World-Renown Harvard Scientist to Speak at UC Irvine on Jan. 25; George M. Whitesides Will Present ``Microtools for Biology,'' Kicking off the Biomedical Engineering Department's 2006 Distinguished Lecturer Series

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2006--The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine is pleased to present the Biomedical Engineering Department's 2006 Distinguished Lecturer Series. The series will begin on Jan. 25, featuring Professor George M. Whitesides of Harvard University speaking on the topic, "Microtools for Biology," and will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the Crystal Cove Auditorium in the UC Irvine Student Center. This event is free and open to the public.

Professor George M. Whitesides is the Woodford L. and Ann A. Flowers University Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University. Whitesides is among the most prominent researchers in nanoscience, a rapidly growing field focused on the development of nanotechnology. Using interdisciplinary approaches, he and his team at Harvard work in areas of research that encompass cell biology, materials science and chemistry.

“Control of Cell and Tissue Function via Protein Biomaterials”

He is a recipient of the National Medal of Science, and is a member of the National Academy of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. His scientific papers have appeared in major research journals, including Nature and Science magazines.

Whitesides' lecture will address a new set of microtools that researchers are using to study and manipulate mammalian cells for tissue engineering and cell biology applications. Further, he will discus the use of these tools in bio-analysis, illustrating their use with simple examples from cellular biology.

Additional information about this lecture, including a detailed abstract and biography, can be found at www.eng.uci.edu.

Upcoming Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Lectures

Feb. 2, 2006
"Two-phase Flows in Microfluidic Devices"
Featuring Professor Dorian Liepmann, University of California,
Berkeley

March 16, 2006
"Non-invasive Assessment of Cardiovascular Control in Sleep Apnea:
Basic and Translational Research Studies"
Featuring Professor Michael Khoo, University of Southern California

April 20, 2006
"Control of Cell and Tissue Function via Protein Biomaterials"
Featuring Professor David Kaplan, Tufts University

May 4, 2006
"Digital Humans: From Biomechanical Models to Simulated Surgery"
Featuring Professor Scott Delp, Stanford University

May 18, 2006
"Structurally and Functionally Integrated Computational Biology of the
Heart"
Featuring Professor Andrew McCulloch, University of California, San
Diego

Further information about the Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Lecturer Series can be found at www.eng.uci.edu, or by calling 949-824-6284.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers a stimulating array of research and training opportunities with world-renowned researchers. Focus areas include biomedical photonics/optoelectronics, biomedical nano- and microscale systems/fabrication, and biomedical computation/modeling. Included in these opportunities are major campus resources at the Beckman Laser Institute (biophotonics) and the Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility. Additional research opportunities exist in tissue engineering, cardiovascular engineering, neuro-engineering, ophthalmic engineering, and cancer research. Because of its interdisciplinary nature, biomedical engineering attracts students with a variety of backgrounds.

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