Author: Melanie L Burnat

Advisory Committee to the Director, NIH

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Melanie L Burnat

Last month, I was attending the 111th meeting of the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. This was my last ACD meeting since I was elected as a member of ACD in 2013. In an effort to ensure that NIH senior management is getting the most rigorous and experienced guidance, the NIH director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., created the ACD made up of academic and health care industry leaders. As a committee member, my duty was to make recommendations concerning program development, resource allocation, NIH administrative regulation and policy, and other specific or general aspects of NIH policy. The committee members also review and make recommendations on applications for grants and cooperative agreements for research and training for projects that show promise of making valuable contributions to human knowledge. It was truly an honor to serve as a member of the ACD. It has been a great pleasure working with Dr. Collins and all members of ACD.

Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., with NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.

Speaking at the National Medical Association Local Society in Louisiana

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Melanie L Burnat

Last year November, it was a privilege and honor to speak to the Dr. Joseph Henry Tyler Jr. Society of the National Medical Association in Lafayette, Louisiana. I was selected as a National Medical Association (NMA) Living Legend by the group. During this trip, I also spoke to a large number of Lafayette high school students. My message to the students centered on my own story: the good effects of role models and what traits encourage success. The traits I emphasize are: being wise, hard working, being a good person and showing loyalty, being courageous, and being resilient.

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Accepted for Indexing by MEDLINE

Posted on January 12, 2016October 6, 2020 by Melanie L Burnat

I am very happy to announce that the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (JREHD) has been accepted for inclusion and indexing in MEDLINE, the U.S. National Library of Medicine database of indexed citations and abstracts.

We submitted a very strong application for inclusion in MEDLINE. Our acceptance reflects the great quality of the articles that have been published, and the excellence of our editorial board, reviewers, and authors.

First Issue of Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Melanie L Burnat

I am pleased to announce the successful launch of the first issue of the international peer-reviewed journal Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine (RETM). Published by Springer International Publishing AG, the goal of this multidisciplinary journal is serving as a platform to discuss the convergence of advanced materials sciences, stem cell sciences, physics, developmental biology and clinical translation to develop novel regenerative strategies. The journal presents a premier, peer-reviewed forum for the publication of original papers, news and views, authoritative reviews, rapid communications and opinion papers addressing the important challenges and approaches to successfully regenerate complex tissues and organ systems. I would like to express my gratitude to the Associate Editors, Editorial Board members, and editorial staff. I hope you enjoy this premiere issue of RETM and will consider submitting your future work to this new transformative journal.

Chinese Academy of Engineering

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Melanie L Burnat

I am one of a select group of engineers from around the world to have been elected a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), one of the most prestigious academic institutions in China. A CAE academician title is the highest Chinese academic achievement in Engineering and Technology and a lifelong honor. The induction ceremony will be held in Beijing in June 2016. I am extremely honored to join these distinguished scholars. It will inspire me to make more contributions in science and engineering in the years to come.

Unveiling HEAL

Posted on December 12, 2015July 30, 2024 by Melanie L Burnat

I was pleased to announce the launch of Hartford Engineering A Limb (HEAL) on Veterans Day at the Connecticut Science Center. The goal of this potentially revolutionary scientific project is to regenerate a new joint in 7 years and a limb in 15 years. Aimed at helping wounded warriors as well as others who have lost limbs or experienced nerve damage, HEAL is run by UConn Health’s Institute for Regenerative Engineering.

We have teamed up with top regenerative engineers who are dedicated to advancing their fields and developing future therapies for patients living with musculoskeletal defects or limb injury or loss. Senior HEAL Team investigators include Drs Lakshmi Nair and Yusuf Khan of UConn Health, Dr. David M. Gardiner of the University of California Irvine, professors at Harvard University, Columbia University, and Sastra University in India. The HEAL project will be further supported by 10 dedicated research fellows and a collaborative team of scientists and clinicians in biomedical engineering, stem cell sciences, molecular biology, orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery and rehabilitation medicine from across the UConn Health campus.

I thank everyone involved in the press conference for their phenomenal work organizing this event over the past weeks. I appreciate all the speakers who shared their expertise and insights on the HEAL project. I also thank the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Foundation, and the Connecticut Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus for their continuing support of our research programs.

Renowned Inventor Dean Kamen Visits UConn

Posted on December 7, 2015June 26, 2020 by Melanie L Burnat

On November 7, Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway PT, visited UConn for the first time. He delivered the Lawrence G. Raisz, M.D. Lectureship, an event hosted by the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS) and UConn School of Engineering in the Student Union of the Storrs campus. Over 300 people, including students, faculty, researchers, public officials and community-based organizations attended. In his keynote entitled “Innovation: Past, Present and Future”, Dean urged the young people present to keep following their dreams and shared an overview of projects he and his engineers at DEKA Research have been working on. He also discussed FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a program for students to get them interested in science, technology, and engineering he and his partners started in 1989 and continue supporting today.

In addition to the Segway, Dean invented the iBOT all-terrain wheelchair as well as several biomedical devices. He has also developed a water purification system he hopes will help improve living standards in developing countries He has received the U.S. Medal of Technology and the ASME Medal, the American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s highest honor. Dean holds more than 440 U.S. and foreign patents.

As the CEO of CICATS, I thank everyone at CICATS for their hard work organizing Dean’s visit over the past months. I also thank the School of Engineering at UConn Storrs for co-hosting this event.

BME Solutions for Health Disparities

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Melanie L Burnat

On October 8, I had the great honor to co-chair a special session with Dr. Gilda Barabino for the 25th Biomedical Engineering Society Meeting in Tampa, FL. The session was entitled “Biomedical Engineering Technology for the Elimination of Health Disparities.” The goal of this session was exploring the roles of various biomedical engineering technologies for use in eliminating health disparities. Topics included the use of technologies for addressing musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis, new emerging technologies involving mobile health (mhealth) which present possibilities for treatment of diabetes and hypertension. The session also addressed the use of biomedical technologies in developing countries, with an eye toward the adaptation of technologies to address issues here in the U.S. The 2015 BME Innovation and Career Development Travel Award winners were also announced at the session.

AESA Launch in Kenya

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Melanie L Burnat

In March, 2015, the African Union supported the establishment of the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) under the leadership of the African Academy of Sciences and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. AESA will help drive Africa’s research agenda and build scientific capacity across the continent. The Wellcome Trust, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the UK Department for International Development are funding the development of AESA and sharing their vision of supporting the next generation of African researchers who will help solve some of the continent’s greatest health and development challenges.

In early September, I was honored to receive an invitation to attend the AESA launch in Nairobi. I delivered a speech during which I read a letter from Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of NIH, in support of AESA. As a African-American, I am very proud Africa will play a key role in building a world-class scientific and programmatic unit.

India National Academy of Sciences

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Melanie L Burnat

I am happy to announce that I have been elected a Foreign Fellow of the India National Academy of Sciences. I am one of only two Foreign Fellows elected this year, and the first from the University of Connecticut and UConn Health.

The citation reads “for his pioneering work in the field of material sciences.” I was recognized as a world leader in polymer-ceramic composites, and recognized for his contributions in tissue generation and bioengineering.

Election to the India National Academy of Sciences is a tremendous honor. I feel so fortunate to have had the support of all my colleagues, my students and the organizations I have worked with. My election is a tribute to their support.

The National Academy of Sciences in India was founded in 1930 and it is the oldest Science Academy in India. It is located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. The main objective of the Academy was to provide a national forum for the publication of research work carried out by Indian scientists and to provide opportunities for exchange of views among them.