MD, PhD

Y.C Fung Professor of Bioengineering and Medicine
University of California, San Diego

"Perspectives of Biomedical Engineering"

Lecture Abstract

"In the 21st century, the highest priority in people’s mind is health. Biomedical engineering plays an important role in the improvement of health and quality of life. In recent years, there have been dramatic progresses in modern biology (e.g., sequencing of the human genome). The analysis and synthesis of the vast amount of biological information requires the application of new concepts and technologies in engineering. An integrative approach is essential for the generation of new insights into the mechanisms of physiological regulation in health and the development of innovative methods for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of important human diseases. The integration includes interdisciplinary research and education at the interface of biology, medicine and engineering, the integration of research across the biological hierarchy (from genes to cells/tissues and organs/systems), and the coordination of science and technology with the ultimate purpose of translation (including drug delivery, bioimaging, biomaterials, stem cells, regenerative medicine, non-invasive procedures, etc.). Innovations in biomedical engineering and wireless health will allow the practice of individualized, preventative medicine that is infrastructure-independent, patient-centered, and cost-effective. Collaborations in biomedical engineering among academia, industry, private sector, and government will enable the advancement of health and quality of life of people."

Shu Chien received his medical degree from National Taiwan University and his PhD in Physiology from Columbia University. He began working at the University of California, San Diego in 1988, where he was Founding Chair of the Department of Bioengineering. In the UC system, he is a University Professor and Director of the Bioengineering Institute of California. Chien has made seminal contributions to advancing the integrative approach of research at the interface of biology, medicine and engineering. His primary areas of research are cardiovascular regulation, molecular and cellular bioengineering, and endothelial cell mechanotransduction. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the ALZA Award, Daggs Award, Galletti Award, Landis Award, Poiseuille Medal, Melville Medal (twice), Founders Award of the National Academy of Engineering, and Taiwan's presidential Science Prize. Chien is a member of all three U.S National Academies (National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine), as well as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.