Injury or disease in our most complex organ — the human brain — can be hard to detect and even harder to treat. Advancing technologies for brain health requires interdisciplinary collaboration from clinicians and engineers in fields that range from data science to medicine.

This fall the 91̽»¨’s annual will feature research with potential to transform brain therapeutics from infancy to late adulthood. Two 91̽»¨engineers will speak about their work — on detecting and treating Alzheimer’s disease as well as on developing therapies for children’s brains. These lectures are free and open to the public, and this year they will be both in person and livestreamed. .

From discovery to design: Toward early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

The series kicks off Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Kane Hall 130 with , a professor of bioengineering. Daggett has been studying misfolded proteins that lead diseases such as Alzheimer’s, as well as Parkinson’s and others, since the 1990s. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease — a number projected to rise to 14 million by 2050 — and currently, there is no cure. Daggett’s research uses computational and experimental methods to design diagnostic and therapeutic agents to target these diseases. This work has been spun out to form with a promising platform for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. Hear from Daggett about the technology and collaborations driving this research.

Updated 10/28/22 – video

Engineering therapies for the pediatric brain

On Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Kane Hall 130, , an associate professor of chemical engineering and of bioengineering, will talk about developing therapeutics for newborn and pediatric brain disease, with the goal of improving neurological function and quality of life. Children make up 27% of the world’s population, but most therapeutics for brain disease are tested on adults. Pediatric clinical trials often follow years later. This has led to a significant gap in medical technology for infants and children. Nance’s research focuses on understanding the brain’s response to injury or disease and developing nanotherapeutic platforms to treat brain disease using nanotechnology, neurobiology and data science tools.

Updated 10/28/22 – video

, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and a data science fellow with the eScience Institute, was nominated by the Army Research Office in the Army Research Laboratory.

Brunton is a mechanical engineer whose research focuses on data-driven modeling and control of complex systems, such as studying how turbulent fluids behave. Brunton was nominated for his work on using machine learning to develop efficient models that accurately describe the complexities of fluid mechanics. These models will then be used in part for designing better aircraft and more efficient energy systems.

, an assistant professor of physics and faculty member with the Clean Energy Institute, was nominated by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Chu was nominated for his research on high-temperature superconductivity and materials with unique properties emerging from the laws of quantum mechanics, the probability-based rules that govern the behavior of matter at the subatomic level. These materials could revolutionize telecommunications and other fields. Chu uses strain tuning, a method he developed, to deform the 3D crystalline structure of materials and probe them for exotic combinations of quantum-level properties for applications in the laboratory, industry and beyond.

, an assistant professor of epidemiology and faculty member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, was nominated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Lindström is a genetic epidemiologist with an interest in understanding how genetics contributes to common complex diseases, such as cancer. She was nominated for her work investigating the shared genetic origin of different types of cancer, using genetic data on more than 500,000 individuals. Her research will inform future study designs and help identify global biological mechanisms that underlie cancer development and progression.

, an assistant professor of chemical engineering and faculty member with the Center on Human Development & Disability and the Molecular & Engineering Sciences Institute, was nominated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Nance’s research focuses on developing nanotechnology-based therapeutics to treat diseases and injuries to the brain. Using a combination of tissue imaging techniques, nanotechnology approaches and data science tools, she models the conditions present in different brain microenvironments — information needed to streamline the development of more effective and more precise nanoscale therapeutics to repair and protect the core of our central nervous system.

, an associate professor of environmental and forest sciences, was nominated by the National Science Foundation.

Prugh is a wildlife ecologist whose research explores interactions among species and the response of wildlife communities to global change. Prugh was nominated for her work that looks at the effects large carnivores have on smaller carnivores, particularly as animal distributions change rapidly worldwide. As part of this project, Prugh is the impacts gray wolves have on coyotes and bobcats as wolves naturally recolonize Washington state.

, currently an assistant professor of computer science and engineering, also received a PECASE. Cheung, who was nominated by the U.S. Department of Energy, will join the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley later this summer.

In addition, , a chief engineer at the , received a PECASE. Schneider, who is also a 91̽»¨affiliate associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, was nominated by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The PECASE was established in 1996 to recognize the contributions that scientists and engineers have made to STEM fields, as well as education, leadership and public outreach. Participating federal departments and agencies nominate scientists for consideration. Final awards are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President.

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