Frank C.P. Yin, M.D., Ph.D.,
leads young biomedical engineering department
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Frank C.P. Yin, M.D., Ph.D., leads young biomedical engineering department |
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Elevating biomedical engineering With Frank C.P. Yin, M.D., Ph.D., at the helm, the young department is already among the nation's best By Tony Fitzpatrick An insatiable intellectual curiosity, the ability to bridge disciplines and forge collaborations, a strong desire to better the human condition, and the example of a role model changing directions in mid-career -- these are among the prime factors that have molded Frank C.P. Yin, M.D., Ph.D., into a world-renowned biomedical engineer. Yin, the Stephen F. and Camilla T. Brauer Professor and chair of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, heads a dynamic, young department not yet 5 years old and already recognized as among the nation's best.
Yin came to Washington University in 1997 from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Hospital, where, since 1978, he had served in the medicine, physiology and biomedical engineering departments. In 1988, he became professor of medicine and in 1989, professor of biomedical engineering. Since 1978, he also had served as staff physician in the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory of Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is multitalented and recognized worldwide for his pioneering contributions to biomechanics and cardiovascular research. His career is a prime example of what biomedical engineering is. Yin earned a master's in aeronautical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1967, then, noticing an announcement of a novel doctoral program beginning at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), shifted his interests to the West Coast and biology and medicine. "The man who started the bioengineering program at UC San Diego, and indeed is considered by many to be the father of modern bioengineering, was Y.C. Fung, a famous Cal Tech aeronautical engineer who was shifting careers at middle age," Yin explained. "I had no clear idea what bioengineering was, but it sounded interesting and challenging. Biology and medicine had always fascinated me, and I really wanted to do something that would benefit mankind. I figured if Fung could change careers in mid-life, I could also at a younger age." Yin earned a Ph.D. in bioengineering in 1970, then a medical degree from UCSD in 1973, completing house staff training at the University Hospital of San Diego from 1973-75. Those who are neither doctors nor engineers generally see little synergy between the two professions, especially medicine and aeronautics. But Yin can cite numerous analogies between inert systems and the human body. "I did my master's thesis using finite element analysis to examine the mechanics of a foam-filled rocket nose cone, but, in fact, such a nose cone is structurally the same as the heart, in principle," he said. "It was a pretty natural conversion for me. Some of the cardiovascular bioengineering areas I deal with, for instance, have to do with blood flow and hemodynamics, which is closely related to aerodynamics. "The bulk of my work has been done in tissue mechanics. Many of the same concepts for structural analysis, a classic engineering field, can be applied to cardiovascular tissues, blood vessels, heart muscle, cells, proteins and so on." Yin said one of the earliest impacts of biomedical engineering on medicine was in orthopedics. The structures of bone, skeleton and joints readily lend themselves to engineering analysis. In orthopedics, he explained, the designing of prosthetics, new surfaces and new adhesives are among the engineering applications. Additionally, engineers are making a tremendous impact in many other areas. Widespread applications of imaging, from PET scans to MRI, have relied heavily upon engineers. The principles of magnetic resonance had been known for decades, but engineers applied them and showed how they could actually be used for medical purposes, he said. Yin said biomedical engineering is popular among students because of its challenge, novelty and bright future. About 50 percent of graduates nationwide typically go into the booming biomedical industry field, while the remaining 50 percent are split about equally between medical school and academia. Biomedical engineering is the most popular major at the University's School of Engineering and Applied Science, with approximately one-third of first-year engineering school students expressing interest in it. The department has a huge network on campus, with 80-some collaborators, more than half of them in the School of Medicine, but also in electrical and mechanical engineering, computer science, and physics and chemistry, both in Arts & Sciences. According to Yin, the department has three major thrusts: molecular engineering, neural engineering, and engineering of growth and remodeling. Molecular engineering covers the areas of bioinformatics, genomics and protemoics and relies heavily on computational biology. Neural engineering is a rapidly growing area that leverages the strengths of neuroscience to yield information about signal processing, sensory perception, motor control and neural imaging. And growth and remodeling engineering encompasses many areas from embryology to growing new vessels, tissues, bone, and the healing of tissues after trauma such as a heart attack. "Our view of biomedical engineering is different than that of many other places," Yin explained. "We chose these thrusts because we feel they are the next frontiers. Molecular engineering and neural engineering are likely to be the two areas of big discoveries in the next decade. "Our uniqueness lies in this vision, I believe, as well as our very close ties to a world-class medical school, which is not very common with many biomedical engineering departments." That Yin directs the institute and heads the department is amazing considering that the school originally expected that these positions would be sufficiently demanding as to require two different people to run them, according to Salvatore P. Sutera, Ph.D., who has made many contributions to biomedical engineering at the University and helped Yin launch the new department. "Frank Yin's application stood out immediately," recalled Sutera, the Spencer T. Olin Professor in biomedical engineering. "After his campus interview it was clear that we had found both the chair and director. What's more, he felt strongly that progress would be expedited if the same person headed both entities. By virtue of his credentials and experience, Frank has proved to be the perfect fit. "Having the M.D. and Ph.D. plus 20 years of experience at Johns Hopkins, he has been very comfortable and effective working at the interstices of Washington University's biomedical engineering culture. His amazing success at recruiting outstanding young faculty and graduate students to our young department promises quickly to propel Washington University into the top tier of universities offering both graduate and undergraduate training in biomedical engineer-ing in the United States." The biomedical engineering department has been built on a decades-long foundation of less formal collaboration with engineers and medical school faculty. Biomedical engineering at the University has been aided greatly by financial support from The Whitaker Foundation, which has awarded grants totaling $15 million to the department to support new faculty and to build a biomedical engineering building east of Brookings Hall on the corner of Hoyt Drive and Forest Park Parkway. Five million dollars has been dedicated to the hiring of new faculty, which will stand at 10 full-time people by February and eventually 15 full-time people. Ten million dollars is designated for the building. The University is matching the funding.
Today, in addition to crafting a department, Yin's research focus is on the study of how cells respond to mechanical stimuli, either from the forces of fluid or stretching. "We're examining the properties of the cell, and the more we look, the clearer it becomes that cells are exquisitely sensitive and have very specific responses to signals," Yin said. Yin's roots are far from this country. He was born in China and came to the United States with his parents when he was 5 years old, shortly after the end of World War II. His father, Peter, wanted to study chemistry, and his mother, Hua-Nien, mathematics and accounting. The Yin family -- including younger brothers Tom and Jerry -- stayed in Aurora, Colo., after the parents received their degrees. Growing up in Aurora, Frank Yin's interest in science took off when the Soviet Union launched the famed Sputnik satellite. "I couldn't believe that the Russians could beat us in space," Yin recalled. "This is why I went into aeronautical engineering in the first place. The space program was booming during my years of study, but after getting my doctorate and observing Dr. Fung leave aeronautical engineering to pioneer biomedical engineering, I realized pursuing this new field would most directly help me have an impact on society." From immigrant to biomedical engineering leader of great repute, Yin has touched many areas of science and engineering as well as many people. He believes that it is people, ultimately, who will enhance his already strong department and facilitate the impressive advances that will be made in the future. "Our department is clearly on an upward momentum and trajectory, and a lot of that has to do with the support of the University, alumni and our many friends," Yin said. "Biomedical engineering is a popular field with many opportunities, but we wouldn't be able to go forward without that support. It's a much bigger endeavor involving more than just our department. It's a large community of talented people interested in, supportive of and committed to biomedical engineering." |
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