FACULTY ACCOLADES
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ATHANASIOU NAMED MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE Biomedical engineer KYRIACOS A. ATHANASIOU has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Athanasiou was inducted “for inventing, developing, and translating technologies, such as articular cartilage implants and methods for intraosseous infusion, that impact biomedical fields, including orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, tissue engineering, diabetes, and emergency care,” according to NAM. “I am honored to have been elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine,” said Athanasiou, Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering and
Henry Samueli Chair in Engineering at UCI. “The recognition, which would not have been possible without the contributions of my students and colleagues at UCI and other institutions throughout my career, highlights the importance of developing a fundamental understanding of the key engineering principles that govern the human body, inventing new ways to treat acquired and congenital defects, and translating those innovations to help improve the human condition.” Athanasiou specializes in developing advanced engineered tissues and other technologies to address a wide variety of medical issues. He is well known for
making implants that help cartilage heal and repair itself. His scaffolds provided the first cartilage implant to treat joint defects and have been used as bone and dental fillers. Athanasiou’s approach has been to create cartilage constructs to fill in cracks and defects in joints, allowing smooth, pain-free movement. He and his team pioneered a revolutionary intraosseous infusion device to deliver drugs and other vital substances directly through bones. The technology is now commonly implemented by emergency response and ambulance teams around the world. UCI Department of Biomedical Engineering
