The Ecker Lab proudly participated in the 41st Southwest Biomedical Engineering Conference (SBEC), hosted at the University of Texas at Tyler. It was a fantastic weekend filled with innovative research, engaging discussions, and opportunities to connect with fellow scientists and engineers across the biomedical field.
Dr. Melanie Ecker served on the conference planning and organization committee and had the pleasure of hosting the Biomaterials session, which featured keynote speaker Dr. Taylor Ware from the Texas A&M.
Our lab was well represented by two of our talented researchers:
- Sara Swank presented her work on Thiol-clickable hydrogels, demonstrating how our tunable biomaterial system supports cell culture and therapeutic testing.
- Raj Kumar Pittala showcased his research on shape memory polymers for biomedical applications, including the development of biodegradable heat-shrink tubing for minimally invasive wound repair.
Both presentations were met with enthusiasm and thoughtful questions, highlighting the Ecker Lab’s ongoing contributions to smart biomaterials and regenerative medicine research.
We’re grateful to Dr. Santosh Aryal and the SBEC team for organizing such a successful conference and for providing a platform to share and celebrate cutting-edge work in biomedical engineering.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue advancing research at the intersection of smart polymers, tissue engineering, and human health.