Discovery and curiosity bring heart science, patient care together

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:03:00 -0400

Cardiovascular research is the perfect ground for the confluence of many disciplines. Progress depends on basic scientists and clinicians learning from one another, connecting frontline needs with advances in molecular biology and genetics.

Oral therapy shows potential to protect healthy tissue from radiation

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:16:00 -0400

The research team's goal is to develop a therapy that protects the organs most vulnerable to radiation injury while preserving radiation’s ability to treat cancer.

"Lived experience" in neurorehabilitation

The course, perspectives in neurorehabilitation by Netta Gurari, engages students with individuals who have a brain injury, their care partners, and healthcare professionals to understand the complex medical, emotional, and societal challenges involved. With funding from the Dana Foundation, the course empowers students to pursue careers that integrate technical skills with human-centered design and care.

Six students receive scholarships supporting crash safety research

Tue, 12 May 2026 10:56:00 -0400

The engineering students received 2026-27 Clay Gabler Memorial Scholarships supporting their study of transportation and crash safety, injury biomechanics, vehicle crashworthiness, automated vehicles, and aeronautical safety.

Systems neuroscientist takes a new approach to uncover neural drivers of mental illness

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:50:00 -0400

A professor with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Michael Halassa is exploring intricate connections in the brain at the new Virginia Tech Patient Research Center at VTC, where he will conduct patient-based research in a clinical setting.

Helmet Lab devises novel framework for baseball concussions by studying catchers

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:40:00 -0400

By suggesting that some concussions are a result of vibration rather than acceleration, Virginia Tech researchers believe they’ve uncovered a missing link that could lead to a revolution in helmet design, a finding they’ll present April 30 at Tech on Tap in Alexandria.

Engineering students design adaptive swim goggles for community member with brain injury

Senior Biomedical Engineering students are working with Assistant Professor Netta Gurari to develop swimming goggles for Steven Nape. Nape's love of swimming has been hindered due to his brain injury, causing too many stimuli with his vision when he swims. Audio Described Video Available: https://pro.smartplayer.video/play.php?vid=be77546f-7802-49a9-a09f-06a5e3532628

Medical student explores new noninvasive treatment for oral tumors

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:01:00 -0400

A Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine student studied histotripsy, a noninvasive ultrasound technology, as a potential treatment for oral tumors, earning a Letter of Distinction at the schools Student Research Symposium.

Rare Disease Day: Virginia Tech researchers tackle uncommon conditions

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:01:00 -0500

From gene mutations to novel therapies, scientists are translating discoveries into meaningful progress for often overlooked patients.

Meet the Virginia Tech trainees looking to break into biotech commercialization

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:22:00 -0500

From curious student to confident leader

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:38:00 -0500

Sanjay Vuttarapally’s journey through the University Libraries' Studios Network shows how hands-on learning, creative problem-solving, and student leadership can transform curiosity into confidence and shape a new vision for the future.

Drone maker's flights over people accelerated by Virginia Tech experts

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:49:00 -0500

Researchers recently helped Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer, demonstrate compliance to the Federal Aviation Administration’s rules for safe flights over people and vehicles. The San Mateo, California-based company supplies drones to customers in public safety, utilities, and national security.

Department of Biomedical Engineering launches with new name

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:30:00 -0500

The change from Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics reflects not only a more targeted academic focus, but a recommitment to advancing innovation and life-changing biomedical research.

Expert explains Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic-sized challenge skiing on torn ACL

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:10:00 -0500

Robin Queen, a Virginia Tech professor of biomedical engineering, explains that, while possible, there are several major challenges Lindsey Vonn must overcome to compete in the Olympics.

Innovation at a crossroads: Virginia Tech scientist calls for balance between research oversight and commercialization

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:30:00 -0500

As federal policymakers weigh potential changes to how biomedical research is funded and regulated in the United States, Robert Gourdie of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC highlights the importance of preserving the nation’s ability to turn discovery into life saving therapies.

Virginia Tech-developed H-FIRE treatment now offered at Equine Medical Center

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:11:00 -0500

The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg now offers H-FIRE, a revolutionary non-thermal tumor ablation procedure originally developed through Virginia Tech’s collaboration between veterinary medicine and engineering.

A legacy of hope: Buddha’s contribution to cancer research

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:11:00 -0500

Through his participation, Buddha, a 7-year-old mixed breed dog, became part of the growing knowledge on histotripsy, a legacy that may help save others in the future.

Helmet Lab releases its first ratings for youth hockey helmets

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:28:00 -0500

The lab tested 33 helmets, giving each a star rating from 0 to 5, with the latter being the top performing products.

Holiday season sees spike in impaired driving. Alcohol isn’t the only culprit, expert says

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:05:00 -0500

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, December drunken driving rates are at their highest in 15 years.

Transforming acoustic waves with a chip

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Acoustic waves can move objects like tiny hands. Zhenhua Tian’s team has devised new tools for this task in work published in Nature Communications.

College of Engineering's Major Grants Initiative to fuel large-scale, interdisciplinary research

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:28:00 -0500

Nine research teams received funding for innovative collaborations that will pave the way for large-scale, transformative research funding.

National Cancer Institute grants support study of fluid flow in deadly brain tumors

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Jennifer Munson will use the National Institutes of Health awards to build a novel map of fluid flow in the whole brain and use focused ultrasound to study the effectiveness of drug delivery to glioblastoma tumors.

Students design prosthetic foot for young swimmer

Biomedical engineering made swimming more joyful for an eight-year-old girl from Lynchburg, Virginia. Hadlee needed a long-lasting prosthetic foot that could move freely in the water and on the pool deck. Through in-depth testing, hands-on research, and help from an Olympic swimmer, the students from a senior design team in Virginia Tech’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics tackled the challenge — and developed a solution that not only advances engineering knowledge but had a powerful real-world impact on a little girl who loves everything about swimming.

Experts available: Tariffs & holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas trees, and more

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:20:00 -0500

The Virginia Tech media relations office has experts available for interviews this week surrounding issues in the news and holiday topics including tariffs and the impact on the holidays, food safety, cooking with invasive species, Christmas trees, and more. To schedule an interview, please contact mediarelations@vt.edu.

Three faculty members recognized with 2025 Jacob A. Lutz III Award for Eminent Scholars

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:15:00 -0500

Walid Saad, Joseph Eska, and Robert Gourdie, whose work spans wireless communications to Celtic linguistics to cardiac biology, were honored during the university's annual research awards ceremony, Celebrating Scholarly Excellence.

The hidden currents of the brain

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:30:00 -0400

To biomedical engineer Jennifer Munson, the liquid movements within the brain hold powerful clues about how disease takes hold — and how healing might begin.

Global Impact in Virginia Tech's Helmet Lab

From Nerf toys to fireworks to helmet testing for equestrian and even youth hockey, a wide variety of research takes place at Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab. Every test raises the bar for safety and the lab’s cutting-edge research is driving industry safety standards.

Unraveling the secrets of ‘chemo brain’

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

A new study by Jennifer Munson and Monet Roberts suggests memory problems and inability to concentrate following chemotherapy could result from poor lymphatic-system drainage in response to the cancer drugs.

Cancer researchers shape emerging strategies for immunotherapy

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:38:00 -0400

Nanotechnology, the research shows, could reprogram the immune system and help overcome tumors’ defenses, addressing the limitations of current immunotherapies, particularly in treating solid tumors.

Tom Dingus receives national trailblazer award from Governors Highway Safety Association

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 07:13:00 -0400

Dingus, the Newport News-Tenneco Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, received the James J. Howard Highway Safety Trailblazer Award in recognition of his 41 years of innovation and impact in improving roadway safety.

Human Powered Sub team takes second place at International Submarine Races

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 14:00:00 -0400

Preparation and an accelerated design cycle were key in delivering Virginia Tech’s fastest vessel since 2003.

Helmet Lab rating system expands to include construction helmets

The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is going beyond its research in head impacts from sports applications, to occupational head injuries specifically in the construction industry.

Rating system expands to include construction helmets

Known for its ratings system for sports helmets, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab turns its attention to safety helmets, finding that those with energy-absorbing materials and chin straps significantly reduce the risk of catastrophic injuries for workers.

Miguel Perez appointed head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:50:00 -0400

Bringing over 20 years of research experience and a focus on the student experience, Perez will build on the strengths of the department to expand its reach and impact.

Biomedical innovator to open Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture series in Roanoke

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:16:00 -0400

Robert Gourdie, who leads programs at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and who co-founded biotech companies in Virginia and South Carolina, will help mark the research institute’s 15th anniversary in Roanoke with insights from his groundbreaking research on Thursday, Sept. 18.

Predicting where a deadly brain cancer might go next

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:31:00 -0400

Cancer researcher Jennifer Munson describes a novel method for identifying where glioblastoma is likely to recur based on fluid moving through and near the tumor.

17 faculty members named College of Engineering Dean’s Fellows

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:55:00 -0400

The 2025 cohort will lead initiatives to grow large-scale research centers in support of the College of Engineering’s strategic plan.

Faculty receive state-funded 4-VA grants for collaborative research

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:43:00 -0400

The 13 funded projects involve partnerships with peers at universities across the commonwealth and investigate areas of strategic interest for Virginia.

From running to research: Engineering student interns at Adidas

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 15:50:00 -0400

Combining a mechanical engineering major with a biomedical engineering minor, senior John Linehan used a six-month stint with Adidas in Germany to explore the biomechanics of athletic shoes.

Dick's Sporting Goods, Helmet Lab partner for a winning combination

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:07:00 -0400

The lab’s peer-reviewed and published STAR helmet rating system is now available in all the store's retail locations.

Helmet Lab updates its rating system for football and bicycle helmets

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 08:11:00 -0400

Safety improvements to helmets led the lab to update its STAR rating system to ensure it is differentiating the most high-performing helmets.

Researchers identify why some heart rhythm drugs heighten risks when sodium levels drop

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:00:00 -0400

New research explains how low levels of the electrolyte sodium in the blood can disrupt the timing of the heartbeat in patients taking widely used rhythm-control medications such as flecainide.

Real estate company reaches new heights in drone use with Virginia Tech

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:52:00 -0400

CoStar Group Inc. recently passed the Federal Aviation Administration-approved means of compliance developed by the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership for drone operations over people. This will allow the company to use uncrewed aerial systems to capture some of its most accurate images to date.

Four things to remember as you celebrate the Fourth of July

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:49:00 -0400

From fireworks to food preparation, Virginia Tech experts offer practical advice for enjoying this week’s holiday.

Virginia Tech expert recommends a 'designated driver' for fireworks safety

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 09:45:00 -0400

Stefan Duma, University Distinguished Professor and the Harry C. Wyatt Professor of Engineering, offers tips for avoiding fireworks-related injuries this Fourth of July, including advice for not drinking and detonating.

Fireworks to avoid during July 4th

How can you stay safe while using fireworks during your Fourth of July celebration? Which fireworks are the most dangerous? How do fireworks cause eye injuries? Stefan Duma, University Distinguished Professor, the Harry C. Wyatt Professor of Engineering at Virginia Tech, demonstrates which fireworks are most likely to cause eye injuries. He explains Virginia’s firework laws and shares best practices for handling them safely. Duma, as founder of the Helmet Lab, studies all kinds of injuries. His research on eye and head injuries began with support from the Department of Defense to help protect military personnel from shrapnel. It has since expanded to include consumer products such as Nerf toys and fireworks. Curious about the Helmet Lab? Learn more below: https://bold.beam.vt.edu/BOLDLabs/HelmetLab.html

‘Every time we wait, we lose someone who might have made it’

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:32:00 -0400

For every careful step forward in cancer research, there is a patient waiting — a family holding its breath in the middle of the night. That reality was clear at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Cancer Research Symposium.

Visit from Malawi university leaders sparks new ideas for global collaboration

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:58:00 -0400

Virginia Tech and the Malawi University of Science and Technology are expanding a longtime partnership that connects students and researchers across engineering, medicine, public health, and design.

Virginia Tech student named Goldwater Scholar

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:36:00 -0400

Rising senior Lacey Ngo has been awarded a 2025 Goldwater Scholarship, a federal merit award for undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering students.

Virginia Tech researchers find promise in a new peptide drug to combat a deadly brain cancer

Fri, 30 May 2025 06:30:00 -0400

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists were able to slow glioblastoma progression in lab and animal studies by targeting treatment-resistant cancer cells.

Eight College of Engineering graduate students recognized with Torgersen research awards

Mon, 26 May 2025 08:42:00 -0400

The annual awards, which highlight innovative and impactful research, celebrated projects in robotics, combat helmets, disaster recovery, and more.

Hokies: What's next?

Virginia Tech College of Engineering class of 2025 answer questions about their time during undergrad and share their plans for what's next as they walk across the stage of Cassell Coliseum to receive their degrees. Many already have jobs lined up, industries to work in, and plans to come back home before heading off into the real world.

Hokies: Any shoutouts?

The College of Engineering's class of 2025 graduates share who helped them get to where they are today.

College of Architecture, Arts, and Design faculty tackle real-world challenges through research and creativity

Thu, 22 May 2025 08:08:00 -0400

Faculty are using college-funded research grants to develop innovative, community-focused projects that aim to improve everyday life through creative technology and collaboration.

Second cohort of Dean's Fellows advances College of Engineering strategic plan

Mon, 19 May 2025 02:28:00 -0400

Over the past year, 17 faculty members were given an inside look at how to create large-scale, transdisciplinary research centers with the potential for big impact.

Class of 2025: Casey Munk is cracking the code for biomedical engineering and mechanics

Mon, 12 May 2025 15:38:00 -0400

Casey Munk seemed destined from the start to become a Hokie engineer. Now she's combining biomedical engineering and computer science to push the frontiers of human performance.

Class of 2025: Thomas Lu named Outstanding Senior for the Bradley Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Fri, 02 May 2025 17:10:00 -0400

Thomas Lu is an expert juggler. Whether he’s flawlessly balancing his two majors and three minors with his research work at the Vlaisavljevich Research Lab, or participating in the actual juggling club he founded, Lu never lets a ball drop.

Brotherly bond sparks biomedical impact

Thomas Lu, a senior in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, is using his talents in technology to forge a path into biomedical engineering and make the world a better place for people like his brother, Gordon. Together with his research advisor, Eli Vlaisavljevich, and other classmates, Lu has developed advanced, robotically guided histotripsy systems for treating bone cancer. He shares how his family has shaped his outlook on life, how we can see ourselves in technology, and his passion for helping others.

Updated equestrian helmet ratings system adds racing and high-speed events

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:10:00 -0400

Building on previous research, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released an updated set of equestrian ratings that considers impact scenarios where the horse and rider are moving with horizontal velocity, which typically occurs in racing and cross-country events.

Pamela VandeVord named as research and scholarship director at Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:32:00 -0400

VandeVord will further the institute's interdisciplinary work by forging partnerships across disciplinary boundaries and ultimately enhancing research opportunities.

Researchers investigate low-intensity electrical pulses to help the immune system fight cancer

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0400

High-intensity electrical pulses have been medically used to destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue. But lower-intensity pulses may have a different effect — they reshape the battlefield, making tumors more vulnerable to the body’s own defenses.

National Biomechanics Day

Each April, BEAM celebrates National Biomechanics Day by inviting local high school students to campus for a day filled with hands on activities highlighting all the field of biomechanics has to offer.

‘Milestone’ discovery may unlock the true biomedical might of exosomes

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:30:00 -0400

Researchers identified a freeze-drying process to produce, warehouse, and deliver a wound-healing medicine for cancer patients, military troops, and industrial workers exposed to radiation.

Big dog, even bigger mission

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:26:00 -0400

Frida, a cane corso, lived a joyous life that was extended by treatment at the Animal Cancer Care and Research Center that may help other dogs and people live longer, fuller lives.

Virginia Tech researchers advance drone use for media group

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Media broadcast group breaks ground by becoming the first media group to meet an FAA- approved means of compliance developed by Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership’s (MAAP’s) for drone operations over people.

Experts available: St. Patrick's Day, 5 years of COVID-19, measles outbreak, astronauts return, and more

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:27:00 -0400

Researchers receive $2.17 million grant to study noninvasive treatment for traumatic brain injury symptoms

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 10:27:00 -0400

Funding from the National Institutes of Health will allow the team to investigate how a technique called cranial osteopathic manual manipulation might affect brain fluid motion and help balance the autonomic nervous system.

National Academy of Inventors names seven senior members

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Alaa Algargoosh, Anna Duraj-Thatte, Jonas Hauptman, Brook Kennedy, Guoliang "Greg" Liu, Roop Mahajan, and Danfeng "Daphne" Yao were among 162 emerging inventors from across the nation to make up the 2025 class of senior members for the National Academy of Inventors.

Building better biomaterials for cancer treatments

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Slight changes in therapeutic nanoparticles and biomaterials may one day improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients.

Experts available: Winter storms, Russia-Ukraine war, flu season, ultrasound treatments, and more

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:30:00 -0500

Virginia Tech experts are available to discuss news in the headlines, including another round of winter storms, the latest on U.S. involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, the worst flu season in more than a decade, using ultrasound technology to treat cancer, and electric cars generating lower non-exhaust emissions than their combustion counterparts.

'Curious Conversations' podcast: Eli Vlaisavljevich talks about the cancer-fighting bubbles of histotripsy

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 09:52:00 -0500

Vlaisavljevich explained the mechanics of how histotripsy, a novel ultrasound therapy for cancer treatment, works, its clinical applications, and the body's immune response to it.

Histotripsy: What is it and how does it work?

On this episode of Engineering Explains… What is histotripsy? Where is histotripsy available? What are the side effects? Is it only for the liver? Can it be used in other applications? Eli Vlaisavljevich provides his expertise on the fascinating field of non-invasive cancer therapy! While bubbles, clouds, and funny looking speakers may sound imaginary, histotripsy is the real deal. By using targeted ultrasound frequencies, it provides a friendlier alternative to the traditional radiation or surgical counterparts, creating a safe, highly precise tool for treating more than just cancer. Want to know more about what histotripsy is? See Eli's lab below: https://ultrasound-lab.beam.vt.edu/

John Robertson honored with emeritus status

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 09:47:00 -0500

A member of the Virginia Tech community for more than 34 years, Robertson made significant contributions to alleviate human and animal suffering through his work developing novel medical tests and biomedical devices

Virginia Tech students' water-sampling drone innovation takes them to Malawi and Rome

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:51:00 -0500

Traditional sampling methods require workers to wade into potentially contaminated waters. A drone does the same work much more safely.

Q&A: Researchers focus on innovative treatments for brain tumors in dogs

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:07:00 -0500

November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. With over 6 million pets diagnosed with cancer every year, Virginia Tech’s work in pet cancer research represents a critical step toward more humane and effective care.

Research experience powers relationships with historically Black colleges and universities

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:12:00 -0500

Since 2017, Virginia Tech’s Socha Lab has provided summer research experiences for students from historically Black colleges and universities.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute appoints interim directors for research centers focused on addiction recovery and health behaviors

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:24:00 -0400

A team of four researchers will continue to advance the extensive work underway at the Addiction Recovery Research Center and Center for Health Behaviors Research.

Virginia Tech leads in safety on and off the football field

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:28:00 -0400

Researchers set the tone for safety in college football with trailblazing tests on helmet covers.

Virginia Tech award supports innovation in brain cancer treatment

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Cairina Inc. co-founder Caleb Stine received a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Award that puts the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff a step closer to making its research available to surgeons and oncologists.

Helmet cover research is a game changer for Virginia Tech's football team

Virginia Tech's Helmet Lab, in collaboration with the university's football team, has been using the SAFR football helmet cover to reduce impact of collisions from game play.

'Curious Conversations' podcast: Read Montague talks about brain chemistry and neuroeconomics

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Montague talks about the role of dopamine and serotonin in learning, motivation, memory, mood, and decision-making.

Cancer researcher wants to make treatment better, more accessible

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

DaeYong Lee, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, aims to use biomaterials to improve cancer immunotherapy and reduce disparities in treatment outcomes.

Team of scientists awarded prize for biomedical research innovation

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

A multi-university team including Jennifer Munson of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute earned a Complement Animal Research in Experimentation Challenge prize with a proposal for a novel platform for studying and treating neuro-immune infections including the flu, COVID-19, potential biothreats, and conditions such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and brain cancer.

New home for engineering mechanics program creates abundant opportunities for faculty, students

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 14:48:00 -0400

Within the College of Engineering, 14 faculty and eight staff members changed their home to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective July 1.

Physician-scientist to spearhead focused ultrasound research for pediatric brain tumors at Virginia Tech

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Cheng-Chia "Fred" Wu joins forces with Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and Children’s National Brain Tumor Institute to help children with cancer.

John Chappell to direct Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Building on a decade of growth, the interdisciplinary research program prepares graduates for impactful careers in a dynamic biomedical landscape.

Collaborative project aims to improve quality of life for rescued canine

Zeke Jennette is a second-year veterinary student in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. While seeking assistance with creating a prosthetic device for Holly, a rescue dog, Jennette found e-NABLE at Virginia Tech, a charitable, design-based student organization sponsored by Virginia Tech's Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics program.

Researchers develop 'organ on a chip' for better drug testing

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:55:00 -0400

$2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health made it possible to 3D-print synthetic models, which mimic part of the human brain and could replace the use of animals in developing treatments. 

Director named for Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Cancer Research Center

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 09:53:00 -0400

An accomplished biomedical engineer who studies the biophysical setting of brain cancer has been named director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s Cancer Research Center in Roanoke

Virginia Tech Helmet Lab expands beyond sports to develop ratings system for safety helmets

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 11:00:00 -0400

The 18-month project marks the first time the Helmet Lab will extend its impact by developing a ratings system to evaluate a non-sports helmet.

Academy of Data Science Discovery Fund makes awards to six interdisciplinary research projects

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:26:00 -0400

The projects supported in this year’s awards focus on the use of data science methods in the fields of chemistry, computer science, forest health, mathematics, psychology, public health, social sciences, and statistics.

Focused ultrasound makes movements on the stage

The arts and science has been a passion for Shima Shahab since childhood. Since 2018, Shahab has been working with Billie Lepczyk in the School of Performing Arts using dance to help better visualize complex engineering concepts. In this collaboration, dancers represent the movement of particles in an acoustic hologram forming the shape of an eagle.

Focused Ultrasound Foundation names Virginia Tech as a Center of Excellence

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:01:00 -0400

Virginia Tech becomes the sixth Focused Ultrasound Center of Excellence in the United States and one of only 12 in the world.

Researching how stroke affects sense of touch

Ph.D. students, Anna Feldbush and Nahid Kalantaryardebily, in Netta Gurari's Robotics and Sensorimotor Control Laboratory are developing a diagnostic system to track how touch stimuli at the fingertip reach the brain. They are learning how stroke affects the nervous system and, in turn, causes movement dysfunction due to lost sensation. This work is supported by the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science at Virginia Tech and National Institutes of Health.

Six outstanding alumni inducted into Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence

Wed, 22 May 2024 13:24:00 -0400

The academy welcomed its newest class in May and brought its total membership to 185 alumni who have achieved exceptional career successes.

Dogs play a key role in veterinary college’s brain cancer trial

Tue, 21 May 2024 12:10:00 -0400

A collaborative study explores an innovative therapy called histotripsy, harnessing the power of focused ultrasound to break down tumors with precision.

Class of 2024: Sarah Scheerer named Outstanding Senior for Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Thu, 09 May 2024 14:23:00 -0400

Alumni foster academic advancement through the Moraco Challenge

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 08:21:00 -0400

By increasing the College of Engineering’s endowment, donors support junior faculty and graduate student research with immediate access to funding.

Innovation, entrepreneurship, and service celebrated

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:34:00 -0400

Virginia Tech celebrated faculty-led accomplishments in innovation, entrepreneurship, and service at the annual Celebrating Innovation event, held at the South End Zone Club in Lane Stadium.

Tom Dingus recognized with the SAE International Humanitarian Award

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 10:17:00 -0400

The award recognizes work with undeniably positive impact on safety in transportation in honor of Arnold W. Siegel, an automobile safety pioneer.

FAA approves Virginia Tech’s updated test method for drones to fly over people

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:38:00 -0400

A new means of compliance developed by Virginia Tech's Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership allows the use of parachutes when assessing potential failure modes.

'Curious Conversations' podcast: Stefan Duma talks about the impact of the Helmet Lab

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:58:00 -0400

Duma shared how a military research conference led him to study helmets as well as the critical role the lab’s relationships with the Virginia Tech football and sports medicine programs have played in advancing its pioneering research.

Jennifer Munson to be inducted into American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:00:00 -0400

Munson, a biomedical engineer and associate professor of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, joins a group of the nation’s top biological and medical engineers.

Investigators collaborate to enrich undergraduate research experiences at Virginia Tech

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 09:11:00 -0400

David Schmale and Shane Ross teamed up with faculty at three minority-serving institutions to offer more students impactful, hands-on undergraduate research experiences.

Experiential learning in brain injury rehabilitation

Netta Gurari, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, is the primary instructor for a course that immerses students into the life and web of care for individuals with a brain injury. This immersive experience, facilitated by Brain Injury Solutions and Carilion Clinic, allows students to meet people with brain injuries and engage with the framework of support they require in their daily lives. Gurari and Radford University Assistant Professor, Kevin Parcetich, co-teach this experiential learning course with support from an Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment grant.

Monet Roberts receives inaugural Henrietta Lacks Legacy award

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 12:34:00 -0500

Roberts, assistant professor in the College of Engineering, is honored during Black History Month for her contributions to research and community.

Histotripsy lab creates meaningful sound for local artist

Katherine Nies came to campus to record the unique sounds from Eli Vlaisavljevich's Therapeutic Ultrasound and Non-Invasive Therapies Laboratory. Nies along with her Producer Orion Redwolf are using the recordings on her new song "Sweet Blue". The song was written about her brother Ryan, who passed away from cancer, and the recording took place on what would have been his 40th birthday.

Data visualization aids Virginia Tech cancer researcher’s quest for better brain tumor treatment

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Jennifer Munson, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, shared her data on fluid flow in brain tumors with Virginia Tech’s Visionarium, which created 3D visualizations that allow new insights by Munson and her team.

Innovative screening can detect 'cancer fingerprint' in dogs

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:13:00 -0500

Using a unique urinalysis technique, researchers at Virginia Tech have created a simple, noninvasive, rapid screen to detect the presence of cancer in dogs.

Jennifer Wayne receives American Society of Mechanical Engineers Dedicated Service Award

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:48:00 -0500

Wayne, a Virginia Tech alumna and professor with the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, received the award for her contributions to the society's bioengineering division and her dedication to the organization.

Eileen Herbers named among top transportation students in the country

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 11:01:00 -0500

A fifth-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech, Herbers, was named the Student of the Year for the Safe-D: Safety through Disruption University Transportation Center.

2023 marks a year of firsts for Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500

The interdisciplinary program saw its first student assigned full-time to a Fralin Biomedical Research Institute lab in Washington, D.C., its first students from Nepal and Ghana in an internationally diverse incoming cohort, and its first student to be awarded a prestigious grant for future physician-scientists.

Biomedical innovations shine in high-stakes Hokie Pitch event

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Graduate students present innovative solutions in respiratory care, pediatric heart interventions, and neurological disorder monitoring at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute's event.

Virginia Tech faculty inducted as Biomedical Engineering Society fellows

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Fellows are nominated by their peers and selected by a panel based on their professional achievements and contributions to the biomedical engineering community.

Boiled bubbles jump to carry more heat

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:09:00 -0500

Bubbles are an optimal way to carry heat, and Jonathan Boreyko's team has engineered a surface that makes them jump to carry even more.

Researchers secure $2 million grant to develop airborne pathogen-monitoring technology

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:45:00 -0500

With the funding, Bahareh Behkam and her team will use the funding to develop engineered living systems for indoor air monitoring.

Engineering alumna and Navy surgeon conquers chaos with a focus on the basics

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:55:00 -0500

College of Engineering and Virginia Tech Rescue Squad alumna Cmdr. Stacy Coulthard ’02 is a Navy surgeon and fellow in trauma and surgical critical care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

Experts available: Government shutdown looming, winter weather outlook, holiday travel, and more

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:52:00 -0500

The Virginia Tech media relations office has the following experts available for interviews this week surrounding issues in the news. To schedule an interview, please contact mediarelations@vt.edu.

'Curious Conversations' podcast: Roop Mahajan talks about the power of international collaborations

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:08:00 -0500

Mahajan joined the podcast to chat about the value of international collaborations to research and innovation as well as how they’ve contributed to his work advancing the “wonder material” graphene.

Pioneering histotripsy device receives FDA clearance to treat liver cancer

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 09:56:00 -0500

The cutting-edge medical device and its technology were developed in part by Kendall and Laura Hendrick Junior Faculty Fellow Eli Vlaisavljevich.

Virginia Tech’s global impact: Dropping in on Hokies studying and working around the world

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 12:29:00 -0500

On any given day, in every corner of the world, Virginia Tech students, faculty, staff, and alumni are making a profound impact. As the university celebrates International Education Week, we check in with some of those Hokies embodying the university’s commitment to international education and engagement.

Biomechanical industry researchers tour Virginia Tech labs

Representatives from the Joe Gibbs Human Performance Institute toured several of Virginia Tech's research facilities and biomechanical labs in preparation of completing their own facility in North Carolina in 2024. They met with students to talk about recruiting top talent from Virginia Tech for internships once the facility is complete.

Graduate students vie for top prizes in science fair with a twist

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:56:00 -0400

Elementary students judged Virginia Tech graduate students' research presentations at the Flip the Fair event held at the Melrose Branch Library in Roanoke.

College of Engineering selects inaugural Dean's Fellows cohort

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:06:00 -0400

The new program will help faculty and staff from across the college better understand how to take a project from ideation through implementation, and the first cohort will concentrate on graduate education, offering support to the college’s PROTEGE initiative.

A science fair with a twist

The second annual Flip the Fair brought graduate students to the Melrose Branch Library in Roanoke to present their research to elementary schoolers, who then critiqued the researchers' poster board presentations.

Translational Plant Sciences Center sows seeds for new research

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 14:48:00 -0400

The center recently awarded four projects seed grants of up to $10,000 a year for up to two years to support the development of innovative research leading to extramural support.

Jake Grohs named interim director of Center for Educational Networks and Impacts

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:48:00 -0400

In the position, Grohs will bring his experience facilitating collaboration between Virginia Tech researchers, schools, and industries in Southwest Virginia communities to help the center, part of the Institute of Creativity, Arts, and Technology, evolve to its next level.

Robin Queen named L. Preston Wade Professor of Engineering

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 14:45:00 -0400

A member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2015, Queen’s research has shaped the understanding of how joint implants alter the way patients completed everyday activities such as walking and climbing stairs and has changed our understanding of the benefits and limitations of orthopaedic surgical interventions.

A transcontinental collaboration for women’s health

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 09:59:00 -0400

Faculty and students at Virginia Tech and in Malawi, Africa, are working together to fight breast and cervical cancer by using technology and cost-saving creativity to improve women’s health care in the low-income country.

Landmark $50 million gift to dramatically expand health sciences research at Virginia Tech

The Richmond, Virginia-based Red Gates Foundation recently committed $50 million to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC to accelerate health sciences research at Virginia Tech. The gift is among the largest ever made to the university. https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/09/fbri-gift.html

Landmark $50 million gift to dramatically expand health sciences research at Virginia Tech

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 03:47:00 -0400

The Richmond-based Red Gates Foundation committed $50 million to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC to accelerate health sciences research at Virginia Tech. The gift is among the largest ever made to the university.

Stefan Duma named interim head for Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 09:17:00 -0400

A member of the university for over two decades, Duma founded the Helmet Lab and currently serves as director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Sciences.

Virginia Tech is fertile ground for a new rural environmental health training program

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:20:00 -0400

A $500,000 institutional research training grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will support Virginia Tech’s new Rural Environmental Health Ph.D. Fellowship Program by providing a two-year assistantship for six qualifying graduate students during the next five years.

Virginia Tech outlines ambitious strategy to spearhead cancer research and elevate university's global standing

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0400

The university is mustering its scientists and engineers behind a new strategy to help families who are struggling with cancer, a disease that occurs in almost 2 million people and claims more than 600,000 lives annually in the United States.

Fundamental understanding of a molecule‘s normal function could inform treatments for a variety of disorders

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 10:37:00 -0400

A team of investigators in John Chappell’s lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC made a discovery that could inform new therapies.

Fundamental understanding of a molecule‘s normal function could inform treatments for a variety of brain disorders

A team of investigators in John Chappell’s lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC made a discovery that could inform new therapies.

Researchers find institutions with strong engineering operations are more efficient in producing patents

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:23:00 -0400

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine alumnus and Fralin Biomedical Research Institute inventor create a tool to analyze patenting efficiency as a metric for moving health discoveries from lab bench to patient bedside.

In battle against pancreatic cancer, grant-funded H-FIRE study offers hope

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:49:00 -0400

The National Institutes of Health has awarded $2.6 million to a Virginia Tech team over five years for a study of High Frequency Irreversible Electroporation (H-FIRE) for tumor ablation and immune system activation in cases of pancreatic cancer.

In memoriam: J. Wallace ‘Wally’ Grant, Kevin P. Granata Faculty Fellow Emeritus of Engineering Science and Mechanics

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Grant, a committed educator, dedicated researcher, and beloved peer and mentor, played an integral role in establishing the School of Biomedical Engineering Sciences, currently in its 20th year.

Future bioengineers get a head start on the fall semester

The VT-ESTEEMED program is providing educational opportunities that inspire students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue advanced studies and careers in research. The program activities begin the summer preceding the freshman year and extend through the summer following the sophomore year of undergraduate studies.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff Cairina Inc. translates science into improved cancer treatments

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:46:00 -0400

The company recently received support from Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties to help commercialize better tools for surgeons and oncologists.

Doctoral student’s goal is to better understand the abrupt changes taking place in the brain’s blood vessels

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:54:00 -0400

A biomedical scholar, physician, and mother of three wins a prestigious award to support her stroke research.

Eli Vlaisavljevich named Kendall and Laura Hendrick Junior Faculty Fellow

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:23:00 -0400

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 2017, Vlaisavljevich’s research and scholarship focuses on developing histotripsy as a noninvasive, high precision, and image-guided cancer ablation method.

Common challenge, different strategies: Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance gathers broad mix of researchers and clinicians

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:44:00 -0400

The second annual Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance retreat, hosted this year on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, brought together scientists and physicians on the leading edge of developing innovative therapy types, fresh biological targets, and new technologies to take on cancer.

Lymphedema Wearable Device Project proves to be a winning collaboration

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:03:00 -0400

Developed by undergraduate students from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in collaboration with Carilion Clinic’s Innovation team, the device offers patients an in-home treatment option that prioritizes flexibility and quality of life.

Biomedical engineering and mechanics' Stefan Duma honored as University Distinguished Professor

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 12:34:00 -0400

Duma has dedicated his career to defining the fundamental engineering processes that unfold in bones and tissues when they’re damaged. As an internationally renowned expert in injury biomechanics, Duma has dedicated his career to preventing injuries by understanding how and why they happen.

Research programs help researchers leap higher

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:19:00 -0400

The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative’s Cybersecurity Research Engagement Program seeds research efforts at the intersection of data, autonomy, and security.

Cancer researchers team up against deadliest brain tumors in children

Experts from Children's National, Virginia Tech, and Columbia University join forces to explore new tactics to fight lethal childhood brain cancer.

Cancer researchers team up against deadliest brain tumors in children

Fri, 19 May 2023 06:47:00 -0400

Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance innovators with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the College of Engineering have joined a Children’s National Hospital-led effort to treat deadly brain tumors with ultrahigh frequency sound waves.

‘Stimulants are coming back’: Addiction scientists seek to better understand cocaine use disorder

Sun, 14 May 2023 00:01:00 -0400

Warren Bickel and Stephen LaConte at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute hope the study will inform demand and cravings for a substance involved in nearly one in five overdose deaths

Class of 2023: Taylor Geiman will 'always be a Hokie'

Tue, 09 May 2023 14:27:00 -0400

In between games, practices and the constant stresses of being a Division I student-athlete, Geiman found time to complete coursework for her biomedical engineering major.

Virginia Tech graduate students awarded 2023 Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science fellowships

Fri, 05 May 2023 08:10:00 -0400

Students in the Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science fellowship spend the summer working in state agencies or with elected officials, practicing the policy research, writing, and communications skills they may use in their careers

Medical student completes groundbreaking research on use of histotripsy in treatment of brain tumors

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Maya Langman facilitated the first-ever histotripsy brain tumor ablation in a clinical patient. “The two things we want to prove are that this procedure is safe and effective. There is so much promise with this therapy.”

Tom Dingus earns federal award for excellence in safety engineering

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 09:53:00 -0500

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration award honors researchers who have made exceptional contributions to engineering and public service.

Seed funding jump-starts 20 transdisciplinary projects

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 11:31:00 -0500

Small grants from the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science lay the groundwork for big success stories.

Robert Gourdie named senior member of the National Academy of Inventors

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:19:00 -0500

For the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC professor, thinking about important questions leads to innovations that can improve lives.

A legacy of inventors

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 12:47:00 -0500

Home to a number of serial inventors with nearly 1,000 inventions under active management in wide ranging areas of science and technology, Virginia Tech is making major contributions to the innovation ecosystem.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist to chair premier cancer conference

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 13:26:00 -0500

Jennifer Munson, a biomedical engineer and cancer researcher, was elected by her peers to co-chair the Physical Science of Cancer Gordon Research Conference in Galveston, Texas, Feb. 5 to 10

Why some of Virginia Tech’s most popular courses are online

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 15:38:00 -0500

As undergrads craving flexibility gravitate toward online learning options, a few Virginia Tech classes have expanded to enroll thousands of students.

Simulating self-driving security

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 10:37:00 -0500

Commonwealth Cyber Initiative researchers are developing and commercializing a virtual library of real-world driving incidents to simulate and test automated driving technology.

Eli Vlaisavljevich receives Virginia’s highest faculty honor

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Vlaisavljevich, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, was recognized with an Outstanding Faculty Award in the Rising Star category by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Biomedical innovations take stage during 'Shark Tank’-style pitch competition

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 11:56:00 -0500

Students dig deep into innovation during 2022 Health Sciences and Technology Hokie Pitch at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.

Rafael Davalos elected fellow of National Academy of Inventors

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 06:38:00 -0500

Davalos, who directs the Center for Engineered Health, has made significant contributions to the fields of cancer detection and treatment using advanced electroporation, biotransport, and dielectrophoresis.

GO Virginia grant to bolster next-generation transportation, manufacturing workforce

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 00:01:00 -0500

Building on a Virginia Tech-led coalition of more than 150 public, private, and nonprofit organizations, the project will develop educational and training programs for workers to strengthen a talent pipeline for Southwest Virginia’s manufacturing, transportation, and autonomous vehicles sector.

Using eye-tracking technology to study athlete head impacts

Graduate student Ryan McNeill is using eye-tracking technology and pupillometry to assess clinical eye measurements across Virginia Tech athletes. The project is primarily focused on soccer players and studying how their frequent head impacts compare to concussions.

Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings expand to include equestrians

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 11:42:00 -0500

After two years of research, the Virginia Tech's nationally renowned helmet lab has released ratings for equestrian sports — which are responsible for more emergency room visits for head injury than any sport in the U.S.

Students take a semester project beyond the classroom to a safety technology design competition

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 15:28:00 -0500

Students enrolled in the Advanced Vehicle Research and Development course created a technology that alerts drivers when they are in the blind spot of a tractor-trailer.

Virginia Tech achievers receive top Southwest Virginia Business Hall of Fame honors

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 11:44:00 -0500

Business leader Sandra Davis and Virginia Tech Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology and neuroscientist Michael Friedlander were inducted as 2022 laureates of the Southwest Virginia Business Hall of Fame. In addition, Robert Gourdie, a heart reparative medicine scientist, accepted the organization's 2022 Entrepreneur Award.

Saad Ragab honored with emeritus status

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1984, Saad Ragab made significant contributions to the field of fluid mechanics with specific applications to turbulence, hydrodynamic stability, aerodynamics, and computational analyses.

Cycling for safety: Olympians visit Virginia Tech

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:05:00 -0500

While visiting the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the cyclists went for a bike ride around the Virginia Smart Roads, experiencing firsthand the capabilities available to researchers increasing cyclist safety.

First drone passes Virginia Tech’s test for safe flights over people under FAA rule

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 08:20:00 -0400

The approval is the latest win in the long collaboration between Virginia Tech's drone test site and the College of Engineering to investigate the risks of drone-human impacts.

Virginia Tech researchers discover how bacteria make pancreatic cancer cells grow and move

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 14:02:00 -0400

Pancreatic cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Several characteristics make the disease difficult to treat, including its ability to suppress the immune system and its complex location and structure, which complicate surgery and chemotherapy delivery.

Engineering for the real world

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 12:17:00 -0400

Launched this fall as an approved course and led by David Gray of engineering education, the Interdisciplinary Capstone is designed to bring together students from across the College of Engineering.

Finish up to start-up: Biomedical engineering alumna applies degree as vice president of local company

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 10:52:00 -0400

CytoRecovery, a local start-up co-founded by Rafael Davalos, the L. Preston Wade professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics, and Leo Harris, alumnus of Virginia Tech, has expanded its patented methods due to Alex Hyler's efforts.

Ratings for whitewater helmets help protect adventure-seeking athletes

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 09:08:00 -0400

For the millions of Americans who climb into whitewater rafts and canoes every year, helmets are nonnegotiable equipment. Which ones will protect their heads from close encounters with rocky rapids? Virginia Tech engineers have the answers.

Bioinspiration: Applying nature’s solutions to complex engineering problems

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:10:00 -0400

Anne Staples, associate professor in Virginia Tech's Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, was one of the first researchers to use computational methods to study ocean flows through coral branches.

New study may inform chemotherapy approaches for breast cancer

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 07:36:00 -0400

In a first-of-its-kind finding, Virginia Tech researchers have found platinum-based chemotherapy drugs may activate a breast cancer patient’s lymphatic system and affect how tumor cells spread. But the drugs might be made more effective if the changes to the lymphatic system can be blocked or even reversed by an additional therapy.

Virginia Tech researcher’s 3D model of brain tumor environment could aid personalized treatment

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 10:14:00 -0400

Scientists have developed a novel 3D tissue-engineered model of the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment that can be used to learn why the tumors return and what treatments will be most effective at eradicating them – right down to a patient-specific level.

Publication by interdisciplinary team sheds light on interventions to prevent re-injury in athletes

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 10:23:00 -0400

Robin Queen, Virginia Tech colleagues, and collaborators with Carilion Clinic Orthopaedic Surgery, looked at the effectiveness of a novel biofeedback intervention to improve landing mechanics in patients following ACL reconstruction.

Biomechanics researcher uses artificial intelligence to detect injuries and improve treatment

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 10:47:00 -0400

Vincent Wang conducts research in biomechanics, specifically related to musculoskeletal injuries. He knew early on he wanted to incorporate artificial intelligence into his research, so he pursued collaborations with experts in other fields.

Blasts and gaps: How a biomedical engineering doctoral student is solving gaps in treatment for blast-induced neurotrauma

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 10:35:00 -0400

After enduring head trauma as a teenager and going through a challenging recovery, Carly Norris knew she wanted to help address others with similar issues. Now, through her research in the Traumatic Nerve Technologies Lab, she examines each of the brain’s regions to determine which are more susceptible to blast-induced neurotrauma.

Six faculty win seed funding for new projects

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 07:07:00 -0400

The Junior Faculty Program from the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science is one example of ways the university's investment institutes help build new research programs and nurture collaboration.

So long, Roanoke; get ready, Denmark, for the 2024 Precision Neuroscience conference

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:37:00 -0400

Researchers, clinicians, and students from four countries recently worked side-by-side for three days in Roanoke, sharing ideas to help the nearly 1 billion people worldwide coping with brain disorders.

Through their stories, graduate students relay importance of research to university mission

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 10:59:00 -0400

Last week at the Board of Visitors’ Academic, Research, and Student Affairs Committee meeting, members heard about the significant role graduate students have in the university’s research mission.

Scholar award helps doctoral student advance cancer treatment while enhancing representation

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 07:31:00 -0400

Sabrina Campelo, a doctoral student in the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences program, will continue her innovative work in translational cancer research with the help of the nonprofit Philanthropic Educational Organization Scholar Award for the 2022-23 academic year.

Long-standing partnership provides student research fellowships

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 07:10:00 -0400

Since 1990, the Virginia Space Consortium has provided 475 scholarship and fellowship awards totaling $2.1 million to Virginia Tech undergraduate and graduate student researchers, intended to supplement and enhance research support.

BioTech Couture Merges Engineering and Art through Bio Sensor Dress Design

BioTech Couture is made up of two Biomedical Engineering students and two Industrial Design students. The team merged their love for fashion with their passion for engineering and design. The outcome is a highly immersive fashion show which features dresses that visualize data such as the models brainwaves, heart rate and respiration.

College of Science students win Beckman Scholarships for collaborative research projects

Wed, 25 May 2022 10:21:00 -0400

Three Virginia Tech students were awarded scholarships from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. They are Camille Bridgewater, double majoring in chemistry and physics; Sera Choi, a biological sciences major; and Nikki Keith, double majoring in biological sciences and clinical neuroscience.

How much is too much? Researchers receive grant to study brain cells after trauma

Wed, 25 May 2022 09:32:00 -0400

Researchers Pamela VandeVord and Scott Verbridge of Virginia Tech's Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics will use 3D gels, rather than flat, 2D models, to gain a more precise understanding of how brain cells respond to trauma such as blunt impacts from car crashes or blasts.

Scientists detect deadly arrhythmia trifecta: Salt, swelling, and leaky sodium channels

Tue, 24 May 2022 08:47:00 -0400

Cardiovascular researchers led by Steven Poelzing at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have published a new study describing how deadly arrhythmias arise from elevated sodium levels, heart tissue irritation and swelling, and sodium channel abnormalities associated with Long QT syndrome.

H. Clay Gabler III posthumously awarded the Kenneth A. Stonex Roadside Safety award

Tue, 17 May 2022 10:20:00 -0400

The award from the Committee on Roadside Safety Design recognizes outstanding contributions to improving highway and roadside safety. Gabler, who passed away on Jan. 11, 2021, was a professor and chair of the undergraduate biomedical engineering program and a leading researcher at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute-affiliated Center for Injury Biomechanics.

New data revealed about the origin of the circulatory system during development

Tue, 17 May 2022 10:15:00 -0400

Researchers are closer to understanding the earliest beginnings of the circulatory system during embryonic development. The discovery could lead to ways to repair damage in the human body after a stroke or heart attack.

Class of 2022: Mariam Hasan named Outstanding Senior for the Honors College

Tue, 10 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Hasan’s extensive undergraduate student pursuits exemplify transdisciplinary collaboration, social responsibility, and experiential learning, which are core values of the Honors College.

Class of 2022: Biomedical engineering student blends research experience with a service-minded outlook

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 08:17:00 -0400

Justin Laiti is graduating this spring with the first cohort of biomedical engineering majors in the College of Engineering. As a student, he quickly discovered the service component of his field of study.

First cohort of Virginia Tech undergraduate biomedical engineers set to graduate this spring

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 10:14:00 -0400

According to U.S. News and World Report, there are 175 schools in the United States with a biomedical engineering major. Virginia Tech’s program sets itself apart from others with its emphasis on foundational mechanics.

Virginia Tech celebrates its inventors

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 12:44:00 -0400

The Virginia Tech inventions highlighted span a wide array of technology areas, including those related to vaccine development, cyber solutions, communications and advanced manufacturing technologies, and antimicrobial films that suppress the transmission of deadly diseases.

NIH grant will fund graduate student’s study of human brain activity in alcohol use disorder

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 08:32:00 -0400

Jeremy Myslowski, a doctoral student working in the lab of Stephen LaConte at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will use the award to study new ways to quantify severity of alcohol use disorder with neuroimaging and to test whether this disorder also impairs brain regulation.

Linda Dahlgren awarded the 2021 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 09:28:00 -0400

The award recognizes her work in comparative musculoskeletal research investigating regenerative medicine therapies for tendon, ligament, and joint disease in horses and the translation of these findings to human medicine.

Jennifer S. Wayne elected chair of AIMBE Academic Council

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Wayne, professor and department head of Virginia Tech’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in the College of Engineering, has substantially contributed to the fields throughout her career, with a focus on experimental and computational simulation of musculoskeletal function.

Robert Gourdie elected fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:29:00 -0400

Robert Gourdie, a cardiovascular scientist, biomedical engineer, and professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has been named to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows.

Shima Shahab receives NSF CAREER Award to develop innovative methods for delivering ultrasound treatments

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 07:53:00 -0400

Shahab, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has worked with her team to develop focused ultrasound as an effective tool for treating issues within the brain.

Meet the 2022 Bouchet Honor Society scholars at a celebratory tea

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 07:28:00 -0400

Virginia Tech is one of 19 university partners with Bouchet Society chapters across the nation. Each year, the Graduate School receives nominations for membership in the society, and a selection committee chooses five for induction.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC researcher is Virginia Tech’s first NIH Outstanding Investigator Award recipient

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 10:33:00 -0500

Robert Gourdie, the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund Eminent Scholar in Heart Reparative Medicine Research and director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Vascular and Heart Research, received a $6.4 million R35 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Rare disease research gives families hope, ‘vital’ to advancing medicine

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 10:01:00 -0500

Rare diseases afflict 300 million people worldwide. Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC researchers are bridging a gap in scientific knowledge by studying some of the diseases that together add up to a formidable public health challenge. Feb. 28 marks the 14th international Rare Disease Day.

Robin Queen elected fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 13:14:00 -0500

The College of Fellows – which honors the top 2 percent of medical and biological engineers in the country – consists of 1,500 individuals who are outstanding leaders, engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the field.

Virginia Tech Helmet Lab takes on snow sports

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:30:00 -0500

Helmets are much more common in skiing and snowboarding than they used to be. But which ones are most effective? The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has the answers.

Student's art exhibit uses data to help illustrate racial health disparities

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 10:37:00 -0500

Senior Mariam Hasan has created a new data-driven art exhibition at the Armory that takes the audience on a journey through the racial inequalities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the social conditions which have caused them.

John Robertson named senior member of the National Academy of Inventors

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:35:00 -0500

As part of the Cancer Engineering Team, Robertson and colleagues have developed the use of energy-based therapies for treating previously untreatable cancers, such as brain and liver tumors.

Inventor spotlight: John Robertson, research professor of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 07:12:00 -0500

As a renowned translational medical scientist, Robertson develops medical technologies to improve detection and treatment of cancer and organ failure diseases.

Inventor spotlight: Rafael Davalos, L. Preston Wade Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 06:54:00 -0500

Cancer researcher, inventor, and entrepreneur, Davalos brings organs-on-chip, precision medicine, and cancer therapy technologies from bench to market.

Transportation award for a first-generation Hokie could improve medical response training for vehicle collisions and save lives

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 09:50:00 -0500

Jacob Valente, third-year doctoral student in the Virginia Tech–Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences program, received the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Award. For more than 30 years, this award – given by the Federal Highway Administration – benefits the nation’s brightest minds in the field of transportation.

Biomedical engineering and mechanics professor aims to improve gender affirming surgery through research

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 09:48:00 -0500

Raffaella De Vita, professor and associate department head in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in the College of Engineering, has been awarded a National Science Foundation award to study the biomechanics of gender affirming surgery.

Scientists at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute develop new strategy for brain cancer treatment

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 07:52:00 -0500

In a new study published in Oncogenesis, Zhi Sheng and Rob Gourdie of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC describe how two protein-targeting drugs – when combined with chemotherapy – yield synergistic cytotoxicity to treatment-resistant glioblastoma.

Virginia Tech, Temple University scientists awarded grant to research lipedema, an under-studied disease of fat tissues

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:06:00 -0500

Jennifer Munson, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and Evangelia Bellas, assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Temple University, were recently awarded $250,000 by the Lipedema Foundation to research causes and treatments for lipedema, an often painful disease characterized by a build-up of fat tissue in the limbs.

Virginia Tech Transportation Institute research students accepted into the Dwight Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:50:00 -0500

The Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program, funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, advances the transportation workforce by helping to attract the nation's brightest minds to the field of transportation, encouraging future transportation professionals to seek advanced degrees, and helping to retain top talent in the U.S. transportation industry.

Alumnus and engineer collaborate on 3D printing to advance microfluidic systems

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 05:49:00 -0500

A collaborative project to 3D-print medical devices that was made possible by Virginia Tech’s network of trailblazers could open doors to bioinnovation now that it has received federal funding.

Test methods for drones help put a crucial rule for safe flights over people into practice

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 09:24:00 -0500

Rules unveiled by the FAA at the end of last year promised to dramatically simplify the process of seeking permission for drone operations. Virginia Tech's test methods mean that drone companies now have a way to comply with them.

Biomedical innovations take center stage during 'Shark Tank'-style pitch competition on HS&T campus

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 09:38:00 -0500

The competition involved students from the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health graduate program, who selected intellectual property, worked with real-world business mentors, and created an entrepreneurial plan to develop and commercialize biomedical discoveries.

Class of 2021: Engineering graduate ready to launch thanks to applied learning

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 14:50:00 -0500

Zach Kozar, a graduating senior in biomedical engineering and mechanics, said he chose Virginia Tech for its highly reputable engineering program. He credits the university with launching him toward his dream.

Seed investments set young ideas on the path to becoming fully fledged — and funded — projects

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 09:44:00 -0500

Ten faculty members have won funding that will give them the resources to pursue new ideas for collaborative projects.

The miraculous, imperfect mechanics of pregnancy

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 07:43:00 -0500

Raffaella De Vita's STRETCH Lab studies pregnancy's constant remodeling of reproductive organs and structures — and how those biomechanical changes may contribute to injuries and disorders that affect millions of women.

In memoriam: Robert Heller, professor emeritus of biomedical engineering and mechanics

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 09:18:00 -0500

Heller joined Virginia Tech’s faculty in 1967 and taught for three decades until his retirement. He served as the J. Frank Maher professor emeritus during his time at the university.

Shima Shahab receives NSF EAGER award to study acoustic holograms

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 08:13:00 -0500

Shahab, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Multiphysics Intelligent and Dynamical Systems Laboratory, is the principal investigator on a study that will investigate the way sound waves are reshaped as they encounter an engineered lens, and the reshaping of a wave within body tissues.

New NSF-funded research explores origins of blood feeding in mosquitoes

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 11:50:00 -0500

An interdisciplinary team of Virginia Tech researchers is seeking to understand the physiological and biomechanical characteristics of blood feeding in mosquitoes and their evolutionary transition from sugar to blood feeding — knowledge that may help future work to stop disease transmission.

Biomedical engineering researchers to study knee re-injury risk using wearable sensors

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 07:48:00 -0400

Supported by a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and led by Robin Queen, the Kevin P. Granata Faculty Fellow and professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics, a team of researchers from Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia will assess second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries — a tear of the same ACL or of the ACL in the other knee — using wearable sensors.

Virginia Tech researcher teams with FDA to advance device safety through numerical modeling

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 10:14:00 -0400

Rafael Davalos, the L. Preston Wade Professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics, is working with scientists at the Food and Drug Administration to develop a numerical heart model, as a regulatory science tool with applications in assessing cardiac ablation devices.

Weight or energy: Undergraduate student's research finds ACL recovery results and implications for returning to sport

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 07:53:00 -0400

In a study published in Clinical Biomechanics, undergraduate biomedical engineering student Jenna Mesisca and Robin Queen, professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics in the College of Engineering, discovered the importance of factoring both weight and jump height into the tests that are used to clear athletes to resume physical activity following an ACL injury.

Jake Socha named Samuel Herrick Professor

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 08:16:00 -0400

A member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2008, Socha’s research and scholarship have placed him as a world leader in two areas – the understanding of flying snakes and internal synchrotron imaging of insects.

Ivy Foundation grant aids Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist’s search for treatment for deadly brain cancer

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 07:03:00 -0400

Jennifer Munson, an associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, an expert in interstitial fluid flow - the movement of liquid within and around living tissues - will use the $500,000 award to further her study of patient-specific therapies for deadly brain tumors.

Biomedical engineering and industrial design students collaborate in design sprint for health care solutions

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 06:02:00 -0400

Elham Morshedzadeh, assistant professor in the School of Architecture and Design in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, and Chris Arena, associate professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics in the College of Engineering, brought industrial design and biomedical engineering and mechanics students together for a unique collaboration.

New museum exhibits showcase Virginia Tech research

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

A partnership between Virginia Tech and the Science Museum of Western Virginia has resulted in four new interactive exhibits that highlight the work of the university’s faculty and students.

Robin Queen named Kevin P. Granata Faculty Fellow

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 09:20:00 -0400

The fellowship recognizes teaching and research excellence. Recipients must be tenured members of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics and hold the fellowship for a period of five years.

Ten years of five-star ratings

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 09:52:00 -0400

A 2009 phone call from the football team's equipment manager led an injury biomechanics expert to launch a helmet ratings program that, 10 years later, would expand to include six sports and give players, parents, and coaches the power to select the most effective safety equipment.

Doctoral student receives international NSF award to study blood vessels’ role in oxygen delivery

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 08:54:41 -0400

Cora Esparza, a third-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering, is driven by work that fills a need, and she does this in her research. She has received a National Science Foundation IIE-Graduate International Research Experience award to pursue her research abroad.

From pasture to patient: Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists distill cow’s milk into nano-capsules for drug delivery

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 14:24:00 -0400

Rob Gourdie, professor and director of the Center for Vascular and Heart Research at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and his lab team developed a scalable method to harvest nano-sized biological capsules called exosomes from unpasteurized cow’s milk. Exosomes are a promising candidate for drug delivery in humans.

Driver safety at forefront of VTTI research on hard-braking and other hard acceleration maneuvers

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:54:00 -0400

In an interview with Fast Company, Director of Product Russell Dicker said that Google began by delving into research on the topic of hard-braking incidents and specifically mentioned VTTI.

Six engineering graduate students named NSF Graduate Research Fellows

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 09:31:00 -0400

Six graduate students from across five departments of the College of Engineering have been selected for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program in 2021.

Robin Queen elected fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 10:26:00 -0400

Queen is a professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics in the College of Engineering. Fellows are selected in recognition of their exceptional scientific and professional achievement in biomechanics and their service to the society.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists uncover how molecule improves appearance of surgery scars

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:58:00 -0400

In a new study, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists discovered that the alphaCT1 molecule may help repair the skin’s collagen matrix by altering how scar-forming cells behave. The findings were published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.

Biomedical engineering graduate student receives grant to advance research in cancer treatment

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 09:44:00 -0400

Jessica Gannon, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering through Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University’s School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, received a graduate research fellowship program award. She is one of six graduate students in the College of Engineering who received the prestigious fellowship this year.

Chasing solutions in renewable energy, engineering alumnus teams with former research mentor

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 09:32:00 -0400

In 2003, Yeh-Hung Lai ’94 joined General Motors as a technical fellow to lead research on the mechanics of hydrogen fuel cell materials and structures, a new area at the time with promise for alternative energy solutions. His efforts led to a robust program for student experiential learning, empowering engineering students as next-generation industry leaders.

Zerin Khan, Developing Treatment for Glioblastoma

As a part of the Laboratory of Integrative Tumor Ecology at Virginia Tech, Zerin Khan hopes to help create better outcomes for patients diagnosed with Glioblastoma.

Transdisciplinary collaborations essential to tackling cancer

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:00:00 -0400

A dynamic collaboration between researchers in the veterinary college’s new Animal Cancer Care and Research Center and Virginia Tech’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics has attracted substantial funding for a unique approach to treating osteosarcoma, a notoriously painful and aggressive bone cancer that primarily afflicts large-breed dogs, children, and adolescents.

Rafael Davalos receives Van C. Mow Medal

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:29:00 -0400

Davalos, the L. Preston Wade Professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics in the College of Engineering, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Van C. Mow Medal by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Board of Visitors hears update on growing health sciences efforts

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 09:58:00 -0400

Provost Cyril Clarke, Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology Michael Friedlander, faculty, and students discussed the university’s growth in health sciences.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC to advance brain, cancer research with focused ultrasound

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 09:32:00 -0400

The institute is investing in an MRI-guided focused ultrasound facility with support from a $1.8-million grant from the Edward N. & Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute researchers discover link between blood chemistry and deadly heart arrhythmias

In a new study, a cardiovascular research team led by Steven Poelzing, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, describes how subtle changes in potassium, calcium, and sodium levels regulate heartbeats. Poelzing said the results could help researchers and physicians understand the nuances of cardiac arrhythmias, as well as a group of genetic disorders that impact sodium channel function, such as Brugada syndrome.

Virginia Tech scientists see fluid flow as potential key to fight Alzheimer's disease

Tue, 18 May 2021 08:42:00 -0400

The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded Jennifer Munson, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and a team of Virginia Tech scientists $3.57 million to test the impact of fluid flow in the brain on development of Alzheimer's disease.

The Virginia Tech SBES program is preparing graduate students for an ever-changing medical industry

The Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (SBES) is a unique multidisciplinary program that bridges the biomedical sciences, biomedical engineering, and real-world applications to enhance the quality of life. Their world-class students and faculty members are innovating across a continuum of systems — from natural to engineered to medical.

Biomedical Engineering majors are impacting the health of the world

Virginia Tech Biomedical Engineers are committed to improving the human condition and the communities they serve through their unique intersection of biomedical engineering, mechanics, and science.

BME major Julia Wakefield found her passion through service and helping others.

Julia Wakefield, a Biomedical Engineering major in the Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics department found purpose in service and working with the local community. ENABLE, a club at Virginia Tech gave Wakefield an outlet to create prosthetics for youth in need.

Virginia Tech launches ‘next generation’ human brain imaging lab

Wed, 12 May 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have received a $2.4 million grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, part of the National Institutes of Health, to measure the brain’s subtle magnetic signals in two research volunteers simultaneously as they interact, capturing the rich complexity of the brain’s signaling during face-to-face social interactions in real-time.

Virginia Tech launches ‘next generation’ human brain imaging lab

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have received a $2.4 million National Institutes of Health grant to deploy a breakthrough new brain imaging technique called optically pumped magnetometry to study the nuances of social interactions.

As faculties become more diverse, these researchers want to help citations catch up

Wed, 05 May 2021 10:11:00 -0400

Stefan Duma and Bethany Rowson worked with the editorial board of the Biomedical Engineering Society to recommend that authors publishing papers in the society's four journals include a citation diversity statement.

Class of 2021: Phillip Truppelli designs engineering solutions that uniquely fit nature’s laws

Wed, 05 May 2021 10:05:00 -0400

Early on, Truppelli recognized that he wanted to use his scientific knowledge and keen insights to not just better the scientific community but ultimately the entire world.

Mind the gap: Heart cells cozy up to prevent deadly arrhythmias, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute researchers find

Mon, 03 May 2021 15:56:00 -0400

Steven Poelzing, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, leads a team of cardiovascular scientists studying electrical conduction in the heart. Poelzing’s lab recently published a study that showed increasing sodium and calcium levels in the bloodstream helps keep dangerous heart rhythms, triggered by potassium overdose, at bay.

Scientists from Virginia Tech, City of Hope aim to improve therapy for deadly brain cancer

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:35:00 -0400

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and City of Hope believe the complex way fluid flows through glioblastoma tumors holds the key to improving the success of CAR-T cell therapy in treating the cancer and helping more patients survive.

Students’ real-world experiences in sustainability at heart of Virginia Tech’s Gold STARS rating

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 11:00:00 -0400

The Gold rating for 2020 reflects the university's well-rounded sustainability achievements. Virginia Tech attained especially high marks for the intentional integration of sustainability into academics and the range of environmental stewardship engagement opportunities available to students.

Learn biomechanics in your living room: Ph.D. student to host virtual National Biomechanics Day event

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:50:00 -0400

Nicole Stark, a second-year doctoral student in the Virginia Tech–Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, has been awarded a 2021 Civic Engagement Microgrant Initiative by Research!America and the Rita Allen Foundation to carry out a virtual event for National Biomechanics Day on April 7.

To fly drones over roads safely, study what would happen if they crash

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 10:19:00 -0400

Drone researchers and injury biomechanics experts teamed up with State Farm to collect some of the first data describing the outcome of a potential collision between a drone and a moving car.

Like cars on a highway: Researchers dig deeper into how migrating cells interact in the body

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 10:10:00 -0400

Understanding the ways migrating cells react to one another is essential to predicting how cells change and evolve and how they react in applications, such as wound healing and drug delivery.

Five graduate students named Bouchet Honor Society Scholars

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Virginia Tech is one of 18 university partners with Bouchet Society chapters. The society’s goal is to create a network of scholars and professionals who “serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy,” according to its webpage.

Engineering mechanics graduate student receives Liviu Librescu Memorial Fellowship

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 08:08:00 -0400

Lisha Yuan, engineering mechanics doctoral student in biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech, received the fellowship because of her impressive achievements and service in the areas of leadership, scholarly excellence, teaching, community service, and research.

The business of conservation: Pamplin students experience real-world consulting with help from engineering faculty

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 07:44:00 -0500

In a management course led by Dirk Buengel, business students were able to engage in consulting for a real-world startup with an innovative mission: stopping the illegal timber trade. Hal Holmes and Eli Vlaisavljevich, assistant professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics, represented the client organization, Conservation X Labs.

Tumors and centrosomes: Researchers receive grant to investigate cancer evolution

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 12:30:00 -0500

Unlike many of us during the COVID-19 pandemic, biological cells are not isolated from the outside world. This relationship between cell and environment also applies to the development of cancer, which a team of Virginia Tech scientists is now researching with the help of a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Raffaella De Vita elected fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0500

De Vita joined Virginia Tech’s biomedical engineering and mechanics department as a visiting professor in 2006 and as a full-time faculty member one year later.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute graduate student awarded NIH Fellowship to examine balance, walking in children with cerebral palsy

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 11:02:00 -0500

Hassan Farah, a Virginia Tech translational biology, medicine, and health graduate student, has been awarded a $98,000 National Institutes of Health grant that will fund his remaining predoctoral research. Farah is studying the limb biomechanics, joint movements, and loading in children with cerebral palsy.

In memoriam: Hampton Clay Gabler III, professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 09:41:00 -0500

Gabler, professor and chair of the undergraduate biomedical engineering program in biomedical engineering and mechanics, was the Samuel Herrick Professor at Virginia Tech, where he enjoyed a long, illustrious, and rewarding career.

Interdisciplinary team identifies mechanism that produces rapid acceleration in clicking beetles

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:00:00 -0500

A new study by a team that included Jake Socha, professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics in Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering, shows that a snap-through unbending movement of the body is the main reason for the clicking beetle’s fast acceleration.

Jennifer Wayne elected fellow of the Orthopaedic Research Society

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 10:11:00 -0500

Wayne, department head and professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics, has demonstrated exceptional achievements throughout her career in engineering.

iTHRIV announces health research pilot project recipients

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 08:31:00 -0500

Multi-institutional teams of scientists, physicians, and engineers will study Parkinson’s disease, celiac disease, pediatric heart transplant, pediatric telemedicine, and epilepsy.

Pamela VandeVord appointed engineering’s associate dean for research and graduate studies

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 09:46:00 -0500

VandeVord will work closely with leadership from Virginia Tech engineering and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, as well as faculty, departments, institutes, and external constituents to move the college’s research priorities forward toward targeted milestones.

Shocking the cellular world: Engineers’ collaborative work discovers force signature of cells undergoing electroporation

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 08:37:00 -0500

Electroporation has been used in many medical applications, such as gene transfection and electrochemotherapy, since the 1980s. In this study, the researchers improved upon an established method of electroporation, in which medicines or genes are injected into holes formed in a cell’s membrane.

Socially distant cell growth: biomedical engineering experiential learning during a pandemic

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 10:51:00 -0500

Yong Woo Lee, associate professor in biomedical engineering and mechanics and instructor of the cohort’s biomedical engineering cell course, knew it was important to offer experiential learning methods to enable his students to understand cell growth and cell replication.

NSF grant unites diverse Virginia Tech team to improve in-home physical therapy

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 10:13:00 -0500

The VTC Smart Rehab Lab will use the $1.1 million National Science Foundation award to further development of tools and an innovated fused human and machine knowledge base that could open the door to wider access to physical therapy.

Biomedical engineering and mechanics faculty receive NSF grant to study oxygen delivery in insects

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 10:36:00 -0500

With support from an NSF grant, two faculty members in biomedical engineering and mechanics have combined forces to answer questions pertaining to insects’ breathing, which may lead to new applications in microfluidics.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists provide new evidence of elusive electrical pathway in the heart

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:00:00 -0500

Associate Professor Steven Poelzing and Research Assistant Professor Gregory Hoeker, of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, recently published a study that helps explain why our classical understanding of heart beats and the mathematical models don’t add up.

Virginia Tech’s Animal Cancer Care and Research Center opening a grand occasion for region’s pets

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 13:00:00 -0500

Accommodating the relocation and expansion of the oncology service from the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Blacksburg, the brand-new Animal Cancer Care and Research Center is a vital part of the Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, Virginia.

Virginia Tech scientists, engineers to talk about steps to stop cancer in virtual public session

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 10:21:00 -0500

A year ago, Virginia Tech united its biomedical and technical expertise into a Cancer Research Alliance to take on the second leading cause of death in the United States. Now, scientists and engineers will talk about some leading-edge projects in breast cancer, brain cancer, and noninvasive cancer treatments in a public Zoom discussion at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

'It’s science and creativity': Alumnus Victor Stewart is part-NASA engineer, part-YouTube chef

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 09:28:00 -0400

The 2013 biomedical and mechanics engineering graduate traces his passions and skills to his time at Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech researchers still have much to learn from flying snakes

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:03:00 -0400

With a new grant from the National Science Foundation, Virginia Tech will continue to study flying snakes - specifically the fluid mechanics of deforming articulated bodies, extensible to movement of flexible bodies in other contexts.

Pamela VandeVord elected fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 00:05:00 -0400

Earlier this year, VandeVord became the associate dean for research and graduate studies for the College of Engineering.

Fluid flow in the brain: Sorting the good and the bad

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 10:55:00 -0400

Ian Kimbrough, an assistant professor in the School of Neuroscience, and Jennifer Munson, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, are taking research learned from brain tumors to help fight Alzheimer’s.

Doctoral student receives NSERC award to study innovative brain cancer treatment

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 14:01:00 -0400

Zerin Mahzabin Khan, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering and mechanics as well as the computational tissue engineering program, was awarded the Postgraduate Scholarship-Doctoral award from NSERC for her work developing a minimally invasive treatment for glioblastoma. She is the first-ever Virginia Tech student recipient of this award.

Custom face shields aim to block droplets, tackle COVID-19 for football players

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 12:28:00 -0400

Engineers, athletic staff, and football players had two months to design a face shield that could reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus on the football field.

Researcher receives NIH grant to study noninvasive treatment for metastatic breast tumors

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 08:53:00 -0400

The aim of this project is to develop a novel, noninvasive method that combines nanoparticles with ultrasound to selectively target and kill cancerous cells in the breast tissue.

Proof-of-concept program from LAUNCH and VTIP fuels development of new technologies

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 14:00:00 -0400

Eligible projects involve technologies captured in the VTIP invention disclosure process and identified as candidates for licensing to established companies or to new technology startups.

TECH Together Campaign announces winners and finalists

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 09:38:00 -0400

After the TECH Together Campaign launched in July, a whopping 76 applications from 20 different colleges and departments were submitted. Of those, 10 finalists and 5 winners have been chosen to implement their creative, innovative, and integrated solutions for the reopening of Virginia Tech campuses this fall.

Virginia Tech develops, tests face shield to protect football players against COVID-19

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 12:00:00 -0400

Virginia Tech researchers have worked with the university’s athletic department to develop a football helmet face shield designed to block small droplets and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19

Animal Model Research for Veterinarians Ph.D. training program awarded NIH grant

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:30:00 -0400

The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is among a relatively small group of veterinary colleges awarded a T32 grant to train post-D.V.M. veterinarians in biomedical research.

Let me clear my throat: Capturing coughing sounds provides data for predicting epidemiological trends

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 13:52:00 -0400

Seeking ways to improve prediction methods to preempt future global health crises, Virginia Tech researchers are developing a cost-effective and highly deployable approach for monitoring respiratory illness for public health epidemic forecasting.

Alumnus follows entrepreneurial spirit to address pandemic challenges in hospitals

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 13:34:00 -0400

For Jeffrey Morelli, it all started with a desire to help others, which grew to a passion for health care and creating innovative technology to improve the overall quality of life. Then, when a global pandemic hit, he knew this was his moment to rise to the challenge.

In memoriam: Dean Mook, professor emeritus of biomedical engineering and mechanics

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 16:16:00 -0400

As a result of his 37-year career at Virginia Tech, Mook left a legacy in nonlinear dynamics, computational aerodynamics, and aeroelasticity.

Geosciences’ Marc Michel switches from nanoparticles to 3D printing nasal swabs

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 11:23:00 -0400

Michel, an associate professor of geosciences, diverged from his normal path to lead a project involving numerous Virginia Tech faculty, alumni, and specialists from Carilion Clinic to use 3D printing to create nasopharyngeal swabs during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Meet Virginia Tech's first cohort of undergraduate biomedical engineering students

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 09:25:00 -0400

The new biomedical engineering undergraduate program is underway with 40 second-year College of Engineering students who began the degree this past fall. Students in this program will be trained to bridge the gap between traditional medicine and technology.

Researchers use 3D modeling to decode aerial undulation’s role in flying snake glides

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 10:10:00 -0400

For more than 20 years, biomedical engineering and mechanics professor Jake Socha has sought to measure and model the biomechanics of snake flight and answer questions about them, like that of aerial undulation’s functional role.

Biomedical engineering and mechanics postdoc and students adapt lab spaces and resources to 3D print PPE parts

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 10:19:00 -0400

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Anand Vadlamani, a biomedical engineering and mechanics postdoctoral researcher, joined efforts to respond. Working with his peers in the department to collect 3D printers and adapt lab space, Vadlamani took part in a coordinated Virginia Tech effort to produce personal protective equipment.

Inspired by her father, student aims to find cure for pancreatic cancer

Fri, 29 May 2020 12:00:00 -0400

One mission drives Jessica Gannon. She is focused on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. During her freshman year at Virginia Tech, Gannon's father passed away from the disease. As she prepares for her senior year as a Hokie, her father’s story continues to inspire her.

Class of 2020: Biomedical engineering and mechanics student Justin Dubik ‘dives headfirst’ into uncharted waters

Tue, 12 May 2020 10:15:00 -0400

Among the many skills possessed by Dubik is ingenuity in applying engineering design to an unusual question: How well-crafted is your homemade pasta dough?

First-generation, New Horizon Graduate Scholar paves the way for others

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 10:01:00 -0500

Michelle Dickerson, second-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering and mechanics in Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering, understands the value of hard work, facing problems head-on, and passing that knowledge to others to improve their quality of life.

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