Biomedical Engineering Research Day celebrates innovation and research
The field of biomedical engineering is at the forefront of innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in healthcare by applying engineering principles and concepts to solve medical problems and improve the industry. To celebrate and showcase the groundbreaking research being conducted in this field, The University of Akron’s (UA) Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) hosted its 3rd Annual Biomedical Engineering Research Day on Friday, March 15, 2024.
Approximately 75 attendees, primarily comprising students and faculty, gathered at UA’s InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field. The event featured a keynote address by Dr. Anirban Sen Gupta, a UA alum and professor of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University. He shared insights into the development of synthetic platelets to address critical shortages in blood supply within clinical settings, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing healthcare challenges.
The day also showcased the excellent biomedical research being conducted not only at UA but also at other regional programs. Participants from universities included the University of Toledo, Cleveland State University, Ohio State University and the University of Chicago.
“The entire planning committee worked incredibly hard to put this together,” shared Dr. Audrey Nguyen-Rudy, biomedical engineering assistant professor of practice at UA. “It was a phenomenal way to highlight and celebrate the excellent biomedical research that we have at The University of Akron and other universities, and hopefully the beginning of greater things to come!”
In total, 39 research posters were presented with 34 from graduate students and 5 from undergraduates, 22 of which were from UA.
“The projects covered a wide variety of research including biomaterials, drug delivery, tissue engineering, biomechanics, artificial intelligence, imaging and medical devices,“ said Dr. Hossein Tavana, department chair and professor of biomedical engineering. “The event provided a platform for students to present research projects and helped initiate conversations to facilitate new collaborations. Our goal is to further develop this event into a highly visible and well attended regional research conference in the coming years.“
The posters were evaluated by a panel of experts from academia and industry comprised of Dr. Rachel Olson from UA’s Department of Biology, Dr. Weinan Xu from UA’s School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, Dr. Andrew Ditto from Gebauer Company and Dr. Gareth Morris-Stiff from InCym Biopharma.
Pictured left to right are student poster award winners Ebrahim Tajik, Rubia Shaik, Jacob Heiss, Layan Hamidi Nia and Emma Barna.
Congratulations to the following students who received awards:
Best Undergraduate Poster
- Emma Barna, third-year BME student at UA working with Dr. Ge "Christie" Zhang
"Effects of PKH67 Dye on L929 Mouse Fibroblast Cells"
Best Graduate Poster – 1st place (tie)
- Rubia Shaik, Ph.D. BME student at UA working with Dr. Ge "Christie" Zhang
"Fabrication of Injectable Granular Hydrogel using Cardiac Extracellular Matrix"
Best Graduate Poster – 1st place (tie)
- Layan Hamidi Nia, Ph.D. student at Cleveland State University (and UA BME alum)
"Encapsulation of Engineered Microbes in Hydrogel Beads for Targeted Delivery"
Best Graduate Poster – 2nd place
- Jacob Heiss, Ph.D. BME student at UA working with Dr. Hossein Tavana
"Automated Analysis of Extracellular Matrix Invasion of Cancer Cells from Tumor Spheroids"
Best Graduate Poster – 3rd place
- Ebrahim Tajik, Ph.D. BME student at UA working with Dr. Hossein Ravanbakhsh
"Synthesis of Polyglycerol Dodecanoate (PGD) for Biomedical Applications"
RELATED CONTENT:
- Learn more about our Biomedical Engineering programs.
- Check out the Annual BME Research Day website.
Story by CEPS Marketing.
Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.