Lauren Kottis, a senior mechanical engineering major, was one of five members of the Duke-Durham community selected as a 2011 “Sammie” award winner for her efforts leading Habitat for Humanity in Durham. The award is named for Samuel DuBois Cook, Duke University political scientist, educator, human rights activist, and first African American faculty member at […]
From Individual Cells To Entire Bodies, Lasers Shine
DURHAM, N.C. – From a single cell to a whole organism, the laser will play an increasingly important role in diagnosing and treating disease. So says a Duke University bioengineer who is using the latest applications of a technology invented 50 years ago to peer into the genetic material of cells, to detect the earliest […]
Making Use of Cellular “Noise”
DURHAM, N.C. – While some scientists find it messy that cells of the same type will respond differently to identical stimuli, Duke University bioengineers have turned this cellular noise to their advantage. In doing so, they discovered important insights into the cues that tell cells when to begin to make copies of themselves, a process […]
Light on Silicon Better than Copper?
DURHAM, N.C. — Step aside copper and make way for a better carrier of information — light. As good as the metal has been in zipping information from one circuit to another on silicon inside computers and other electronic devices, optical signals can carry much more, according to Duke University electrical engineers. So the engineers […]
Engineering for Humanity, Fun and Profit
Editor’s Note – On September 10, the biomedical engineering department celebrated its 40th University at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering. Distinguished speakers from around the country gathered to commemorate the occasion with a day-long series of presentations and discussions at the Washington Duke Inn. This is the first of a seven-part series of articles highlighting […]
Getting from the Lab to the Bedside
The keys to success in biomedical entrepreneurship are perseverance, technical experience, market knowledge, lifelong learning, and professional networking. So said the participants on the biomedical translation panel at the 40th anniversary celebration of the biomedical engineering department. And they should know. The panelists—all Duke alumni—have achieved remarkable success combining engineering, science, and business. Moderator Barry […]
Chance Encounters Key to BME Beginning
“It is a story of chance encounters, faculty pushing, administrators balking, bold visions, turf wars, and some good old-fashioned luck. In other words, business as usual for a university.” This is how Professor Craig Henriquez describes the founding of the biomedical engineering department. Henriquez has been a part of the department for 31 of its […]
Sneaking Spies into a Cell’s Nucleus
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University bioengineers have not only figured out a way to sneak molecular spies through the walls of individual cells, they can now slip them into the command center — or nucleus — of those cells, where they can report back important information or drop off payloads. Using silver nanoparticles cloaked in […]
Popping Cells Surprise Living Circuits Creators
DURHAM, N.C. – Under the microscope, the bacteria start dividing normally, two cells become four and then eight and so on. But then individual cells begin “popping,” like circus balloons being struck by darts. Watch. This phenomenon, which surprised the Duke University bioengineers who captured it on video, turns out to be an example of […]
Next Generation Surgical Robots: Where’s the Doctor?
DURHAM, N.C. — As physician-guided robots routinely operate on patients at most major hospitals, the next generation robot could eliminate a surprising element from that scenario — the doctor. Feasibility studies conducted by Duke University bioengineers have demonstrated that a robot — without any human assistance — can locate a man-made, or phantom, lesion in […]