BME7900 Seminar Series - Christina Salas, PhD

Description

We welcome our next speaker, Dr. Christina Salas from the University of New Mexico. Dr. Salas is is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Chemical & Biological Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.

Team Science and the Impact of Mentorship and Diversity in Orthopaedic Research

Abstract: As the Director of Basic Science & Preclinical Research in the orthopaedics department of her university, Dr. Salas performs research that is highly translational and results in an immediate impact on clinical care. In her biomechanics and biomaterials laboratory, research includes, but is not limited to: medical device development, fundamental understanding of tissue response to mechanical loading, development of new surgical procedures, 3D printing for pre-surgical planning, and characterization of existing surgical treatments for the development of new treatment options for all manner of fractures, diseases, or disorders in orthopaedics, from the cervical spine to the feet. Dr. Salas’ independent research uses additive manufacturing (AM) for the development of complex composite scaffolds for eventual total joint replacement via a regenerative approach. Using hybrid AM platforms developed in her lab, researchers fabricate multi-scale, multi-material bone-ligament-bone scaffolds using materials synthesized in-house. Use of AM enables functional mechanical gradients not seen with traditional manufacturing processes, while addressing the chemical and biological requirements needed for tissue engineering. Dr. Salas will provide an overview of the various research activities in her labs to highlight the importance of team science in biomedical research and will address the value of making time for mentorship and outreach as a means toward diversification of STEM fields.

Bio: Christina Salas received her BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering and PhD in Biomedical Engineering with a PhD minor in Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering. Her pre-doctoral training, funded by a National Science Foundation IGERT award, included 9 months of research in experimental biomechanics at the University of California, San Francisco, and two years of research in computational biomechanics at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Dr. Salas is an Associate Professor w/Tenure in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of New Mexico (UNM) where she serves as the Director of Basic Science & Preclinical Research in the Center of Excellence for Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation. She also holds joint faculty appointments in the UNM School of Engineering (SOE), Departments of Mechanical and Chemical & Biological Engineering. In the SOE, she serves as Director of the BME Graduate Program and is Special Assistant to the Dean of Engineering for Health Science Center Relations. Recent recognitions include a 2022 Ovation Award for Research & Scholarship from the Office of the VP for Research at UNM recognizing faculty for cutting-edge research accomplishments addressing local or global challenges, a 2021 Dolores Huerta, Si Se Puede Award from the National Recuerda a Cesar Chavez Committee, and in 2020 was featured in the August/September issue of In Style Magazine, Badass 50: Healthcare Workers Who Are Saving The Day, for her contributions during the pandemic.