Biomedical engineering professor named 'Rising Star' by professional society
1/28/2021
By Tessa M. Pick
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Scott Medina, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, received a 2021 Rising Star Award from the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Special Interest Group (CMBE SIG).
Each year, the Rising Star Award is given to junior principal investigators from varying scientific and clinical backgrounds that have made contributions to research related to the understanding and engineering of molecules, cells, their interactions and their microenvironments. This research helps control biological processes and improve medical practices. Awardees receive a certificate and an opportunity to provide a podium presentation at the annual CMBE Awards Symposium.
“I was thrilled and humbled to have my team’s work included among an amazing group of young scientists,” Medina said. “I am also incredibly proud and inspired by my research team, who are the creative minds behind our advances and deserve equal praise for their accomplishments.”
Medina’s research focuses on the development of biotherapeutics that target and kill drug-resistant bacterial infections. He and his team recently developed a peptide that is able to target a specific pathogen in the human body without destroying good bacteria. This development will help eliminate bacteria that cause serious and even fatal infections, such as tuberculosis.
Medina joined the Penn State Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2016. Over the course of his professional career, his research has resulted in 11 publications and two patents. In 2020, he was named a Young Innovator of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering by BMES and received the Young Investigator Award from the Controlled Release Society.
Medina has been a member of BMES since 2006 and has been involved with CMBE SIG for the last two years. With more than 7,500 members, BMES is the lead society and professional home for biomedical engineering and bioengineering. According to the society’s website, its mission is “to promote and enhance knowledge and education in biomedical engineering and bioengineering worldwide and its utilization for human health and well-being.”
“I have been involved as a member of BMES for over 10 years, and the society has allowed me to network with scientific leaders, students and industry contacts that have all fostered the growth of my research program,” Medina said.
The 2021 CMBE Awards were presented at the CMBE Awards Symposium on Jan. 22. This event recognizes senior leaders and junior principal investigators who have made contributions in research, service and leaderships in the cellular and molecular bioengineering field.
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Scott Medina, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, received a 2021 Rising Star Award from the Biomedical Engineering Society Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Special Interest Group. IMAGE: PENN STATE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
