Distinguished Life Science and Biomedical Engineering Lecture Series
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Watson School
Cordially invite you to attend a seminar given by:
Dr. Gilda Barabino
Dean of The Grove School of Engineering
The City College of New York
“Sickle Cell Disease: Advances toward
Improved Treatment Strategies using
Engineering Approaches”
Friday, March 20th, 2015
10:50 am – 11:50 am
BI 2504
Please contact Zengmin Xia at zxia@binghamton.edu
if interested in meeting with the speaker before or after the seminar.
ABSTRACT: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a debilitating genetic disorder affecting 70,000 Americans and millions
globally that induces chronic inflammation and vascular dysfunction and causes multiple organ damage as a result.
The pathophysiology of SCD is quite complex and involves altered interactions between blood cells and endothelial
cells lining the vessel walls, altered mechanical properties of blood, blood cells and blood vessels, and altered tissue
properties in affected organs. Although the molecular defect associated with aberrant sickle hemoglobin is well
understood and the polymerization of sickle hemoglobin and sickling of red blood cells has been extensively studied,
effective treatment remains elusive. We apply innovative engineering approaches and technologies to better
understand conditions that contribute to vaso-occlusion, a hallmark of the disease, and the relationship between
inflammation, vascular remodeling, vascular biomechanical abnormalities and bone tissue abnormalities. Results
from these studies will enable the development of new therapies and provide clinicians with therapeutic
opportunities for improved management of individuals with SCD.
BRIEF BIO: Dr. Gilda Barabino is Dean of The Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York. Prior to
joining The City College of New York she served as Associate Chair for Graduate Studies and Professor in the
Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. At Georgia Tech she
also served as the inaugural Vice Provost for Academic Diversity. Prior to her appointments at Georgia Tech and
Emory, she rose to the rank of Full Professor of chemical engineering and served as Vice Provost for Undergraduate
Education at Northeastern University. Her research interests include sickle cell disease, cellular and tissue
engineering and diversity in science and engineering. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the Biomedical
Engineering Society. Dr. Barabino has an extensive record of leadership and service in the chemical and biomedical
engineering communities and recently served as the President of the Biomedical Engineering Society. She was a
Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer for 2012-2014 and is the recipient of numerous awards including the BMES
Diversity Award, the American Society for Engineering Education/Dow Outstanding Faculty Award, and the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers Distinguished Service and Eminent Chemical Engineers Awards. She received her
B.S. degree in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rice
University