MIT Lincoln Laboratory visited CMU BME with a specific focus on recruiting our Master’s students in Artificial Intelligence Engineering in BME due to their unique skill set in both AI and BME. Brian Telfer from MIT Lincoln Lab discussed the value of having both AI training as well as knowledge and enthusiasm for biomedicine with our faculty.  With students, he presented the opportunities available at MIT and in the field of biomedical AI in general. We look forward to potential collaboration with MIT Lincoln Laboratory, leveraging the expertise of our students and contributing to the advancement of AI in the field of Biomedical Engineering.

Prof. Jana Kainerstorfer spoke about the increasing role of AI in the biotech industry during an October meeting of Pittsburgh’s Women in Bio chapter. As reported by the Pittsburgh Business Times, Kainerstorfer addressed some biases in data collection. She stated, 'Oftentimes, we don’t have a diverse enough dataset to train an AI algorithm effectively and demonstrate a device's efficacy.' According to the outlet, she found it mind-blowing that in 2023, pulse oximeters are less accurate for individuals with darker skin.

Prof. Carmel Majidi has been awarded the 2023 Inno Fire Award for Trailblazing Innovators from the Pittsburgh Business Times. Majidi was acknowledged for his leadership in the Soft Machines Lab at Carnegie Mellon University and his product “Thubber,” which can be used in the thermal management of semiconductors.

Prof. Bob Tilton will receive the 2024 American Chemical Society Award in Colloid Chemistry. Tilton will receive the award to recognize outstanding scientific contributions to colloid chemistry, and, specifically, “for advancing fundamental understanding of colloidal and interfacial phenomena involving compositional and structural complexity, especially multicomponent fluids and nanoscale polymer brushes with controlled architectures.”

Prof. Rosalyn Abbott has received the 2024 BMES-CMBE Rising Star Junior Faculty Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to cell and molecular bioengineering. Her research is centered on refining 3D bioprinting techniques and parameters to create cultivated meat products that emulate the properties and structures of conventional tissues. The development of cultured meat holds potential for mitigating environmental, public health, and food security challenges posed by conventional farming practices.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering was excited to host the second annual Pittsburgh meeting of the Transforming Transplant Initiative. Twenty Mayo Clinic faculty and staff members visited CMU to present their research, explore new collaborations, and brainstorm ideas to enhance the partnership between Mayo Clinic and Carnegie Mellon University.

Prof. Steve Chase recently had an interview on ESPN Radio's "The Night Talker with Trey Elling". During the interview, Prof. Chase was accompanied by his longstanding collaborator, Prof. Aaron Batista. Together, they discussed the latest advancements in their ongoing research related to choking under pressure and its application to the world of sports.

Prof. Byron Yu weighs in on the benefits of brain computer interfaces (BCI) in a BuiltIn explainer piece. “If I give you a tennis racket and you practice with it, you will get better at playing tennis. Similarly, if I give you a brain-computer interface and you practice with it, you will get better at using the brain-computer interface,” he said. “We can then study what changes in the brain while you are learning to use the device. Our findings will eventually lead to methods to help people learn everyday skills more quickly and to a higher level of proficiency.” 

Prof. Jessica Zhang has been elected chair-elect of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)’s College of Fellows. It is a high honor to be elected to such a significant position for a national organization. As chair-elect, Zhang will oversee the nomination, review, and election of new Fellows. Next year, as chair, she will be responsible for managing the development and organization of the annual event, and be a voting member of the board.

Prof. Adam Feinberg and his international colleagues have been awarded $23.6 million by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation program to develop cutting-edge regenerative therapies for heart disease. Feinberg’s contribution focuses on 3D-bioprinting a functional heart, and in total, 22 leading laboratories will be involved in the effort across 10 research institutions in four countries (Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel).

Anne Behre, a BME fourth-year Ph.D. student, received the Graduate Student Service Award from Carnegie Mellon University for her outstanding contributions in education, teaching, advising, mentoring, and service. Anne is an active member of the community who has organized events that foster connections among her department and young learners in the Pittsburgh area. Her efforts have helped to advance the professional development of graduate students from Carnegie Mellon and beyond.

Prof. Rosalyn Abbott has been awarded the NSF CAREER Award for her “CAREER: 3D Printing High Lipid Content Cultivated Meat to Minimize Livestock Environmental Impacts” project. The NSF CAREER award is one of the most prestigious awards for early-career faculty members, and receiving it is a great honor. 

In fall 2022, Prof. Rachelle Palchesko started as a teaching faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. In this role, she teaches a variety of courses focused on biomaterials, tissue engineering, and bioprinting that prepare students to become leaders in research and industry.

Congratulations to Iris Pan (BME/MechE), Allison Hunter (BME/CnemE), Chalisa (Jean) Udompanyawit (BME/ECE), Nikki Hasson (BME/MechE) for being named 2022-2023 ACS Scholars. The award recognizes undergraduate seniors who embody Carnegie Mellon University’s high standards of academic excellence, volunteerism, leadership and involvement in student organizations, athletics or the arts.

Prof. Chris Bettinger joined DARPA in August 2022 as a program manager in the Biological Technologies Office. He is broadly interested in applying bioelectronics and cellular engineering to create new technologies that monitor and improve warfighter performance.

BME Prof. Charlie Ren won the Biomedical Engineering New Innovator Award for Junior Faculty at the 48th Northeast Bioengineering Conference organized by the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. Prof. Ren’s lab works at the interface of biomaterial and stem cell engineering, with the goal of providing regenerative therapeutic solutions to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs.

CMU Professors Keith Cook (BME), Jana Kainerstorfer (BME), and Howie Choset (Robotics Institute, BME) and colleagues at Vanderbilt and Cornell have been awarded an $8.7 million dollar grant from the US Army CDMRP program to create and integrate technologies that enable artificial lungs to transition from temporary support in the ICU to permanent support at home. This will allow chronic lung disease patients to lead longer, more normal lives in which they feel comfortable engaging in every-day activities such as walking or driving.

BME/ECE Prof. Pulkit Grover was named the 2022-2023 Distinguished Lecturer for IEEE’s Information Theory Society. The Distinguished Lecturers Program was established to promote interest in information theory by supporting chapters who wish to invite prominent information theory researchers to give talks at their events. Grover plans to give talks in Asia, Africa, and various places in North and South America, supported by this program.

Prof. Charlie Ren has won an NSF CAREER Award, a prestigious 5-year grant given to junior faculty for research & education. Prof. Ren aims to advance lung tissue engineering to help patients with lung diseases and inspire therapeutics that promote lung repair & regeneration.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded Prof. Bin He a four-year, $2 million grant to develop and validate novel neuroengineering techniques to detect and image the epileptic brain. He’s research, in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, aims to gain a better understanding of epileptic networks and establish non-invasive neuroimaging techniques to localize and map epileptogenic brain regions for aiding surgical or neuromodulation treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.

Congratulations to Shweta Gudapati, a junior in the Mellon College of Science who also is pursuing a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, has received the prestigious 2022 Barry Goldwater Scholarship to encourage her pursuit of a research career. The award, given by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, recognizes second- and third-year college students intending to pursue research careers in mathematics, engineering and the natural sciences, and provides up to $7,500 for tuition, mandatory fees, books, room and board. See further details.