Department of
Bioengineering

Asst Prof Sua Myong and her collaborators, Clifford Brangwynne (Princeton) and Christian Eckmann (MPI, Dresden, Germany), have been recognized with a Research Grant from the Human Frontier Science Program in the amount of $300K per year.  Prof Myong's grant is titled RNA Helicases in RNA/protein Body Assembly and Function: a Multi-scale Approach.  Myong describes the project as a "common goal to understand how the molecular activities of RNA helicases play a role in the assembly and biophysical features of nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA/protein (RNP) bodies, and how these structures contribute to the control of diverse RNA regulatory gene expression programs of a developing tissue.  Our multi-scale effort seeks to connect the angstrom level molecular interactions to tissue level phenotype, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying dynamic RNP-mediated RNA regulation."

Two graduate students in the Department of BioengineeringGuillermo L. Monroy and Eric Salmand their teams were recently named finalists for the CIMIT Prize for Technology in Primary Healthcare. The award is given out annually and aims to help engineering students seek ideas as for technologic innovation with the potential to support and catalyze improved delivery of healthcare at the frontlines of medicine, according to the awards website. The winner of the award will be announced July 2 and will receive $150,000, while the second and third place finishers will earn $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.