Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering

Senator Gary Peters visited the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) where he spoke to faculty, staff, and students about the impact of their work on health and economic growth. It was an exceptional opportunity for our trainees to present their groundbreaking work and demonstrate how federal support drives scientific innovation. During his visit, Senator Peters observed:

• How neurons respond to volatiles emitted by cancer cells and environmental pollutants as a basis for real-time breath analysis for early cancer detection, and a means of rapidly assessing water contamination;
•How we model human heart development and investigate the causes of congenital heart defects in vitro, to reduce congenital heart defects in humans and to learn the basis of atrial fibrillation;
• How we are mapping entire neural networks in the mouse brain to better understand effects of stroke in humans;
• How we use biogenic concrete to print scaffolds and grow functional structures for low-cost, environmentally-friendly, durable building materials;
• How we model blood vessels and simulate blood flow in both healthy and pathological conditions, to improve management of cardiovascular disease;
• How we design wearable sensors that continuously monitor health indicators, to provide early warning signs for patients and those at high-risk.

These are just a few of the pioneering projects that will be jeopardized by reductions in federal funding for biomedical research.

We are deeply grateful to Senator Peters for his time, interest, and support. His visit underscores the critical role of sustained investment in research and innovation to build the tools, technologies, and knowledge that can ensure 100 years of healthy living—for 100 percent of our population.

If you are a graduate student, postdoc, or early career scientist, consider joining us in Holland, Michigan for our Great Lakes Advanced Molecular Sciences Courses. Please visit https://lnkd.in/gNQie76x for full details and registration information. Please contact [email protected] for additional information and questions.

Researchers in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University have just published groundbreaking findings in Nature Communications. The team, led by Dr. Aitor Aguirre, Ph.D., has created miniature heart structures that mimic human heart development. These mini hearts replicate various stages of development, providing a powerful tool for disease modeling, drug testing, precision medicine, and more.

Read more on our website:

Michigan State University Researchers Create Human Heart Model in a Dish – IQ East Lansing, MI — Researchers at Michigan State University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) have made a groundbreaking leap in medical science with a new publication in Nature Communications. Led by Dr. Aitor Aguirre, associate professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Brett Volmert,...