Held on July 25 and 26, this interdisciplinary workshop assembled leading researchers, clinicians, staff and students for two days of informative presentations, dynamic discussions, and valuable networking opportunities.
U-M BME hosted its first of two 2024 installments of the BME Summer Workshops @ Michigan series, focusing on “Metabolism & Precision Health.” Held on July 25 and 26, this interdisciplinary workshop assembled leading researchers, clinicians, staff and students for two days of informative presentations, dynamic discussions, and valuable networking opportunities. The event was held in the NCRC Building 18 Dining Hall, creating an engaging environment for all participants.
The goal of the BME Summer Workshops @ Michigan series is to position the University of Michigan as a summer destination for the convergence of minds on significant research topics in biomedical engineering. Each workshop in the series is designed to foster a collaborative forum where participants can share current research progress and discuss future research opportunities at the interface of engineering and medicine.
The “Metabolism & Precision Health” workshop highlighted the latest advancements and challenges in the field, emphasizing the importance of personalized medicine in tackling metabolic disorders. The workshop, which ran from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday, featured a series of insightful keynote speeches, presenters, poster sessions and informal networking opportunities.
We extend our gratitude to the distinguished guest presenters who shared their research and offered their expert insights:
“It’s been a great experience and impressive to see the scale of the resources available at U-M, from the main campus to the Medical School and throughout the city,” said Dr. Price. “I think the topic of Metabolism and Precision Health is timely and highlights the central role of how so many diseases are tied together with these issues. In addition to listening to the presentations, I have enjoyed interacting with the students to learn about the projects they are developing.”
“It’s been a fantastic experience to speak here at U-M,” said Dr. Patti. “This is a tremendous gathering of the leading researchers in the world on this topic at a top university. It is a strong mix of experts who bring their research to this forum and are sharing their findings.
“It was great to be able to gather with a broad audience and get feedback on research while thinking of questions and challenges to explore in new ways,” said Dominik Awad, Ph.D., and a postdoctoral fellow in the Lyssiotis and Daley Labs. “I was honored to be selected to present and share my findings with this diverse professional group.”
“The workshop was a good opportunity to bring these amazing researchers into one room to discuss key issues facing our profession,” said Sriram Chandrasekaran, U-M Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering. “This also was a great educational experience for students in my lab, especially those who had the chance to present their research. It provided them with feedback on their work and also exposed them to various perspectives in our field.”
We also thank the following U-M BME students and postdoctoral fellows, who presented their research, some for the first time in a professional setting:
In addition to these oral presentations, there were 32 poster presentations from students and postdocs in U-M labs. The department is grateful to the participants who contributed to the collaborative spirit of the event through their active engagement in discussions and thoughtful questions that enriched the experience for everyone involved.
A special note of thanks is extended to the U-M organizing team:
and the BME staff members who worked behind the scenes to ensure a successful event.
“Precision Health was excited to be a partner on this event,” Lycan said. “The caliber and range of speakers was excellent, and the intersections of Metabolism and precision health is something of interest to many of our faculty members. We were encouraged by the enthusiasm for this event, and hope to partner on mutual interest projects with the Department of Biomedical Engineering again in the future!”
“It was a pleasure for U-M BME to partner with Precision Health and Internal Medicine to welcome this distinguished group of experts to our campus,” added Mary-Ann Mycek, U-M Professor and William and Valerie Hall Department Chair of Biomedical Engineering. “The opportunity to share insights on research in metabolism and precision health from a biomedical engineering perspective gives us a glimpse into ways we can collaborate in the future to benefit all of society.”
Looking ahead, we are excited about the next workshop in the BME Summer Workshops @ Michigan series, which will be held on Tuesday, August 13, and is open to faculty, staff, and students: “Thriving in Academia: Flourishing in a Culture of Burnout.” Register here.
Once again, thank you to all presenters, participants, and organizers for making the “Metabolism & Precision Health” workshop a successful endeavor. We look forward to seeing you at future workshops and continuing Michigan’s tradition of excellence in biomedical engineering research and collaboration.