National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Centers
The Department of Biomedical Engineering is proud to be participating in two of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Engineering Research Centers (ERCs). The goal of the ERC Program is to integrate engineering research and education with technological innovation to transform national prosperity, health, and security. ERCs create an innovative, inclusive culture in engineering to cultivate new ideas and pursue engineering discovery that achieves a significant science, technology, and societal outcome within the 10-year time frame of NSF support. FIU BME is currently involved in the following projects:
PATHS-UP ERC
The Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP) culture of inclusion vision is to become a leader in cultivating a diverse and inclusive STEM community that is prepared to educate, inform and enhance the health of the underserved community testbeds.
The specific vision of our PATHS-UP ERC is to change the paradigm for the health of underserved populations by developing revolutionary and cost-effective technologies and systems at the point-of-care. The initial PATHS-UP technologies and systems are designed to help with chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are leading causes of morbidity and mortality world-wide. Chronic diseases are particularly devastating in underserved communities in the United States where they are contracted at a higher rate than the national average. In these underserved communities, chronic diseases are increasingly a major cause of disability, even for younger people, and lead to poor quality of life and high health care expenditures. Thus, the burden of chronic disease is a grand challenge that requires cost-effective technologies to reduce mortality rates, emergency room visits and hospitalizations, which disproportionately drive up healthcare costs. Technologies are also needed to help prevent or delay the disease, reducing the incidence of secondary complications and enhancing life quality.
Lead by Texas A&M University
Partner with Florida International University, Rice University and UCLA
CELL-MET
The Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Cellular Metamaterials (CELL-MET) aims to transform cardiovascular care by combining breakthroughs in nanotechnology and manufacturing with tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, while also developing areas of expertise in education, diversity, administration, and outreach. CELL-MET is lead by Boston University partnered with FIU and the University of Michigan. Affiliated institutions include Harvard Medical School, Columbia University, the Wyss Institute at Harvard, Argonne National Laboratory, the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, and the Centro Atómico Bariloche/Instituto Balseiro in Argentina.