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Worcester Polytechnic Institute Researcher Receives CAREER Award for Fibrosis Study

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Catherine Whittington, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), has been awarded a prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop three laboratory models for the study of fibrosis in pancreas, skin, and uterine fibroids. Whittington's five-year project, worth $629,998, aims to create models composed of materials such as collagen and human cells that can be used to study fibrosis and develop better treatments.

Key Takeaways:

  • Whittington will develop three laboratory models for the study of fibrosis in pancreas, skin, and uterine fibroids, which are all conditions resulting from excessive scarring that stiffens tissue and disrupts organ function.
  • The models will be composed of materials such as collagen and human cells, and will be exposed to hormones, mechanical inputs, and other environmental factors to study the factors leading to fibrosis.
  • Whittington's project also includes developing educational programs for high school students, college students, and patients at a free medical clinic in Worcester.
  • She will expand her biomedical engineering curriculum offerings to high school students in WPI's Frontiers program and collaborate with the Epworth Medical Program in Worcester to develop educational materials for patients.
  • Whittington's CAREER Award research will also involve advising teams of WPI undergraduates on projects using STEM to address social problems.

Statistics:

  • Whittington's five-year project is worth $629,998, awarded by the National Science Foundation.
  • The project aims to create better laboratory models for pancreatic, skin, and uterine fibroid tissues, which could lead to an improved understanding of factors at the cellular level that lead to fibrosis.
  • Over 40 current WPI faculty members have received CAREER Awards since the NSF program launched in 1994.

Sources:

  • National Science Foundation (no date)
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (no date)
  • "WPI's Catherine Whittington Wins Prestigious CAREER Award" (no date)

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