Samueli School Distinguished Lecture: Translating Engineering Advances to Medicine Via an Unlikely Pathway

Abstract: This presentation will describe in non-technical terms my efforts to bring to medical use the engineering work conducted in my group. Examples include delivery of drugs through the bone and achieving cartilage repair. Also described will be the formation of an ecosystem toward commercializing outcomes of academe-based research. Specific examples and results will be presented to illustrate a specific route of commercializing research outcomes. The second part of the talk will be more philosophical by describing my personal pathway and lessons learned in the process.

Biography: Kyriacos A. Athanasiou is a Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering and orthopaedic surgery, the Child Family Professor of Engineering, and the immediate past chair of biomedical engineering at UC Davis. He obtained his doctorate in bioengineering (mechanical engineering) from Columbia University in 1989. He has published 313 peer-reviewed papers, 304 conference proceedings or abstracts, six authored books, 13 edited books or journal special issues and holds multiple patents. He has also served as president of the Biomedical Engineering Society. Additionally, he is the editor-in-chief of the Annals of Biomedical Engineering, the flagship journal of BMES. His list of awards includes the Nemitsas Prize (Cyprus’ largest award presented by the President of Cyprus), HR Lissner Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Distinguished Service Award from BMES, Wall Street Journal’s 2008 Innovation Award, Thomas A. Edison Patent Award from ASME, Hershel Rich Outstanding Invention Award, Marshal Urist Award for Excellence in Tissue Regeneration Research from the Orthopaedic Research Society, and the Van Mow Medal from ASME. He is a fellow of BMES, AAAS, AIMBE, ASME and the National Academy of Inventors. In addition to his academic interests, he has been involved with effecting the translation of devices and instruments into clinical use and commercialization.    

Hosted by Gregory Washington, Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering

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