Affiliated faculty, students and collaborators at the Semcer Center for Healthcare Innovation are developing novel medical technologies and services that enable early diagnosis of disease, improve the effectiveness of therapies and treatments, and generate better patients outcomes at reduced costs.
Our research clusters work convergently to tackle problems otherwise difficult to solve. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning experts work across our five core clusters to enhance efficacy of current medical practices, in addition to leading and supporting innovation in future medicine.
Research Clusters
Multifunctional Multiscale Biomaterials and Biofabrication
Our interdisciplinary research team aims to advance innovative approaches and technologies in the convergent areas of biomaterials and biofabrication. The established expertise in this cluster will serve to formulate application-drive research problems including distinct tissue types, pathology models, and organ-on-a-chip for drug discovery, among others. Advanced strategies to create multifunctional multiscale biomaterials will enable the development of novel bioink formulations amenable to biofabrication while the biofabrication process-drive research will focus on printing technology towards the creation of precision structured biomaterials that opens up possibilities to program specific and multiple tissue-based functionalities towards various biomedical applications.
Cluster Leader: Robert Chang
Members: Chang-Hwan Choi, Dilhan Kalyon, Jennifer Kang-Mieler, Jacqueline Libby, Matt Libera, Hongjun Wang, EH Yang, Xiaojun Yu, Annie Xian Zhang
Molecular, Cellular, Tissue Technologies
We are exploring biotechnology solutions to address global health challenges such as cancer, infectious diseases, genetic disorders, and donor organ shortage. These demanding challenges necessitate interdisciplinary perspectives and collaborative endeavors of our investigators in molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, tissue engineering, and tissue-on-a-chip.
Cluster Leaders: Jinho Kim, Woo Lee
Members: Marcin Iwanicki, Dilhan Kalyon, Kwahun Lee, Ansu Perekatt, Hongjun Wang, Xiaojun Yu
Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Engineering
This interdisciplinary research area brings together knowledge in biology, mechanics, and electronics to study biological materials and systems for diagnostic, assistive, and therapeutic purposes. The expertise in this cluster includes experimental characterization of tissues, computational modeling of the constitutive behavior of biological materials and systems, and medical image analyses. This cluster also develops computerized, wearable, and/or robotic devices for therapeutic training, active prostheses for the restoration of function after traumatic limb loss, neuromotor training, and to monitor biomechanical or physiological variables during clinical assessments or real-life activities.
Cluster Leaders: Johannes Weickenmeier, Antonia Zaferiou
Members: Paola DiMarzio, Yi Guo, Jinho Kim, Jacqueline Libby, Feng Liu, George McConnell, Ravi Nataraj, Damiano Zanotto
Biomedical Sensing and Imaging
We are a multidisciplinary team developing innovative sensing and imaging techniques to enable new capabilities in biomedicine. From hardware to software, we cover a broad spectrum of technical expertise. From biology to medicine, we target various questions and clinical needs to improve human health.
Cluster Leaders: Hong Man, Shang Wang
Members: Henry Du, Yu Gan, Jennifer Kang-Mieler, Jinho Kim, Jacqueline Libby, Long Wang, Johannes Weickenmeier, EH Yang, Damiano Zanotto
Drug Discovery, Development and Delivery (4D)
Research in the “4D” cluster is focused on the development of novel therapeutic agents and drug delivery technologies for treatment of diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cancer, diabetic retinopathy and infectious disease.
Cluster Leaders: Jennifer Kang-Mieler, Abhishek Sharma
Members: Marcin Iwanicki, Pin-Kuang Lai, Kwahun Lee, Hongjun Wang, Xiaojun Yu, Annie Xian Zhang, Yong Zhang