Biomedical Engineering

The core components of the Biomedical Engineering Division reflect the expertise of its Co-Directors who were trained in engineering science, bioengineering, engineering-economic planning, physiology, and medicine. Research projects in this division are either independent or collaborative. The researchers interact with each other frequently.

Projects include intravital microscopy, computer-assisted image analysis, microcirculation, telepathology and telemedicine, cancer registry, leukocyte biology, instrument design, artificial blood substitutes, clinical validations, tumor biology, vascular diseases, hemorheology, microangiopathy, biosensors, point-of-care testing (POCT), critical limits, biomedical engineering, and bioinformatics.

Collaborative topics include interaction between intravital microscopy, computer software development, and in vivo real-time studies on microvascular abnormalities in vascular diseases. Other projects involve the utilization of intravital microscopy and computer technology to study vaso-occlusive events in sickle cell diseases, hemorheological and microvascular abnormalities in hemorrhagic and septic shock, and the study of cardiac biomarkers and myocardial ischemia.

In addition to research interactions with various disciplines, departments, and clinics within the UCD Health System, collaborations encompass institutions nearby as well as abroad --- including early diabetic prediction studies with Stanford University, where one Co-Director (ATC) is a Visiting Professor, sickle cell disease research with UCSF, intracranial laser-Doppler studies with Oakland Children's Hospital, microvascular research on diabetic patients with Cairo University (Kasr Al Eini Center for Diabetes & Endocrinology), where one Co-Director (ATC) is a Visiting Professor, clinical evaluations of instruments for diabetes monitoring with the POCT•CTR on the Davis Campus, and POCT and critical care logistics with the Medical Faculty of Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand), where one Co-Director (GJK) is Affiliate Faculty following his term as a Fulbright Scholar in 2003-2004.

Further development of this research division, involving the establishment of research cores to study sickle cell disease, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, artificial blood substitutes, hemorrhagic and septic shock, and use of POCT in disaster preparedness (tsunami and Katrina) is in progress.

For more information, please contact Anthony T. Cheung, Ph.D., or Gerald J. Kost, M.D., Ph.D..