Grantee Directory: 2007-08

In 2007, 13 out of 38 proposed Whitaker Program grant projects were
selected for funding. Of those, 12 awardees chose to undertake a
Whitaker grant project.

Below you will find information on the 2007-08 Whitaker Program Fellows [1] and Scholars [2]. To get a more detailed picture of their projects, click on the grantee's name to see an abstract of the individual project.

Fellows

The ten Whitaker International Fellows are traveling to seven countries to undertake biomedical engineering projects during the 2006-07 academic year. Many of them will return to the U.S. after their projects to complete or begin Ph.D. programs in biomedical engineering.

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Mr. John Baeten [3], Milwaukee School of Engineering

Host Country, Institution: Germany, Technical University of Munich
Project Title: Fluorescence Molecular Tomography in the Application of Visualizing Tumor Responses to Therapy

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Mr. Sukhjeet Batth [4], Stanford University

Host Country, Institution: United Kingdom, University College London
Project Title: Evolution and Engineering of Transketolase

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Ms. Michelle Berny [5], Oregon Health & Science University

Host Country, Institution: The Netherlands, University of Maastricht
Project Title: Spatiotemporal Aspects of Platelet Activation: a Novel Antithrombotic Strategy Targeting Cytoskeletal Regulation

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Ms. Mariana Garcia [6], Pennsylvania State University

Host Country, Institution: United Kingdom, Queen Mary University of London
Project Title: Mechano-modulation of a Ca2+ Signalling Pathway Controls Chondrocyte Response to Mechanical Loading

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Ms. Holly Gibbs [7], Texas A&M University

Host Country, Institution: United Kingdom, Scottish Centre for Genomics Technology and Informatics
Project Title: An Integrated Approach to Immune Pathways via Microarrays and Novel Imaging Techniques

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Mr. Julian Klosowiak [8], Northwestern University

Host Country, Institution: France, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie des Reseaux Sensorimoteurs (LNRS), CNRS UMR
Project Title: Dexterous Hand Control: Movement and the Influence of Gravity

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Mr. Paul Loriaux [9], University of California, San Diego

Host Country, Institution: France, L'Institut Pasteur, Paris
Project Title: Modeling Negative signaling via the FcgRIIB Antigen-Antibody Complex Receptor

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Mr. Mohammed Rahman [10], Rice University

Host Country, Institution: India, Tata Memorial Center
Project Title: Optical Based Portable Device for Screening Oral Cancer

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Mr. Garrett Smith [11], University of California, San Diego

Host Country, Institution: Sweden, Lund University in Sweden
Project Title: In Vivo Testing and Characterization of Titanium Dioxide Nanotube Implant Surfaces

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Ms. Helena Zec [12], Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Host Country, Institution: Switzerland, ETH Zurich
Project Title: Microfluidic Fabrication Method for Hydrogels Containing a Gradient of Cell Guidance Cues

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Scholars

The two Whitaker International Scholars are going to two different countries for one year during which they will pursue post-doctoral research in biomedical engineering.

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Ms. Jennifer Patterson [13], University of Washington

Host Country, Institution: Switzerland, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Project Title: Molecularly Engineered PEG Hydrogels for Therapeutic Angiogenesis in Cardiac Regeneration

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Ms. Johanna Zumer [14], University of California, San Francisco and Berkeley

Host Country, Institution: United Kingdom, University College London
Project Title: Reconstructing and Understanding Cortical Dynamics from Multimodal Brain Imaging Methods