Columbia University 9th Annual Engineering in Medicine Symposium - February 13, 2025
ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM
HOSTS
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
&
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
EVENT DETAILS
Thursday, February 13, 2025
10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST
Join us for a day of presentations and networking as we explore the interface of engineering and medicine and the path from bench to bedside. With opening remarks anticipated by Columbia Engineering Dean, Shih-Fu Chang, and Chair of Radiology at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ajay Gupta, the symposium comprises four sessions showcasing the role of engineering in AI & Imaging, Cell & Tissue Engineering, Orthopedic & Biomechanics and Genomics.
SYMPOSIUM CHAIR
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Assistant Professor of Radiology
Please direct any questions to [email protected]
OPENING REMARKS
Shih-Fu Chang, PhD
Dean of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science; Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor of Engineering; Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Ajay Gupta, PhD
Chair, Department of Radiology, CUIMC
PROGRAM
Coming Soon!
REGISTRATION
In-person registration is closed to Columbia affiliates only. Outside guests may join us virtually on Zoom.
Register for a virtual ticket!
Register for an in-person ticket!
SPEAKERS
Nuttida Rungratsameetaweemana, PhD

Nuttida Rungratsameetaweemana, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Nuttida directs the Systems Intelligence Lab, which focuses on uncovering the computational principles and coding strategies employed by the cortical hierarchy to enable cognitive flexibility and adaptive information processing. Their research lies at the intersection of systems neuroscience and artificial intelligence, integrating computational and experimental approaches to explore fundamental questions about higher cognitive functions. The lab leverages deep learning models and machine learning techniques alongside psychophysical experiments and electrophysiological data, including human intracranial recordings and rodent electrophysiology. Nuttida has dual training in computational and experimental neuroscience, earned through her PhD at the University of California, San Diego, and postdoctoral work at the Salk Institute.
Despina Kontos, PhD

Despina Kontos, PhD, Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Radiological Sciences, Vice-Chair of AI and Data Science Research, Radiology, Director, Center for Innovation in Imaging Biomarkers and Integrated Diagnostics (CIMBID), Chief Research Information Officer (CRIO), CUIMC
Despina Kontos, PhD, is a computer scientist with expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics for multi-modality imaging data. She is the chief research information officer for Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). She is also the vice chair of artificial intelligence and data science research in the Department of Radiology at CUIMC and director of biomarker imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital—with additional appointments in the Departments of Biomedical Informatics and Biomedical Engineering
Michael Lipton

Michael Lipton, PhD, Professor of Radiology - Affiliate Professor of BME
Michael L. Lipton, MD, PhD, FACR is a neuroradiologist who develops advanced quantitative MRI to characterize brain disease. His clinical work focuses on patients with persistent symptoms from traumatic brain injury and disorders not easily identified with conventional imaging approaches. His research program has focused for over two decades on detecting and characterizing effects of concussion and repetitive head impacts in sport. His work on the impact of soccer heading on brain structure and function in amateur players has been shared internationally through presentations numerous peer-reviewed publications and books, and has been reported extensively in the press worldwide.
Shih-Fu Chang, PhD

Dean of Columbia Engineering; Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Shih-Fu Chang is dean of Columbia Engineering, where he leads the School's education, research, and innovation mission. His research is focused on computer vision, machine learning, and multimedia information retrieval. A primary goal of his work is to develop intelligent systems that can extract rich information from the vast amount of visual data including those emerging on the Web, collected through pervasive sensing, or available in gigantic archives. His work on content-based visual search in the early 90’s set the foundation of this vibrant area. Over the years, he has developed innovative solutions for image/video recognition, multimodal analysis, multimedia ontology, image forensics, and compact hashing for large-scale search.
José L. McFaline-Figueroa

José L. McFaline-Figueroa, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
José L. McFaline-Figueroa received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, his Ph.D. in Cancer Cell Biology from MIT and performed post-doctoral research at the University of Washington. In January 2021, José joined the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. His laboratory develops multiplex single-cell genomics tools to define the molecular determinants of cellular response to therapy. José’s work has been recognized by various awards, including the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute’s Genomic Innovator Award, the NSF Career Award and the Allen Institute Distinguished Investigator Award.
Jia Guo

Jia Guo, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology (in Psychiatry)
Jia Guo leads CORTEX (Computational Optimization and Research in Translational neuroEngineering and eXcellence in AI) Lab, advancing MRI and MRS technologies for translational brain research with a strong neuroengineering focus. By leveraging computational neuroimaging, CORTEX enhances diagnosis, illuminates disease mechanisms, and accelerates novel therapies for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Two divisions spearhead these efforts: the Neuroimaging Division, applying deep learning and quantitative analysis to uncover brain development and dysfunction, and the Neurobiochemical Division, using in vivo MRS to reveal disease-related metabolic profiles. By integrating multi-modal imaging, Guo Lab effectively bridges preclinical and clinical research, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Clark Hung

Clark Hung, PhD, Vice Chair and Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Clark T. Hung is Vice Chair and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor of Orthopedic Sciences (in Orthopedic Surgery). His research investigates physical effects on cells and tissues, and their incorporation in strategies for cartilage tissue engineering. His research has been funded by NIH, NSF, DOD and ARPA-H. Dr. Hung is a fellow of AIMBE, ASME, BMES, Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) and the International Combined ORS and has been awarded the Negma-Lerards Award in Mechanobiology of Chondrocyte and Cartilage, Marshall Urist Award for Excellence in Tissue Regenerative Medicine from the ORS, and Kim Award for Faculty Involvement- SEAS.
Stavros Thomopoulos

Stavros Thomopoulos, PhD, Professor of BME and Orthopedics
Dr. Thomopoulos holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University, and Masters of Science degrees in both mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan. He completed his doctoral studies in biomedical engineering in 2001 through the University of Michigan. After a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University in Biomedical Engineering, he started a faculty position at Washington University in 2003. Dr. Thomopoulos joined Columbia University in 2015 as a full professor and the director of the Carroll Laboratories.
Andrew Laine

Andrew Laine, PhD, Percy K and Vida LW Hudson Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology (Physics)
As director of the Heffner Biomedical Imaging Lab at Columbia, Andrew Laine focuses on the mathematical analysis and quantification of medical images, signal and image processing, computer-aided diagnosis and biomedical / imaging informatics. His work is based on imaging structures at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ levels of analysis. The goal is to develop biomedical technology for unmet clinical needs and to transition that technology into commercial products that will improve healthcare and save lives.
Gerard Ateshian

Gerard Ateshian, PhD, Andrew Walz Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Gerard A. Ateshian is the Andrew Walz Professor of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at Columbia University. His primary research is in the field of soft tissue mechanics, with an emphasis on cartilage mechanics, lubrication, and tissue engineering, the formulation of growth theories for biological tissues, and the development of treatment modalities for osteoarthritis. In collaboration with Prof. Clark Hung from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia, he has translated his findings on cartilage mechanics to the field of functional cartilage tissue engineering. Together with Prof. Jeffrey Weiss at the University of Utah, he has developed open-source computational tools that facilitate the modeling of tissue mechanics, transport, and growth processes (febio.org). In collaboration with Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser in Columbia’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (DOS), he has developed a technology for bending osteochondral allografts to conform their anatomy to that of the transplantation site, leading to a novel treatment of thumb osteoarthritis. In collaboration with Prof. Sinisa Vukelic in ME and Dr. Roshan Shah in DOS, he is currently developing a laser treatment modality for crosslinking osteoarthritic cartilage, for the purpose of strengthening this tissue in early stages of this degenerative joint disease.
Harris Wang

Harris Wang, PhD, Associate Professor of Systems Biology
Dr. Wang's research focuses on building foundational technologies to program cells into low-cost diagnostics, personalized medicines, and living materials. In the area of the human microbiome, Dr. Wang developed the concept of microbiome gene therapy, which has been applied to endow gut microbes with sensing and therapeutic capabilities for intestinal inflammation and to eliminate problematic traits such as virulence and antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Wang is an Investigator of the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science, NSF CAREER Award, Sloan Research Fellowship, and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the White House.
Parisa Yousefpour

Parisa Yousefpour, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Parisa Yousefpour’s research centers on engineering next-generation biomolecular therapeutics and lies at the intersection of immunoengineering, synthetic biology, protein engineering, and biomaterials. Her research group develops RNA and protein-based therapeutics to modulate immune responses, with applications such as cancer immunotherapy and vaccines for infectious diseases. Parisa received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. She completed her postdoctoral training at MIT, supported by the Ludwig Cancer Research Fellowship and the NIH/NIAID F32 Fellowship. She is a recipient of the First Generation/Low Income Student Support and Advocacy Award from MIT. She joined Columbia’s Biomedical Engineering Department in 2025.
Lu is the inventor and co-inventor of more than a dozen patents and applications, and she has served on the editorial board of leading journals of the fields, including Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Engineering, Journal of Biomedical Material Research A, Journal of Orthopaedic Research, and is currently an associated editor for IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. Her research has been supported by the Whitaker Foundation, the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, the New York State Stem Cell Initiative, the National Football League (NFL) Charities, the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health.
Lu’s research has also been recognized with many awards, including the Early Faculty Career Awards in Translational Research (Phase I and Phase II) from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and the Young Investigator Award from the Society for Biomaterials. She was honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) at the White House in 2010, and was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in 2011.
Lu received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently the Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the Director of the Biomaterials and Interface Tissue Engineering Laboratory at Columbia University. She also received tenure at the Columbia College of Dental Medicine, and serves as a Provost Leadership Fellow at Columbia.
Yvon Woappi

Yvon Woappi, PhD, Assistant Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics
Dr. Yvon Woappi is an Assistant Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, and the Endowed Herbert and Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Dermatology in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He equally holds an affiliate faculty appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University.
Santiago Correa

Santiago Correa, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Assistant Director for Education and Training, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Santiago Correa is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University, where he is also the Assistant Director of Education and Training at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Correa is primarily interested in developing nanotechnology for both macro- and nanoscale technologies to reprogram the immune system to treat diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders. Prior to beginning his faculty position, Dr. Correa was an NCI-funded Ruth L. Kirschstein F32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Stanford University, where he worked on immunomodulatory biomaterials in the Appel Lab. Prior to his postdoctoral work, Santiago received his PhD in Biological Engineering from MIT, where he investigated how nanoparticle surface chemistry could be engineered to target ovarian cancer and to fabricate multifunctional nanomaterials in the Hammond Lab. His doctoral research was supported by Fellowships from the NSF, Sloan Foundation, and Siebel Foundation. Santiago obtained his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University, where he conducted research on the foreign body response to brain implants in the Kyriakides Lab.
Chao Lu

Chao Lu, PhD, Assistant Professor
Dr. Chao Lu is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics and Development at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He received his PhD degree at University of Pennsylvania and completed his postdoctoral training at the Rockefeller University. His lab has a long-term interest in understanding mechanisms of chromatin regulation and their links to oncogenesis. Dr. Lu’s contribution has been recognized by several awards, including V Scholar for Cancer Research, Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research, AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award, and Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists.
Alberto Ciccia

Alberto Ciccia, PhD, Assistant Professor
Alberto Ciccia conducted his Ph.D. studies in the laboratory of Steve West at Clare Hall Laboratories. In 2007, he joined the laboratory of Steve Elledge at Harvard Medical School for his postdoctoral work. In 2014, he joined the Department of Genetics and Development at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he is currently an Associate Professor. His laboratory studies the DNA damage response using high-throughput genome editing technologies.
Elham Azizi

Elham Azizi, PhD, Herbert & Florence Irving Associate Professor of Cancer Data Research and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Elham is the Herbert and Florence Irving Associate Professor of Cancer Data Research (in the Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics) and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. She is also affiliated with the Department of Computer Science, Data Science Institute, and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. Elham holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, an MSc in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Bioinformatics from Boston University. She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Dana Pe'er Lab at Columbia University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her multidisciplinary research utilizes novel machine learning techniques and single-cell genomic and imaging technologies to study the dynamics and circuitry of interacting cells in the tumor microenvironment. She is a recipient of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise, NYAS/Takeda Early-Career Innovator in Science Award, Allen Distinguished Investigator Award, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Science Diversity Leadership Award, NSF CAREER Award, Tri-Institutional Breakout Prize for Junior Investigators, NIH NCI Pathway to Independence Award, American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship, and IBM Best Paper Award at the New England Statistics Symposium.