Carnegie Mellon Engineering

CMU's Philip R. LeDuc Named to Board of Directors for National Biomedical Engineering Society

September 30, 2010

Contact: Chriss Swaney
Carnegie Mellon University
412.268.5776

PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University's Philip R. LeDuc was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the national Biomedical Engineering Society (http://www.bmes.org).

           
Phil Leduc "I am honored to be elected to this post as I continue to explore new ways to improve lifesaving research tools and promote the vast career opportunities available for biomedical engineers worldwide," said LeDuc, an associate professor of mechanical engineering with courtesy appointments in the Biomedical Engineering, Biological Sciences and Computational Biology departments.

           
The Biomedical Engineering Society, founded in 1968, is the professional society for more than 54,000 biomedical and bioengineering professionals.

          
A leader in biomedical research, LeDuc is working on novel research that explores how protein's shape and form determine how it functions in the human body from a mechanical perspective. His leading-edge work has found that some protein shapes fit perfectly into cell receptors, turning chemical processes on and off, like a key in a lock. With mechanics changing the shape of proteins, LeDuc reports that the key may no longer fit into the lock in the same manner, and serious consequences in the body can occur when proteins fail to assume their preordained shapes or fail to connect properly.  He also works on using biology as an inspiration to create new nanotechnology and microtechnology.

           
"This latest board appointment is a credit to Professor LeDuc's outstanding research and ongoing work in mentoring students in this university's increasingly competitive mechanical and biomedical engineering programs," said Nadine Aubry, the Raymond J. Lane Professor of Mechanical Engineering and head of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Carnegie Mellon.

           
LeDuc also is a recipient of many academic accolades, including the National Science Foundation Career Award and the Beckman Foundation Young Investigators Award. He is a faculty member in the prestigious Sloan Foundation Minority Ph.D. Program.