Overview
Department Highlights
Distinguished Bioengineering Seminar Series
During the 2024-25 academic year, the UT Dallas Bioengineering seminar series featured speakers from across the globe. Students, faculty, and staff gained insight into the latest research innovations advancing biomedical engineering and healthcare.
Annual Spring Celebration
This spring semester, the department hosted its fourth Spring Celebration in the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. The department celebrated and recognized the accomplishments of our outstanding Alumni, Students, Faculty, Staff, and Friends of Bioengineering!
Commencements
This academic year, we awarded 91 Bachelor of Science, 35 Master of Science, 1 MS with the UTSW joint program, and 13 Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Biomedical Engineering.
At a Glance
#5
RANKED BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM
AMONG TX PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES (USNWR)
73
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
#78
RANKED BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAM
(USNWR)
#1
MS DEGREES AWARDED TO WOMEN
(AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION ’23)
$20.5 MILLION
RESEARCH EXPENDITURES
(FY 23)
Faculty Recognition
Dr. Leonidas Bleris, Associate Department Head for Graduate Studies, Professor, Fellow, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science
Title: DMS/NIGMS 2: The Mathematics of Epigenetic Regulation in Human Cells Sponsor: National Institutes of Health Amount: $294,647 for year 1; expected
$1,098,244 for 4 years
Title: Delivering immunotherapy more effectively to glioblastoma with a “magnetic switch”
Sponsor: CPRIT, HIHR
Amount: $250,000 over 2 years.
Title: Modulating Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability by TRPV4 activation
Sponsor: NIH
Amount: $447,501 over 2 years.
Title: Non-Invasive Modulation of Endothelial Calcium Signaling to Study Vascular Behavior
Sponsor: American Heart Association
Amount: $69,548 for 2 years
Katherine Brown, Assistant Professor of Instruction
Title: TxACE BIO: Ultrasound Platform for Wearable Applications
Sponsor: The University of Texas at Dallas
Amount: $40,000
Dr. Stuart Cogan, Professor
Title: A Single-Cell and Cell-Type Resolution Artificial Retina for Vision Restoration
Sponsor: Stanford University
Amount: $87,254 for year 1; expected $351,455 for 3 years
Title: Brain Glucose Deficiency: Mechanisms and Modulation
Sponsor: Cornell University
Amount: $736,618 for year 1; expected $1,250,476
Title: Engineering the Neuronal Response to Electrical Microstimulation
Sponsor: Purdue University
Amount: $175,750 for approximately 1 year; expected $351,500 for approximately 2 years
Outstanding Professor
Dr. Yichen Ding, Assistant Professor
Title: QuSec-TAQS: Nanodiamond Quantum Sensing for Four-Dimensional Live-Cell Imaging
Sponsor: Purdue University
Amount: $390,454
Appointed as Fellow, Professor in Systems Biology Science
Dr. Baowei Fei, Professor, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science
Title: Digital Twin Augmented Reality for Prostate Laparoscopic Surgery
Sponsor: Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas
Amount: $131,990 for year 1; expected $250,000 for 2 years
Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring
Dr. Jacopo Ferruzi, Assistant Professor
Title: Mechanisms of CD8+ Mediated Cell Non-Autonomous Arterial Aging
Sponsor: The University of Texas at Arlington
Amount: $167,324 for period 1; expected $780,007 for approximately 4 years and 9 months
Title: Molecular Imaging Guidance for Potentiating Chemoimmunotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer using Photodynamic Priming
Sponsor: NIH
Amount: $2,116,760
Dr. Heather Hayenga, Associate Professor
Outstanding Associate Professor
Dr. Seth Hays, Associate Professor
Title: Enhancing Recovery of Lower Limb Function after Spinal Cord Injury
Sponsor: NIH
Amount: $2.3M over 2 years
Title: Mechanisms of Paired Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Human Chronic Stroke
Sponsor: New York University
Amount: $687,186 over 4 years
Title: Novel Neuromodulation Therapy to Address Sensory Hypersensitivity in Rett Syndrome
Sponsor: International Rett Syndrome Foundation
Amount: $295,246
Dr. Caroline Jones, Assistant Professor
Title: Deciphering Links Between Leukocyte Activation and Infections in VAD Patients
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Amount: $608,874 for year 1; expected $2,281,878 for 4 years
Title: Understanding the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Immune Cell Recruitment to 3D Pancreatic Cancer Spheroids Following Light Activation of Engineered Lipid Nanoparticles
Sponsor: Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science: Research Initiative
Amount: $55,000
Outstanding Assistant Professor
Dr. Kristin Miller, Associate Professor
Title: Identification of Age and Injury Dependent Mechanisms of Elastic Fiber Dynamics in the Murine Vagina
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Amount: $734,639 for year 1; expected $3,584,496 for 5 years
Dr. Girgis Obaid, Assistant Professor
Title: Improving the Management of Gastric Peritoneal Carcinomatosis with Photo-Betabody Immunotherapy
Sponsor: CPRIT
Amount: $124,486 for year 1; expected $248,991 for 2 years
Title: Molecular Imaging Guidance for Potentiating Chemoimmunotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer using Photodynamic Printing
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Amount: $640,089 for year 1; expected $2,116,760 for 4 years
Title: QuSec-TAQS: Nanodiamond Quantum Sensing for Four-Dimensional Live-Cell Imaging
Sponsor: Purdue University
Amount: $390,454
Title: Understanding the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Immune Cell Recruitment to 3D Pancreatic Cancer Spheroids Following Light Activation of Engineered Lipid Nanoparticles
Sponsor: Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science: Research Initiative
Amount: $55,000
Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, Vice President for Research, Professor
Title: Brain Glucose Deficiency: Mechanisms and Modulation
Sponsor: Cornell University
Amount: $736,618 for year 1; expected $1,250,476
Title: High Content Analgesic Screening from Human Nociceptors
Sponsor: NIH
Amount: $552,318
Shalini Prasad, Department Head, Professor
Title: READ: A Non-Invasive Platform for Exploring Salivary Biomarkers for IBD
Sponsor: Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
Amount: $110,000 for year 1; expected $220,088 for 2 years
Title: Engage Assess SecretE (EASE): A Platform for Treating Chronic Inflammation
Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
Amount: $280,659 for year 1; expected $863,272
Title: Austere Environments Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes (ACESO): Optimization of READ Point-of-Care Diagnostic Platform for CRP Assay
Sponsor: Henry M Jackson Foundation
Amount: $98,679
Title: IPA SRA: Pilot Low Volume Sensor Fabrication with P0 Soil Sensor Coatings
Sponsor: Qume Inc.
Amount: $400,000
Tech Titan Inventors Award
Dr. Christian Rivera, Assistant Professor of Instruction
President’s Teaching Award for Undergraduate Instruction in the Non-Tenure System
Dr. David Schmidtke, Associate Department Head for Joint Program, Professor
Title: Deciphering Links Between Leukocyte Activation and Infections in VAD Patients
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Amount: $608,874 for year 1; expected $2,281,878 for 4 years
Dr. Shashank Sirsi, Associate Professor
Title: Modulating Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability by TRPV4 activation
Sponsor: NIH
Amount: $447,501 over 2 years.