Photo: (left to right) Buddy Ratner, Rong Tian, Valerie Daggett, Wendy Thomas, Chun Yuan and Cecilia Giachelli

UW Bioengineering faculty Valerie Daggett, Wendy Thomas, Rong Tian and Chun Yuan were inducted to the AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2017 at the AIMBE Annual Event, which was held March 19-20 in Washington, D.C.

29 BioE core and adjunct faculty are AIMBE Fellows, and this year’s class is the largest inducted in the department’s history.

Wendy Thomas, associate professor of bioengineering and vice chair of academic affairs, was recognized for “exceptional contributions to the biomechanics of cell attachment and for leadership in enhancing diversity in bioengineering.”

Valerie Daggett, professor of bioengineering, was recognized for “outstanding contributions to protein engineering and design via the characterization of protein unfolding and structural changes linked to disease.” Dr. Daggett was elected to AIMBE in 2015 but deferred her induction to 2017.

Rong Tian, joint professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering, was recognized “for outstanding multidisciplinary research that links basic science, engineering and clinical investigations for metabolic therapy of human diseases.”

Chun Yuan, joint professor of radiology and bioengineering, was recognized for “for pioneering contributions to MRI and other methods of characterization of atherosclerotic plaques, improving predictability of strokes and heart attacks.”

Joan Sanders, professor of bioengineering, was elected to AIMBE this year but has deferred her induction as a fellow to 2018.

AIMBE, or the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering,is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to improving lives through medical and biological engineering. AIMBE Fellows represent the top two percent of medical and biological engineers in the United States. Drs. Thomas, Daggett, Tian and Yuan join a distinguished group of more than 1,000 other fellows from academia,industry and government who have made significant contributions to bioengineering research, industrial practice, and education. Visit AIMBE’s website to learn more.