Brown’s Institute of Biology, Engineering, and Medicine (I-BEAM) is excited to announce our Fall I-BEAM BME Seminar Series schedule. This semester’s speakers hail from seven top universities across the country and have a diverse range of experiences working at the intersection of engineering and health. 

The series recurs weekly on Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET in Barus & Holley, Room 190. 

If you’re not on-site, email [email protected] to request a link to join us via Zoom. 

2024 FALL I-BEAM BME SEMINAR SERIES SCHEDULE 

September 12: Dr. Michael Hogan, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Hogan — a virologist, immunologist, and vaccinologist — runs UPenn’s Hogan Lab, which focuses on studying protective immunity and improving vaccine design. Dr. Hogan has been published in the Annual Review of Medicine, Nature, and Immunity. After graduating from Brown in 2011, Dr. Hogan earned his Ph.D. from UPenn and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 

September 26: Dr. George Garcia, University of Michigan

Interim Chair and Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at Michigan’s College of Pharmacy, Dr. Garcia, started the Garcia Lab in 1990. Currently, his research focuses on RNA base modification and developing drugs to combat tuberculosis and Shigella. His work has been published over 75 times, including in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Tuberculosis, and American Mineralogist. 

October 3: Dr. Kathryn Whitehead, Carnegie Mellon University

Dr. Whitehead has been a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at CMU’s College of Engineering since 2012. She runs the Whitehead Lab, which is currently conducting research into RNA delivery and genetic engineering as well as the oral delivery of macromolecules. Her work has been cited over 13,000 times and she has received numerous accolades — including being named a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. 

November 7: Dr. Lou DeFrate, Duke University

At Duke, Dr. DeFrate is a professor in orthopaedic surgery and biomedical engineering and an affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center. He runs the DeFrate Lab, which uses radiographic and MRI technology to analyze joint biomechanical health. Dr. DeFrate’s research has been published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, The American Journal of Sports Medicine, and the Journal of Biomechanics. 

November 21: Dr. Mona Eskandari, University of California, Riverside  

Dr. Eskandari leads the bioMechanics Experimental and Computational Health Lab, at UCR. As an expert in pulmonary biomechanics, her research has been published in premier venues, including the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. In 2022, her lab was recognized for a major scientific breakthrough amongst the 10-campus University of California System, and as the only honoree from UCR. She has received several national and international accolades, including the prestigious Future Leader of Higher Education Award from the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

December 5: Dr. Ritu Raman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and head of the Raman Lab at MIT, Dr. Raman is working at the intersection of biology and engineering to understand and engineer biological actuators. In 2018, Dr. Raman was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Science list and in 2019 she was honored as one of MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35. She authored the MIT Press-published book Biofabrication, alongside publications in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Science Advances, and Advanced Healthcare Materials.