2021 MRM Talks: Dr. Mohsen Akbari and Dr. Megan Cooke
The MRM Network presents: the MRM Talks. Join us every fourth Thursday at noon to learn more about stem cells and regenerative medicine. The webinar series will feature leading scientists in the field, including MRM Principal Investigators and external guest speakers.
For each seminar, we will also highlight the work of one MRM Trainee, who will present alongside our guest speaker.
In this edition of the MRM Talks:
Dr. Mohsen Akbari
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Victoria
“Advanced multifunctional fibers–from wearable sensors to organ weaving”
MRM TRAINEE:
Dr. Megan Cooke
Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Derek Rosenzweig’s Lab
McGill University
“Bioprinting to model the bone-tumour microenvironment in vitro”
THURSDAY May 27, 2021
12:00 – 1:00 PM
VIRTUAL
About the speakers:
Dr. Mohsen Akbari is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and the Director of the Laboratory for Innovations in Microengineering (LiME) at the University of Victoria. In addition to his professorship, he is a member of the Center for Advanced Materials and Related Technologies (CAMTEC), member of Center for Biomedical Research (CBR), investigator at International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Associate Member of Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at 4M Biotech. Dr. Akbari obtained his Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University and his postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is the recipient of several awards, including the NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, BC Innovation Council Research Award, Kaiser Foundation Award, and recognized as a Canadian Rising Star in Global Health by Grand Challenges Canada. Dr. Akbari’s research lies at the interface of cellular biology, biomaterials, and microtechnologies and aims to develop innovative approaches for disease modelling and drug delivery. He currently holds funding from CIHR, NSERC, CFI, BC Cancer Foundation, and the Department of National Defense. He is a Guest Editor of Micromachines and Gels and a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Biomaterials Society. His research findings have been published in 85 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters with an h-index of 32 and over 4700 citations. His work has been featured on the cover of 10 Journals and reported in media such as CBC News, Time Colonist, BBC News, Google News, Science Daily, The Telegraph, and Fortune.
Dr. Megan Cooke is a CIHR postdoctoral fellow in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill having completed her PhD in Biochemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her research interests are in advanced methods for hydrogel structuring and bioprinting. Her current focus is the development of in vitro models of the diseased musculoskeletal system.
We want to hear from you, and we welcome your suggestions for speakers!
If you are interested in hosting an invited speaker, please get in touch with us.