All News

Three new faculty members joining the BME department for Fall 2025

Alexander James Servantez — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 17:41:55 +0000

Three new faculty members joining the BME department for Fall 2025 Alexander Jame… Mon, 09/08/2025 - 11:41

Alexander Servantez

The Biomedical Engineering Program (BME) at CU Boulder is welcoming three new faculty members this fall semester.

From responsive biomaterials and pedagogical research to quantum imaging, these talented scientists and engineers bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to our teaching and research missions. Please join us in welcoming them to our college and campus community!

Jun Li

Assistant Professor

Li received a Bachelor of Engineering from China’s Zhejiang University in 2016. He then earned a PhD in materials science and engineering in 2021 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University. He is joining CU Boulder as an assistant professor in both mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering.

Li’s research integrates responsive biomaterials and advanced manufacturing into wearable and implantable devices that have the power to tackle a wide range of challenges in both healthcare and sustainability. In many cases, these devices can mechanically mimic tissues and organs to enable biological functions and also incorporate electronic capabilities that provide healthcare solutions, including sensing and electro-stimulation.

Li says the aging global population is driving an urgent need for advanced healthcare materials and devices that can restore body function, expand life longevity and improve the overall quality of life. His research developing novel, responsive biomaterials and devices can provide solutions to address those challenges.

He also says his research fits right into the spirit of community at CU Boulder. “I am excited about the science, technology and opportunity ahead at this campus surrounded by the beautiful mountains to help shape a better future,” Li said. “Sko Buffs!”

James Long

Assistant Teaching Professor

Long received a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from Rice University in 2017. He then received both a master’s degree and PhD in biomedical engineering from Duke University in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Long served as teaching faculty at Rice University after earning his doctorate degrees and now finds himself as an assistant teaching professor at CU Boulder.

Throughout his career, Long has developed courses and learning modules in various biomedical engineering areas, including biostatistics, instrumentation and transport phenomena. He has collaborated with other teaching faculty across the country on several efforts to advance biomedical engineering education, from investigating the role of problem-based learning in student self-efficacy to creating a national peer mentorship program to help faculty form inter-institutional connections.

Long’s pedagogical research focuses on teaching interventions to improve students’ professional communication skills and alternative grading strategies to improve student motivation. He believes a complete education on the technical and ethical implications of biomedical science and engineering, is the key to training the next generation of engineers to tackle the complex problems of modern healthcare.

“I’m excited to help the BME program grow and adapt to the ever-changing needs of industry and modern healthcare,” he said.”

Yide Zhang

Assistant Professor

Zhang earned his PhD in electrical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, where he advanced multiphoton fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and super-resolution microscopy. As a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, he expanded his research to include photoacoustic imaging, quantum imaging, and ultrafast imaging technologies. His work focuses on developing innovative optical imaging techniques that surpass current limits in speed, accuracy, and accessibility, with applications ranging from real-time fluorescence imaging to noninvasive hemodynamics and quantum-enhanced imaging.

Zhang's research aims to pioneer optical imaging technologies that exceed current limitations in speed, accuracy, and accessibility, with a strong focus on translational applications. His interests span multiple areas, including fluorescence lifetime imaging, super-resolution microscopy, photoacoustic imaging, and quantum imaging. A key aspect of his work is developing innovative solutions to enable high-quality, real-time imaging of biological structures and processes, which can advance both fundamental science and clinical applications.

“I am particularly excited about the interdisciplinary environment fostered by the Engineering Center at CU Boulder, where all the engineering departments are physically connected within a single-building complex,” Zhang said. “This unique setup greatly facilitates collaborations across disciplines and enables researchers and students to share ideas and resources more easily. I look forward to contributing to this vibrant research community and engaging with students from diverse backgrounds.”

The Biomedical Engineering Program (BME) at CU Boulder is welcoming three new faculty members this fall semester. From responsive biomaterials and pedagogical research to quantum imaging, these talented scientists and engineers bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to our teaching and research missions.

Off

Traditional

White

Campos Student Center celebrates community and future success

Alexander James Servantez — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 22:09:46 +0000

Campos Student Center celebrates community and future success Alexander Jame… Fri, 09/05/2025 - 16:09

The College of Engineering and Applied Science honored the ribbon cutting ceremony of the newly named Campos Student Center in recognition of a $5 million investment for student success from Marco Campos and the Campos Foundation. BME alum Srishti Jerath (BioMedEngr’25) weighs in on the importance of the center and how important the investment will be for its future.

Off

Traditional

White

"Cyborg jellyfish" could aid in deep-sea research, inspire next-gen underwater vehicles

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:00:00 +0000

"Cyborg jellyfish" could aid in deep-sea research, inspire next-gen underwater vehicles Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/14/2025 - 12:00

CU Boulder engineer Nicole Xu, an assistant professor with BME, first became fascinated with moon jellies more than a decade ago because of their extraordinary swimming abilities. Today, Xu has developed a way to harness their efficiency and ease at moving through the water in ways that could make some types of aquatic research much easier.

Off

Traditional

White

New bioimaging device holds potential for eye and heart condition detection

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:00:00 +0000

New bioimaging device holds potential for eye and heart condition detection Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/13/2025 - 12:00

A CU Boulder research team that included BME faculty members Juliet Gopinath and Shu-Wei Huang have developed a new bioimaging device that can operate with significantly lower power and in an entirely non-mechanical way. It could one day improve detecting eye and even heart conditions.

Off

Traditional

White

New cancer therapy clings to tumors, with inspiration from gecko toes

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 21:36:32 +0000

New cancer therapy clings to tumors, with inspiration from gecko toes Alexander Jame… Wed, 07/23/2025 - 15:36

A gecko-inspired technology developed by the Shields Lab, in collaboration with doctors at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, uses a specially designed material that adheres to tumors inside the body and steadily releases chemotherapy drugs over several days—potentially allowing for fewer but longer-lasting therapies.

Off

Traditional

White

Researchers testing next-generation ankle braces for stroke survivors

Alexander James Servantez — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 21:05:24 +0000

Researchers testing next-generation ankle braces for stroke survivors Alexander Jame… Tue, 07/15/2025 - 15:05

Nearly 80% of all stroke survivors experience walking issues and turn to ankle braces for increased support, but ankle braces are still very limited and many stroke survivors report no improvements when using them. Assistant Professor Cara Welker is leading a new, collaborative research project that aims to transform the way these assistive devices are designed.

Off

Traditional

White

Scientists develop method to build tine custom microrobots

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Scientists develop method to build tine custom microrobots Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/07/2025 - 12:00

Researchers in the Shields lab, including a BME undergraduate researcher at the ��Ƶ18 have created a new way to build and control tiny particles that can move and work like microscopic robots, offering a powerful tool with applications in biomedical and environmental research.

Off

Traditional

White

Bruns & Leslie research cybernetic human advancement with New Frontiers Grant

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Bruns & Leslie research cybernetic human advancement with New Frontiers Grant Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/17/2025 - 11:00

With funding designed to foster groundbreaking, interdisciplinary research projects for the potential for high impact, Drs. Carson Bruns (BME, ATLAS) and Grace Leslie (ATLAS) are working to develop the seamless skin integration of brain/body computer interfaces.

Off

Traditional

White

New discovery could make a risky heart failure treatment safer

Alexander James Servantez — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 19:30:38 +0000

New discovery could make a risky heart failure treatment safer Alexander Jame… Thu, 06/12/2025 - 13:30

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) designed to improve blood flow throughout the body can aid nearly 26 million people globally struggling with heart failure. But these implantable devices come with risks. New research by Assistant Professor Debanjan Mukherjee suggests that studying patient blood flow patterns could help determine who’s at risk of dangerous side effects from LVADs and lead to improvements that could make them safer.

Off

Traditional

White

Robots and chemistry isn’t just a fun combo. Bruns says it’s the future

Alexander James Servantez — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 22:22:41 +0000

Robots and chemistry isn’t just a fun combo. Bruns says it’s the future Alexander Jame… Fri, 06/06/2025 - 16:22

Assistant Professor Carson Bruns is leading the charge on an NSF-funded project that he and his team like to call "robochemistry." Their goal is to create robotic sidekicks that can assist chemists with burdensome or unsafe tasks that they may routinely encounter in a wet lab. But that's not all: this unique blend of bots and beakers can also inspire youth interest in science.

Off

Traditional

White