Wawrzyniec Dobrucki (left) and Michael Oelze (right).
Urbana, Ill. – Eight faculty from The Grainger College of Engineering have joined Carle Illinois College of Medicine with Health Innovation Professor appointments. The new faculty deliver on Carle Illinois’ strategy to leverage the University of Illinois’ exceptional faculty to serve as agents of change in medical education, innovation, and research at the world’s first engineering-based college of medicine.
“As champions of interdisciplinary health research, the new professors will advance the discovery and translation of breakthrough health innovations that have the potential to improve patient care and outcomes,” said King Li, Dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. “They will help to pioneer new approaches to medical education and integrate health innovation concepts into graduate and undergraduate courses across the UIUC campus.”
The new Health Innovation faculty represent a range of engineering disciplines and are positioned to be drivers of innovation in medicine and healthcare, which will fuel health-related funding from government agencies, industry, foundations, and individuals, and inspire a range of new cause-based philanthropic giving campaigns.
“Carle Illinois Health Innovation Professors recognize the value of translating new ideas to innovations and to impact, and several are founders of new biotech, medical device, and digital health companies. They will help Carle Illinois to fill the Research Park and the envisioned Health Innovation Translator facility, fulfill the vision of the Discovery Partners Institute, and promote economic prosperity throughout Illinois,” said Stephen Boppart, Carle Illinois’ Executive Associate Dean and Chief Diversity Officer and bioengineering professor.
“These incredibly talented Health Innovation Professors are thought leaders and visionaries, and are a shining example of the University’s and Carle Illinois’ commitment to leveraging the tremendous power of diversity and interdisciplinarity to promote innovation and excellence,” said Boppart.
Carle Illinois Health Innovation Professors from The Grainger College of Engineering include:
Wawrzyniec Dobrucki is a professor of bioengineering and directs the Experimental Molecular Imaging Laboratory. His expertise is in molecular multimodality imaging, and his fields of professional interests include the development of novel targeted microSPECT/PET-CT imaging strategies to assess myocardial and peripheral angiogenesis in animal models of disease, including diabetes.
Michael Oelze is professor of electrical and computer engineering, Oelze’s research focuses on several aspects of ultrasound/tissue interaction including: cancer detection using quantitative ultrasound, ultrasound microscopy, bioeffects of ultrasound, ultrasound-based therapies and coded excitation.
See the full list of professors here.
Carle Illinois’ next round of applications for Health Innovation Professor appointments will open soon. The next application cycle includes faculty from the College of Applied Health Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Gies College of Business, and future rounds will include other colleges across campus. More information is available by contacting Stephen Boppart (boppart@illinois.edu).
– Written by Ryann Monahan, Carle COM