Press Release – IRVINE, Calif. – April 26, 2018 – The University of California, Irvine Ayala School of Biological Sciences will host the next Allergan Series in Modern Biology Lecture on Thurs., May 17, 2018. The topic will be “Rebuilding Our Joints: Translating Discoveries in Biology and Engineering” presented by Kyriacos Athanasiou, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UCI.
Articular cartilage is the soft tissue that covers the ends of long bones. A component of the body’s joints, it is pivotal for motion and overall function. Due to its unique composition, cartilage cannot heal by itself and often progresses to osteoarthritis following injury. The presentation will cover three areas: articular cartilage healing, technology translation and personal experiences in technology commercialization.
Professor Athanasiou will describe his group’s efforts in helping joint cartilages, such as the knee meniscus, repair themselves via tissue engineering approaches using various stem cell sources. He will also present examples and results to illustrate a specific pathway of commercializing academe-based research. Lastly, he will talk about his lessons learned in the commercialization process.
UCI Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering Kyriacos A. Athanasiou
Steve Zylius/UCI
“Joint pain is one of the most common and debilitating conditions afflicting millions of people each year,” noted Frank M. LaFerla, Ph.D., Dean of the Ayala School of Biological Sciences. “We are very pleased to share Professor Athanasiou’s innovative work with the broader community. He is bridging the worlds of biology and engineering to improve the health of our bodies and our quality of life.”
The lecture will take place at 7 p.m., with a dessert reception to follow at 8 p.m., at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering, 100 Academy Way, Irvine, CA 92617. To register, visit www.bio.uci.edu/newsroom/calendar/allergan/.
For information in the UCI School of Biological Sciences, visit www.bio.uci.edu.
