegie Mellon University’s Phil LeDuc, a professor of mechanical engineering, and Mary Beth Wilson, a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering, won a Grand Challenges Exploration award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to explore nutrition for healthy growth of infants and children in underdeveloped countries.

Technology lets people control video game with mind power

Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s biomedical engineering department unveiled a method last month that allows people to control virtual 3-D objects entirely with brainwaves, according to an article posted on mndaily.com, a university Website.

Texas A&M startup company wins innovation award

Shape Memory Therapeutics, Inc., led by Dr. Duncan Maitland, a BMES member and an associate professor in Texas A&M University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering was awarded second place for the Goradia Innovation Prize.

President’s Column: Hartford meeting continues upward trend for BMES

I am just back from the Annual Meeting in Hartford and facing a small mountain of things to catch up on that accumulated while I was away. But reflecting on the excellent meeting we had last week, it is a small price to pay.

BMES elects new officers and Board of Directors members

Dr. Gilda Barabino, Georgia Institute of Technology, was elected president of the Biomedical Engineering Society and will begin serving in her new position next year, BMES leaders announced recently at the Society’s Annual Meeting in Hartford, Conn.

Shu Chien Symposium-NSF Travel Award winners announced

The followings are Shu Chien Symposium-NSF Travel Award winners (only for graduate students), based on the ranking by the track reviewers. Yekaterina Miroshnikova, University of California, San Francisco; Wylie Ahmed University of Illinois, Urbana; Danielle Wu, The City College of New York; Andrew Holle, University of California, San Diego; Jennifer Mann, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Smart phones paired with multiple scientific disciplines can dramatically impact patient’s lives

BMES Distinguished Achievement Lecture Awardee, Dr. Roderic Pettigrew discussed how converging multiple scientific disciplines can lead to breakthroughs that can dramatically improve patient’s lives.

Conn Gov speaks at BMES Annual Meeting

Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy spoke at the BMES Annual Meeting during the first day of scientific presentations at the Hartford event.

BMES Annual Meeting is underway in Hartford

By Thomas J. Webster, Chair, BMES 2011 Annual Meeting // I hope you have decided to join us at the BMES Annual Meeting this year in Hartford, but if not, you can still keep abreast of meeting activities via a Daily Feed newsletter. For those of you coming to the meeting, be sure to attend the Welcome Reception in the Convention Center as soon as you arrive Wednesday evening.

Tissue engineer recognized by The Economist’s Innovation Awards

Robert Langer, who has enabled the creation of artificial skin now used for burn victims and patients with skin ulcers, was named this year’s winner in the category of bioscience by The Economist, as part of its annual Innovation Awards.

Tang elected American Heart Association fellow

BMES member Dalin Tang has been elected a fellow of the American Heart Association, according to a Worcester Polytechnic Institute announcement.

BMES’ Chien honored as one of nation’s top scientists and innovators

BMES Fellow and past president Dr. Shu Chien — University of California, San Diego — was named a National Medal of Science recipient by President Barack Obama, according to a White House announcement.

Questions sought for BMES Town Hall

BMES President Rick Waugh and other members of the BMES leadership team will answer questions and respond to members' input about the Society during a Town Hall meeting at the BMES Annual Meeting in Hartford.

NASA, NIA announce student engineering competition

NASA is challenging university-level students to solve space exploration challenges. The RASC-AL (Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage) contest, sponsored by NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA), seeks engineering ideas that could potentially provide solutions to issues faced by current NASA projects.

Cardiovascular Device Design Program launched at University of Rochester

The Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Surgery at the University of Rochester have launched a new, collaborative masters program in Cardiovascular Device Design, according to university officials.

Technology uses foam to replace bone

Biomedical Engineering researchers at the University of Texas San Antonio are developing a way to use polyurethane foam (similar to carpet padding) as a way to build bones. BMES member Dr. Joo Ong, the department chair at UTSA led the research.

CME credits available at BMES 2011 Annual Meeting

Continuing medical education credits (CME credits) will be offered at the 2011 BMES Annual Meeting in Hartford, Conn., Oct. 13-15. More than 50 of the scientific presentations have been approved for American Medical Association (AMA) PRA Category 1 Credit.

Ride-share bulletin board created for 2011 BMES Annual Meeting

Online bulletin board lets attendees find rides to and from the Hartford airport

An online bulletin board is available that lets attendees of the 2011 BMES Annual Meeting in Hartford, Conn. post messages about sharing rides to and from the Hartford airport.

Early-bird registration ends today for 2011 BMES Annual Meeting

Early-bird registration for the BMES 2011 Annual Meeting in Hartford, Conn. ends today—Sept. 8—at 11:59 pm. Register now to secure the lowest price; up to $285 in savings for members.

BMES Journal Update: A new approach to lung dosimetry is based on the unsteady transport of materials by diffusion as it actually occurs in the respiratory system

Assessment of inhaled vapor uptake in the lung and distribution among other organs of the body is needed to link human exposure to biological response. Since experimental studies in humans are not feasible, mechanistic models have been developed to assess the deposited dose upon inhalation.

New imaging technology helps locate dangerous arrhythmia

BMES Fellow Yoram Rudy and his fellow researchers at Washington University in St. Louis developed a new, noninvasive functional imaging technology to record data for locating the source in the heart of a dangerous cardiac arrhythmia called ventricular tachycardia.

Early-bird registration extended for 2011 BMES Annual Meeting

9 days remaining for discount

Following Hurricane Irene, BMES has extended early-bird registration for the BMES 2011 Annual Meeting in Hartford, Conn. Register for the 2011 meeting by Sept. 8 to secure the lowest price-up to $285 in savings for members.

Cardiovascular experts join U of Texas’ Computational Institute

Two recognized experts in the use of computer modeling and simulation to address heart disease and other complex health problems are joining The University of Texas at Austin’s faculty to work in the field of biomedicine.

Electrocardiogram technology can reduce mistakes and runs on smart phones

Xiaopeng Zhao, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, developed an algorithm that improves the effectiveness of electrocardiograms.

Lawrence Technological University launches BME bachelor’s degree program

Lawrence Technological University, in Southfield, Mich., is launching a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering technology this fall to meet a growing need in the healthcare sector.

Exploring Hartford beyond the BMES Annual Meeting

While it might be hard to pull yourself away from all the great presentations and networking opportunities at the BMES Annual Meeting, attendees should try and carve out a little time to experience all Hartford has to offer. We spoke to Vice Meeting Chair and University of Connecticut professor Don Peterson about what visitors can do while in Hartford.

ABME Journal Highlight: Growing human tissue using adult stem cells could ease back pain

Fiber Stretch and Reorientation Modulates Mesenchymal Stem Cell Morphology and Fibrous Gene Expression on Oriented Nanofibrous Microenvironments

Using adult stem cells and ultra-fine nanofibers, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Inje University developed lab-grown tissue that could one day be used in patients suffering from back pain associated with disc degeneration, according to an article published in the August issue of the Annals of Biomedical Engineering journal.

University of Texas engineers awarded MIPS Student Scholar Awards

University of Texas graduate students Gautam Muralidhar and Tejas Ganapathi were awarded Student Scholar Awards from the Medical Image Perception Society.

FASEB analyzes debt reduction legislation and what it means for federally funded research

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology has published an explanation of the recent debt reduction legislation passed by Congress, and what its implications may be for federally funded research.

Biomedical engineers develop liquid material that could restore damaged soft tissue

Could be used to reconstruct soldier’s faces marred by blast injuries