Donald Bejleri

Medical technology has not only captivated my intellectual curiosity during my academic life, but has also engulfed my creative spirit as I grew and developed as a person. As a young scholar, I had been fascinated by lifesaving cutting edge technology portrayed in creative media. From complex synthetic organs and nanorobots to contact lenses, medical technology has always given people hope for the future. Now, the ultramodern technology portrayed in fiction is becoming reality, and biomedical research is at the forefront of making it happen. Through my graduate work, I am on the road to be a visionary and develop systems to save lives using engineering and science. Regenerating organs is key in treating patients suffering from spinal cord damage, heart problems, and bone degeneration. Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering is cutting edge research that has the potential to save millions of people across the world. I am working on the technology to make this happen, particularly developing novel materials and control of stem cells, as well as making sure that cost remains low so that all patients can afford the technology. Anyone can get into tissue engineering, all it takes is a passion to help people in need!

January 2016