Two Bioengineering professors named IEEE Fellows

11/21/2011 Greta Weiderman

Bioengineering Professor Brian Cunningham and Professor and Department Head Michael Insana have been named Fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Written by Greta Weiderman

Bioengineering Professor Brian Cunningham and Professor and Department Head Michael Insana have been named Fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Cunningham is being recognized for contributions to photonics crystal-based biosensors and detection instrumentation, and Insana is being recognized for contributions to ultrasound imaging methods, particularly elastography.

Brian Cunningham
Brian Cunningham

The IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The total number selected in any one year cannot exceed one-tenth of one- percent of the total voting membership. IEEE Fellow is the highest grade of membership and is recognized by the technical community as a prestigious honor and an important career achievement. 321 individuals have been elevated to IEEE Fellow for 2011.

Cunningham’s research is focused on the application of sub-wavelength optical phenomena and fabrication methods to develop novel devices and instrumentation for the life sciences. His group is highly interdisciplinary, with expertise in the areas of microfabrication, nanotechnology, computer simulation, instrumentation, molecular biology and cell biology. In particular, his team is working on biosensors based upon photonic crystal concepts that can either be built from low-cost flexible plastic materials or integrated with semiconductor-based active devices, such as light sources and photodetectors, for high performance integrated detection systems.

Michael Insana
Michael Insana

Insana’s research focuses on the development of novel ultrasonic instrumentation and methods for imaging soft tissue microstructure, viscoelasticity and blood flow. Its goal is to understand basic mechanisms of cancerous lesion formation, metastatic progression, responses to therapy and sources of image contrast. His research includes the fundamentals of imaging system design and performance evaluation, signal processing, detection and estimation. Insana’s team is developing applications for imaging the elasticity of breast tissue, a diagnostic technique that will allow noninvasive visualization of soft tissue stiffness. His research has applications to improve the detection and treatment of breast cancer, vascular disease and kidney disease.

 

The IEEE is the world’s leading professional association for advancing technology for humanity. Through its 385,000 members in 160 countries, the association is a leading authority on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics.

Dedicated to the advancement of technology, the IEEE publishes 30 percent of the world’s literature in the electrical and electronics engineering and computer science fields, and has developed more than 900 active industry standards. The association also sponsors or co-sponsors nearly 400 international technical conferences each year.


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This story was published November 21, 2011.