VCU professors join elite bioengineering institute

Three professors were inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) at a formal ceremony on April 9.

Those chosen are recognized for their contributions in teaching, research and innovation in the field.

Dr. Gregory Buck of the VCU School of Medicine and Lukasz Kurgan and Frank Gupton of the School of Engineering, were accepted after a months-long application process, which starts with a nomination by one of the institute’s current fellows.

Buck was nominated for “contributions to advancement in the areas of genomics and bioinformatics” according to an AIMBE press release. His research focuses on the microbiome of bacteria within the human body.

“It’s a real honor,” Buck said. “My second career would have been as an engineer. I’ve enjoyed collaborating with my engineering friends. VCU is trying to focus its engineering school more on issues within the human body.”

Gupton, chair of the Department of Chemical and Life Sciences Engineering, was nominated for developments in pharmaceutical processing, which are designed to make different medicines more accessible around the world.

Kurgan was nominated for his work in structural bioinformatics, using computer programs to study the structures of proteins and DNA.

“You have to work for many years to develop the skills and expertise and credentials to be selected and voted on,” Kurgan said. “It’s something special that we will probably remember for the rest of our lives.”

The group is made up of the top 2 percent of medical and biological engineers nationally. With these inductions, VCU has 12 total AIMBE Fellows.

Anya Sczerzenie, Contributing Writer