Nano-world of wound and heart healing
Nano-world of wound and heart healing - a public lecture
7 PM, Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at the Santa Fe Complex (Reception begins at 6:30 PM)
Andre Levchenko, Johns Hopkins University
Researchers are asking fundamental questions about human health using nanotechnology, creating tiny tools the size of molecules. Lilliputian-level experiments with these tools are providing insights into how cells are able to detect and respond to environmental differences that are 1000 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair. These insights are important for understanding how to use stem cells to repair tissue damage, such as that caused by wounds, strokes and heart attacks.
Bio
Dr. Levchenko grew up in Siberia and got his B.S. and M.S. degrees at the Moscow Institute of Science and Technology, frequently referred to us as the Russian Caltech. He then crossed the Pond to continue his education at Columbia University, culminating in PhD in Bioengineering. He simultaneously worked at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center on problems of cancer drug resistance. Thereafter he became a post-doctoral scholar at Caltech, working with faculty in Biology and Computer Science on establishing the basis for understanding cell signaling in changing environments. Dr. Levchenko was then appointed to a faculty position at Johns Hopkins where he has been ever since, working on understanding the Systems Biology of cell signaling and communication. In addition to extensive publication record, he maintains his membership of Editorial Boards of several journals, consulting for multiple government agencies and companies, and delivering lectures to diverse audiences across the world. His prizes include Borroughs-Wellcome award, citation as an Emerging Young scientist by the Royal Chemical Society and others.
