Special Sessions

This session is an awards ceremony for the Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge, a collaboration between the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and VentureWell. DEBUT recognizes undergraduate excellence in biomedical design and innovation by challenging student teams to develop technology solutions for unmet needs in any area of healthcare. This year’s DEBUT competition had 9 prize-winning teams, with 7 prizes provided by NIBIB/NIH and 2 prizes from VentureWell. There are also 5 Honorable Mention awards. The session will be led by NIBIB Director, Dr. Bruce Tromberg, and each of the award-winning teams will give a short presentation of their projects. Dr. Rebekah Neal will present the VentureWell prizes, and Elias Caro from Biocomx will give a presentation on commercialization of biomedical innovations.

An NIBIB Program Director will talk about funding opportunities for students and junior investigators at NIH. NIH-funded PIs at different career stages will share their experiences and advice regarding securing research and career development funds from the NIH.

Optogenetic techniques - which allow optical modulation of activity in genetically specified neural populations - have been a major breakthrough in neuroscience over the past two decades. While these techniques have been revolutionary for studying and refining our understanding of the brain, their applications in the rest of the body also hold tremendous potential especially given their ability to more directly modulate end organ function. However, implementing this technology in the periphery faces a host of unique challenges not encountered in similar brain applications. This mini-symposium will provide a survey of the current research directions and advances in the area of peripheral and spinal cord optogenetics including optogenetic modulation of motor, cardiac, bladder, and autonomic function, wireless implantable devices, and optical read-out of neural activity. This session will feature a lineup of leaders in the field who will each give a short talk on their research. The event will conclude with a panel Q&A session to discuss future directions for this area of investigation and critical hurdles to be addressed with questions welcomed from the audience.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Every 30-40 seconds one American will be diagnosed with cancer, another with diabetes, and yet another will suffer a coronary event. These diseases are a greater burden in underserved and underrepresented communities across the US due to higher prevalence and reduced access to equitable healthcare services. This is particularly exacerbated when coupled with the added burden of the COVID pandemic and the increasing incidence of obesity or high body mass index (BMI). Further, it is well documented, particularly in the case of optically-based devices, that the increased absorption and autofluorescence associated with darker skin tones as well as changing optical properties with different BMI levels, means that care must be taken to ensure that disparities in functionality are avoided across diverse populations.

This track will include one 90 minute special sessions is to discuss how to engage stakeholders in these underserved and underrepresented communities, the development of innovative, cost-effective, solutions for these chronic diseases ideally at the point-of-care (POC), and how these technologies and system solutions could be integrated into the communities toward actionable information.

The session will include 4 invited speakers (1 hour) and an open panel Q&A discussion (30 minutes).

Acknowledgement: The invited speakers for this track are funded by the NSF Engineering Research Center, PATHS-UP (Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations) and from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization has generated significant attention. While the decision clearly impacts many communities, the broad and long-term impact on healthcare practice remains unclear. The goal of this panel is to present our current understanding of the potential impact of the decision on healthcare in Texas and the United States. Presentations will be provided on the areas of legal uncertainty, how to work with local healthcare providers, and the disproportionate impact on specific communities. Following the presentation, the panelists will participate in a discussion on the impact of the Dobbs decision on healthcare and society.

This AIMBE special session will address the U.S. Supreme Court rulings on reproductive rights, gun safety and climate change highlight the importance of public policy, the courts, and citizen engagement upon the lives and health of all Americans. The implications of recent court rulings reach far beyond individual health and safety to social, equality, and income inequality in America, workplace opportunity, and the freedom of all to reach their full potential. BMES’ keynote lecture will explore the abandonment of legal precedents, social and political norms, and even the denial of common facts for their devastating implications on science, research and biomedical innovation. Discover how a changing landscape for marriage equity, voting rights, and even the fundamentals of majority rule have implications for academics, young investigators, scientists and discovery. This session will reveal the common cause for responsibility, commitment, and engagement. Learn how this common cause may be the rallying call and this lecture the spark for action.