June 17, 2011
Bioengineering graduate student Tim Downing was the winner of this year’s “Grand Challenge” competition at the annual UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium.The Grand Challenge competition at the 12th Annual UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium offered an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to present their innovative ideas that address grand challenges in Bioengineering. The conference was held from June 13th-15th, 2011 in Santa Barbara.
This year’s grand challenges were:
- Reduction of health care cost
- Early detection of human diseases
- Immunization and prevention of diseases
- Functional imaging of cells and tissues
- Predictive modeling of cells, organs and body
- Artificial organs
- Targeted intervention of diseases
Downing, a Ph.D. student in Berkeley Bioengineering Professor Song Li’s lab, was selected for his research on “Drug-Eluting Nanofibrous Patches Demonstrate Importance of Release Kinetics in Spinal Cord Repair.” This technology shows promise for reducing health care costs for patients with spinal cord injury.
Congratulations Tim!