People & Places
Chien Honored by the National Academy of Engineering
APS Members Elected to the Institute of Medicine

Chien Honored by the National Academy of Engineering

During its 2006 annual meeting, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) presented the NAE Founders Award to Shu Chien, who forged the field of biomedical engineering.

Chien is an NAE member, Y.C. Fung Professor of Bioengineering and Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and University Professor for the University of California system.  He will receive the Founders Award “for outstanding contributions to elucidating the engineering foundation of cardiovascular dynamics, and integrating engineering and biomedical sciences for the development of the biomedical engineering profession.”  The award recognizes outstanding professional, educational, and personal achievement to the benefit of society, and it includes $2,500 and a gold medallion.

Although trained as a physician, Chien has made extensive contributions to bioengineering, especially in cellular, molecular, and cardiovascular bioengineering and related fields.  In the 1960s, while on the faculty at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, he was one of the few physiologists to apply engineering principles and techniques to the study of biological systems.  “I have chosen to combine engineering and the biomedical sciences because I believe this combination leads to the most discoveries and innovations for the improvement of human health and quality of life,” said Chien.  His interdisciplinary approach enabled Chien to better understand hemodynamics—the forces generated by the heart and movement of blood through the cardiovascular system—and the regulation mechanisms of blood rheology, which looks at how blood deforms and flows when stress is applied.  His model of blood rheology was the first to elucidate its determinants, and he later applied the basic knowledge gained from these discoveries to understand cardiovascular and other diseases, such as sickle cell anemia.

Chien went on to combine his knowledge of cardiovascular dynamics and blood rheology to examine microcirculation, where the critical exchange between blood and tissue occurs, and figured out how blood cells and their interaction with the vessel walls govern flow dynamics.  Chien used these discoveries to explain the mechanisms of hemorrhage and shock, and the cardiovascular benefits of exercise.  He described the effects of hemodynamic forces on transendothelial transport of macromolecules and proposed the enduring “cell turnover-leaky junction” theory to describe susceptibility to atherosclerosis.

Chien’s more recent research at UCSD has brought about a novel and detailed understanding of how mechanical forces of blood flow affect cell signalling and gene expression, and how cells adapt to their physical environment.  This pioneering work has far-reaching implications for bioengineering and particularly for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.  Chien is also designing molecular techniques to prevent and mitigate complications following balloon angioplasty, and to analyze how the vascular system responds to procedures used to treat coronary artery occlusion.  In addition, he is examining how cell signals are coordinated and function over time. 
Chien transformed our understanding of cells and tissues and their physical mechanisms, demonstrating that biological systems are governed by the laws of physics and chemistry.  Chien’s rich contributions to fundamental and applied bioengineering research are documented in some 450 peer-reviewed publications and nine books, and are recognized through numerous engineering and life-science awards and named lectureships.  Furthermore, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has twice presented Chien with the Melville Medal for the best original paper among its 20 Transactions journals; Chien is the only two-time winner of this honor. 

At UCSD, Chien has been instrumental to building one of the country’s top bioengineering programs.  He founded and directs the Whitaker Institute of Biomedical Engineering, which facilitates research collaboration in biology, medicine, and engineering.  Chien also led the formation of the Bioengineering Institute of California, a project of the University of California system that involves all 10 UC campuses and many other universities to disseminate bioengineering research.  Chien has served as president for several professional societies, including the American Physiological Society, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the International Society of Biorheology, and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and he is currently president-elect of the Biomedical Engineering Society.  His professional activities show the widespread admiration he has received from both life scientists and engineers.  Moreover, Chien is one of only six living NAE members to also hold membership in the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine.

APS Members Elected to Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) announced the names of 65 new members, raising its total active membership to 1,501. In addition, the Institute honored five individuals by election to foreign associate membership, bringing the total members in that category to 82. With another 68 members holding emeritus status, the total IOM membership is now 1,651. Included among the new members are 6 APS Members.

Newly elected APS members are:
Lance B. Becker, professor, department of emergency medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia;
Timothy R. Billiar, George Vance Foster Professor and chair, department of surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh;
George Lister, Robert L. Moore Chair in Pediatrics, and professor and chair of pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and pediatrician-in-chief, Children’s Medical Center, Dallas;
Joseph Loscalzo, Hersey Professor of the Theory and Practice of Physic, Harvard Medical School, and chair, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston;
Kenneth S. Polonsky, Adolphus Busch Professor and chair, department of medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis;

Elected to Foreign Associate Membership:
Sten Grillner professor and director, Nobel Institute for Neurophysiology, and chair, network program for neuroscience/psychiatry, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Edmund Osvaldo Acevedo, as Professor, has affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Health and Human Performance, Richmond, VA. Prior to his new assignment, Acevedo had been an Associate Professor, Department of Exercise Science, University of Mississippi, Province, MS.

Ahmmed Ally, an Associate Professor, recently joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Boston, MA. Ally was previously associated with the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL.

Lance B. Becker, a Professor, has joined the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Formerly, Becker was affiliated with the Section of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.

Steve Bibevski, a Research Associate, is presently affiliated with the Departments of Surgery, Physiology & Biophysics, Case School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH. Bibevski was formerly affiliated with the Louis Stokes Department of VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.

Manuel M. Buitrago Blanco is currently associated with the Department of Neurology, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH. Buitrago Blanco was formerly with the Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Naibedya Chattopadhyay has accepted a position as Head of Endocrinology & Deputy Director, Central Drug Research Institute, Department of Endocrinology, Lucknow, India. Prior to her new position, Chattopadhyay was an Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Endocrinology Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA.

Zhongming Chen, a Research Associate, joined the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC. Chen was previously a Student, Duke Institute Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC.

Myung Dong Choi has affiliated with the Human Performance Lab, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. Choi previously was associated with the Department of Physical Education, Ball State University Human Performance Lab, Muncie, IN.

Charles A. Darveau, an Assistant Professor, has joined the Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada. Formerly, Darveau was a Student, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Keith C. DeRuisseau is currently an Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. DeRuisseau was formerly a Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Lara Roberts DeRuisseau is now a Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Neurosurgery, Institute for Human Performance, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY. Prior to her new position, DeRuisseau was a Student in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Nicholas E.P. Deutz has accepted a position as Professor, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR. Prior to his new affiliation, Deutz was Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.

Dario Dieguez, a Postdoctoral Fellow, has affiliated with the Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA. Dieguez formerly had been a Student, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, TX.

Michael Richard Garrett, an Assistant Professor, joined the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo, Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH. Prior to his new position, Garrett was associated with the Department of Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, OH.

Hans J. Geissler, a Staff Surgeon, has affiliated with the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Freiburg, Germany. Geissler, as an Associate Professor, was previously associated with the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany.

Jeffrey Stephen Gilbert has joined the Department of Physiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Gilbert was previously associated with the Department of ObGyn, as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX,

Joshua A. Goldberg is currently the Manager of Neurophysiology Research Company, BioControl Medical, Yahud, Israel. Goldberg had been a Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX.

Frederick D. Gregory, a Postdoctoral Fellow, has affiliated with the Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Gregory was formerly a PhD Candidate, Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.

Hartmut W. Jaeschke joined the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics as Professor, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS. Formerly, Jaeschke was Associate Director and Professor, Liver Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ.

Michael S. Kramer accepted the position of Associate Director, Preclinical Development & Safety, Medior, Inc., Malvern, PA. Kramer was formerly affiliated with the Major Preclinical Development, Biological Research, Palatin Technologies, Inc., Cranbury, NJ.

Jacob L. Krans is presently a Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA. Previous to his new position, Krans was a Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Neurophysiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.


Darcy Lidington, a Postdoctoral Fellow, has affiliated with the University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Formerly, Lidington was associated with the Physiological Institute, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Paul Johm Marvar, a Postdoctoral Fellow, has joined the Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Marvar was formerly associated with the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center, Morgantown, WV.

Laurie Kelly McCorry is presently Chair, Department Allied Health, Bay State College, Boston, MA. Formerly, McCorry was affiliated with the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, Boston, MA.

Cheri L. M. McGowan, a Postdoctoral Fellow, is affiliated with the Mount Sinai Hospital and University Health Network, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. McGowan was formerly a Graduate Student at McMaster University, Department of Kinesiology, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Craig McGowan, a Postdoctoral Fellow, joined the Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO. McGowan had previously been associated with the Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Bedford, MA.

Derek M. McKay, as Professor, has affiliated with the University of Calgary, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Calgary, Canada. Prior to his new position, McKay had been an Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, McMaster University Health Science Center, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Sandeep Misri, a Postdoctoral Research Associate, joined the Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Burnsville, MN. Prior to his new position, Misri had been Associated with the Cell Biophysics Lab, Wright State University, Dayton, OH.

Jeff Maurice Morrissette, an Assistant Professor, is affiliated with the Natural Sciences Department, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI. Prior to his new position, Morrissette was a Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA.

Rikuo Ochi, Research Scientist, recently moved to the Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Ochi was previously affiliated with the Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.

Silviu V. Pasniciuc is currently a Medical Resident, affiliated with the Clinton Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, Clinton, KY. Formerly, Pasniciuc was a Medical Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Huron Hospital, East Cleveland, OH.

Ismaila Adebayo Raji accepted the position of Lecturer, Department of Physiology, University of Lagos College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria. Prior to her new position, Raji had been a Lecturer, Department of Physiology, School of Health Sciences, Kampala International University (Western Campus), Bushenyi, Uganda.

Magnus J. E. Richardson, is presently Professor, Systems Biology Centre, Warwick University, Coventry House, Coventry, UK. Richardson was formerly a Postdoctoral Student, Brain and Mind Institute, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Katrina Gotia Salvante, is a Postdoctoral Student, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Salvante was formerly a Student with the Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Robert G. Schaub has been promoted to Vice President, Department of Discovery Research, Wyeth Research, Archemix Corporation, Cambridge, MA. Schaub was previously Assistant Vice President, Department of Discovery Research, Wyeth Research, Archemix Corporation, Cambridge, MA.

Harold H. Shlevin was recently promoted to Global Senior Vice President and Board Member, Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc., CEO-Executive Offices, Marietta, GA. Shlevin formerly had been President and CEO, Executive Office, Solway Pharmaceuticals Inc., Marietta, GA.

Aleksandra Sindic, a Research Fellow, has affiliated with the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, College of Medicine, Rochester, MN. Sindic was formerly a Research Assistant, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.

Wook Song, an Assistant Professor, has affiliated with the Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. Prior to his new position, Song was a Student, Department of Cell and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX.

Andrea Stella is presently the Director of the Nephrology Clinic, Nephrology University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Milan, Italy. Stella was formerly Associate Professor, Institute of General Clinical Medicine, University of Milan, Hypertension Clinic, Sforza, Milan, Italy.

Shigeo Taniguchi has been appointed Division Chief, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Kosei-Nenkin Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. Formerly, Taniguchi was a Lecturer, Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology, Tokyo University School of Medicine, Hongo, Bonkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Patrick J. Walsh is a Professor, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Walsh was formerly Professor, Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries, University of Miami, Miami, FL.

Kristen Lee Williams Walton is currently an Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO. Prior to her new assignment, Williams Walton was a Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Eileen M. Weinheimer, a Graduate Research Assistant, is presently attending Purdue University, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Lafayette, IN. Weinheimer was formerly associated with Ball State University, Human Performance Laboratory, Muncie, IN.

Jonathan E. Wingo joined the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Dallas, TX, as a Student. Previously, Wingo had been a Student, Department of Exercise Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

Bruce Eric Wright, an Associate Professor of Physiology and Anatomy, has affiliated with the University of St. Eustatius School of Medicine, Caribbean, Netherlands Antille. Wright was previously affiliated with Potworks as an Associate Professor of Biology, St. James Parish, Charlestown, West Indies.

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