This celebration holds special significance as it is held each year in honor of Dr. J. Crayton Pruitt Sr.’s birthdate. His vision and generosity were instrumental in founding our department, and his enduring passion for student achievement and research makes this event a fitting tribute to his legacy.
Congratulations to Our Award Winners
- Chloe Baratta – Best Oral Presentation: Measuring Fibular Kinematics with Marker-Driven Models in OpenSim
- Austin Stis – Best Poster: Pulsatile GABA secretion from pancreatic islets is coordinated with calcium oscillations
- Kevin Smith – Best Poster: Developing a combinatorial polymeric microparticle-lipid nanoparticle system as a Regulatory Vaccine (REGvak) for Dendritic cell modulation and Rheumatoid Arthritis Immunotherapy
Keynote Address
We were honored to welcome Dr. Chelsea M. Magin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Pediatrics, and Medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver | Anschutz. Dr. Magin delivered a powerful keynote, Engineering the Diseased Lung: 3D Models to Decode Fibrosis, Hypertension, and Sex-Specific Drug Responses.
Special Thanks to Our Alumni Speakers
We extend our gratitude to our alumni who generously gave their time to mentor and share their career journeys with our students:
- Nik Agrawal, Scientific Affairs Manager, Axogen
- Tiffany Conklin, Advanced Biomanufacturing Engineer II, Mayo Clinic
- Maria Coronel, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
- Enrico Opri, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
- Rachel Hybart, Consultant and Human Performance Lab Research Engineer, Rimkus
- Brittany Partain, Associate Director of Clinical Affairs and Physician Education, Exagen
Thank you again to everyone who made this day possible! Together, we continue to honor the spirit of discovery and excellence that defines our department.