Title: PhD Research Opportunities at Washington State University and Seminar on Centrifugal Bioprocessing and Educational Research
Speaker: Prof. Bernard J. Van Wie (Voiland School of Chemical Engineering & Bioengineering, Washington State University)
Time: 15:00-16:00 p.m., May. 23rd, 2019
Venue: Room 105, Shaw Engineering Building, Wushan Campus
[Abstract]
Prof. Van Wie will present information on graduate research opportunities within the Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at Washington State University (WSU). There are multiple opportunities for PhD students, including support on sponsored research projects, the CSC program, a program focused on petroleum processing and energy and sponsored by a Chinese corporation with unique training requirements, and a training program focused on protein biotechnology, again with unique training requirements. Prof. Van Wie did his PhD work in blood cell separations within a continuous flow centrifuge to harvest immune and platelets cells for transfusion therapy. In his seminar he will highlight how he has transformed the process for tissue engineering using mechanotransduction and biochemical growth factors to stimulate cells to differentiate along a chondrogenic lineage. The goal is to form a robust extracellular matrix for regenerating cartilage in treating osteoarthritis. He will present research on maximizing biomanufacturing of varied cell types in a fluidized bed where surface drag and buoyancy are counteracted by centrifugal forces to maintain a high cell population density while bathing cells with fresh medium and removing inhibitory by-products. Finally, he will show results from preliminary research on detection of pathogenic bacteria within a centrifugally stabilized suspension of capture beads. He will also touch on novel educational research where hands-on interactive learning is enhancing conceptual understanding at the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy.
[Biography]
Prof. Bernard Van Wie is a senior professor at Washington State University. He does research in biotechnology and teaching innovation and has won outstanding teaching awards. He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D., and did his postdoctoral work at the University of Oklahoma where he also taught as a graduate student and visiting lecturer. His technical research, funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Agriculture, is currently focused on cartilage tissue regeneration, cytotoxic T-cell manufacture, and biosensing with medical and environmental applications. He spearheads an educational research program to propagate hands-on learning to about 50 universities across the US. His 2007-2008 Fulbright exchange to Nigeria led to his receiving the WSU Marian Smith Award innovative teacher award, and he received the inaugural 2016 Innovation in Teaching Award. Prof. Van Wie has 112 Technical Articles, Workbooks, & Refereed Engineering Education Full Length Conference Papers, has been involved in five US patents and in the writing of two book chapters.