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Department of
Bioengineering

Engineering innovative solutions to modern problems in medicine and biology


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Welcome to Penn State Bioengineering

"This webpage is designed to highlight the many activities of  the Department of Bioengineering and Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Bioengineering.   Our goals are to provide students with a world class education in integrating biology and engineering, to engage in cutting-edge research and design, and to reach out to academia, industry, and medical schools to help shape future directions in bioengineering applications to healthcare.

We encourage you to explore this website to learn about the activities of bioengineering students and faculty at Penn State.  We hope you refer back here often for news events, updates, scheduling information, and helpful materials for students, researchers, industry contacts and funding agencies."

Cheng Dong, Ph.D.
Head, Department of Bioengineering
Chair, Intercollege Gradate Degree Program in Bioengineering

 

Opening for Faculty Position

The Department of Bioengineering at Penn State University seeks to hire a full time faculty member at the level of Associate or Full Professor in the area of cellular and molecular imaging.

See the full Bioengineering Faculty jobs (pdf) posting. The search will remain continuous until the position is filled.

Research Laboratories

Artificial Heart and Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics Lab Artificial Heart and Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Keefe Manning

 

 

Visit the Artificial Heart Lab.

 

 

This research facility has been in existence since the early 1970s as Penn State faculty and researchers at the Hershey Medical Center and the University Park campus worked towards the development of a total artificial heart. Over the past 30 years, this work has lead to commercially available devices, which are used today.
Cellular Biophysics and Biotechnology Lab Cellular Biophysics and Biotechnology Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Sheereen Majd

 

 

Visit the Cellular Biophysics and Biotechnology Lab.

 

 

We are interested in fundamental understanding of the role of cell membranes in disease states and also in the application of membrane components, in particular, ion channels in nanotechnology.
Advanced Regenerative Biomaterials and Therapeutics Advanced Regenerative Biomaterials and Therapeutics Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Mohammad Reza Abidian

 

 

Visit the Advanced Regenerative Biomaterials and Therapeutics Lab.

 

 

The Abidian Lab uses a multi-disciplinary approach, to develop micro/nano-scale technologies with the ultimate goal of targeted delivery of biomolecules, biochemical sensing, and tissue engineering for central and peripheral nervous systems.
Musculoskeletal Regenerative Engineering Musculoskeletal Regenerative Engineering Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Justin Brown

 

 

Visit the Musculoskeletal Regenerative Engineering Lab.

 

 

Our research focus involves applying fundamental cell biology techniques to understand how nanoscale geometries presented by synthetic biomaterial interfaces regulate cell behavior and use the knowledge gained to focus the design of scaffolds for the regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues.
MechanoBiology Lab MechanoBiology Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Peter Butler

 

 

Visit the Mechanobiology Lab.

 

 

Mechanobiology is the study of the interrelationship of force and biology. It is important in many areas of physiology, medicine, and medical device design. We are particularly interested in the mechanobiology of vascular endothelium and its role in vascular health and disease.
Cellular Biomechanics Cellular Biomechanics

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Cheng Dong

 

 

Visit the Cellular Biomechanics Lab.

 

 

Our goal as a lab is to understand how cancer spreads and what mechanisms that tumor cells use to move in and out of the vasculature. More importantly, we are studying how tumor microenvironment affects immune cells functions - a process is called immunoediting, and potential roles that leukocytes and endothelial cells play in tumor cells extravasation during the metastasis.
Magnetic Resonance Engineering Lab Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

 


 

 

Visit the Centre for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

 

 

The centre is involved in many research areas of magnetic resonance imaging and diffuse optical tomography.
Microcirculation Lab Microcirculation Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Herbert Lipowsky

 

 

Visit the Microcirculation Lab.

 

 

The central focus of our laboratory is to apply engineering techniques and methods toward gaining an understanding of mechanical factors that affect the distribution of pressure and flow in the microcirculation in health and disease.
Micro and Nano Integrated Biosystem Lab Micro & Nano Integrated Biosystem Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Siyang Zheng

 

 

Visit the MINIBio Lab.

 

 

We aim at developing innovative micro and nano technologies, applying these technologies to study complicated biological systems, and provide engineering solutions to current and future healthcare.
Molecular Biomechanics Lab Molecular Biomechanics Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. William Hancock

 

 

Visit the Molecular Biomechanics Lab.

 

 

We are interested in fundamental and applied questions regarding kinesin motor proteins and microtubules. These protein machines transport intracellular cargo such as vesicles, protein complexes, and chromosomes, throughout eukaryotic cells.
Transformative Biomaterials and Biotechnology Lab Transformative Biomaterials and Biotechnology Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Jian Yang

 

 

Visit the Transformative Biomaterials and Biotechnology Lab.

 

 

Innovation is life. Life is Innovation. The TBBL relies on biomaterial innovation to address unmet clinical problems. We are interested in transformative biomaterial design, biomaterial-mediated stem cell differentiation, and micro-/nano-fabrication for tissue engineering, drug delivery, medical devices, and bioimaging.
Biomolecular and Biomimetic Engineering Lab Biomolecular and Biomimetic Engineering Lab

 

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Yong Wang

 

 

Visit the Biomolecular and Biomimetic Engineering Lab.

 

 

The essential objective of our research is to apply nature and biology as design guidelines to the creation of biomimetic and bioinspired materials at both the nanoscale and macroscale level for drug delivery, clinical diagnosis, and regenerative medicine.
Therapeutic Ultrasound Applications Lab

 

 

Visit the Therapeutic Ultrasound Lab.

 

The research in the Therapeutic Ultrasound Lab at Penn State develops noninvasive methods for both treating cancer and recording temperature information from patients using ultrasound thermal therapy, noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) thermometry and adaptive feedback control.

RECENT NEWS

Congratulations to all the graduating seniors. You have been a wonderful class and we will miss you. Good luck on all your future endeavors and be sure to keep in touch with us!

Bioengineering Seminars