On Wednesday, October 21, BMES2026 attendees can go behind the scenes at Nemours Children’s Health, Hesperos, Inc., the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, and the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute to see how cutting-edge research and technology are being translated into patient care. From pediatric cancer research and robotic surgery to Human-on-a-Chip systems, orthopedic AI and 3D printing, neurorehabilitation robotics, neuromodulation, and advanced imaging, each tour offers a unique look at innovation happening beyond the conference floor. Space is limited for all tours, and advance registration is required. Tours are just $15 per person, so reserve your spot early and add a hands-on Orlando experience to your Annual Meeting schedule.
Join us for the Celebration of Culture Luncheon, featuring Daniel Gallego-Perez, PhD, of The Ohio State University, as he presents “Reprogramming Biology, Redefining Possibilities.” Discover groundbreaking research in non-viral gene delivery, cellular reprogramming, and vascular regeneration while hearing how Dr. Gallego-Perez’s cultural experiences have influenced his journey in biomedical engineering.
Join us for the Fair Access in BME Luncheon on Friday, October 23, featuring Brian Aguado, PhD, University of California, San Diego; Ashley Brown, PhD, North Carolina State University; and Michelle Oyen, PhD, Wayne State University. Through “Looking to the Past to See Into the Future,” these speakers will reflect on the progress made in biomedical engineering, the challenges that remain, and the opportunities ahead to build a more inclusive and equitable future for the field.
Discover how artificial intelligence, Microsoft Copilot, and emerging medical device technologies are shaping the future of biomedical engineering and healthcare. Join NSBE Healthcare Innovation SIG Director Alfred Ojukwu and Founding Director Emeritus John Thomas as they explore how NSBE and BMES members can leverage these advancements, collaborate across disciplines, and help drive the next generation of healthcare innovation.
Biomedical engineer Wendy Brown, PhD, of the University of California, Irvine, is taking cartilage research to new heights, literally. By studying cartilage development aboard the International Space Station, Brown and her team are uncovering insights that could lead to better treatments for joint injuries and osteoarthritis, a condition affecting an estimated 33 million American adults.
See how this innovative research highlights the power of biomedical engineering to push boundaries, advance regenerative medicine, and improve lives here on Earth.
Start your Thursday at BMES2026 with the Building Accessibility Breakfast, a special ticketed event featuring a virtual fireside chat with Rory A. Cooper, PhD, National Medal Laureate and internationally recognized leader in rehabilitation engineering, assistive technology, and inclusive innovation.
Dr. Cooper is the FISA Foundation–Paralyzed Veterans of America Distinguished Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and directs the Pitt and VA collaborative Human Engineering Research Laboratories. His groundbreaking work has helped advance wheelchair design, robotics, accessible transportation, and technologies that improve independence and quality of life for people with disabilities.
Join us for an inspiring conversation on designing with accessibility in mind and the role biomedical engineers can play in creating more inclusive technologies.
Each year, BMES recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions of those in the field of biomedical engineering. Each Award recipient will present a lecture at the BMES 2026 Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL, October 21 - 24. We are honored to announce the recipients of these prestigious awards for 2026 along with the dates and times of their lectures.
Top Row:William Wagner, PhD, University of Pittsburgh — BMES Robert A. Pritzker Distinguished Lectureship Award | Jordon Gilmore, PhD, and Angela Alexander-Bryant, PhD, Clemson University — BMES Social Impact Lecture Award
Middle Row:Jennifer Amos, PhD, University of Illinois — Herbert Voigt Distinguished Service Award | Elisa Konofagou, PhD, Columbia University — NIH/NIBIB Lecture | Zhi Yang, PhD, University of Minnesota — Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation
Bottom Row:Gerard Coté, PhD, Texas A&M University — BMES Athanasiou Medal of Excellence in Translational Bioengineering | Hoda Hatoum, PhD, Michigan Technological University — BMES Rita Schaffer Young Investigator Award | Christopher Jewell, PhD, University of Maryland — BMES Mid-Career Award
The Fellow grade of membership is a prestigious and highly selective honor recognizing outstanding achievement and significant contributions to the field of biomedical engineering. This year, the BMES Board of Directors is honored to welcome 13 new members to the ranks of BMES Fellows.
BMES Fellows have demonstrated impactful achievements and made meaningful contributions to the biomedical engineering community and to BMES. They are active leaders in the profession and within the Society.
The new BMES Fellows will be honored during the 2026 BMES Annual Meeting in Orlando, on Thursday, October 22, at the plenary session beginning at 5:15 pm.
Top Row:Kyle D. Allen, PhD, University of Florida | Ashley Brown, PhD, North Carolina State University | Gulden Camci-Unal, PhD, University of Massachusetts Lowell | Raffaella De Vita, PhD, Virginia Tech | Elam Fu, PhD, Oregon State University
Middle Row:Jun Liao, PhD, University of Texas at Arlington | Roger J. Narayan, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Tyrone M. Porter, PhD, The University of Texas at Austin | Paolo P. Provenzano, PhD, University of Minnesota | Robin M. Queen, PhD, The Ohio State University
Bottom Row:Thomas M. Talavage, PhD, University of Cincinnati | Casim A. Sarkar, PhD, University of Minnesota | Aijun Wang, PhD, University of California, Davis
BMES Briefs will not be published next week. We’ll be getting ready to host more than 4,500 attendees at the BMES Annual Meeting in Orlando. We hope you’re one of the ones attending!
By Paula Guerrero-López & Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar
Glucose and oxygen availability are fundamental drivers of tumor progression, deeply influencing cancer cell proliferation, metabolism, and spatial organization. In this study, we present a simplified microfluidic-based 3D model of tumorigenesis that allows for controlled and dynamic analysis of key tumor parameters under metabolic stress. Using this platform, lung adenocarcinoma (A549) spheroids embedded in a collagen-based extracellular matrix were monitored over time to assess growth kinetics, hypoxic response via HIF-1α expression, and structural organization. A multifactorial experimental design combining variations in glucose, glutamine, and oxygen availability revealed distinct and specific effects of each nutrient. Glutamine deprivation led to widespread cell death, while glucose limitation strongly arrests cell proliferation. Finally, oxygen restriction disrupted spheroid architecture, resulting in loss of the proliferative outer capsule and the formation of internal cavities. The researchers approach provides a flexible system to study how microenvironmental cues shape tumor behavior, offering insights into metabolic vulnerabilities and the morphofunctional consequences of nutrient stress in cancer. Read More
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