SMART-Sickle and Malaria Accurate Remote Testing

Primary Investigator

Umut Gurkan

Wilbert J. Austin Professor of Engineering
Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (EMAE)
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering (EBME)
Associate Professor, Other
Improves human health via research in cell mechanics and microtechnology to develop biosensors and point-of-care diagnostic systems

 

Biomanufacturing and Microfabrication Lab

 

Office
616B Glennan
Email
umut.gurkan@case.edu
Preferred Email
umut@case.edu
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 2010
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 2005
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 2004
Awards and Recognition
2016, Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, National Science Foundation (NSF)
2016, “Rising Star” Award, Biomedical Engineering Society – Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering and Advanced Biomanufacturing Joint Conference
2015, Glennan Fellowship, University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education
2014, Case School of Engineering Research Award, Case School of Engineering
2014, Case-Coulter Translational Research Partnership Pliot Award, Case-Coulter Translational Research Partnership
2014, Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative Annual Pilot Award, Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative
2014, MIT Technology Review Innovator under 35 Award – Turkey, MIT Technology Review Magazine
2014, NASA Tech Briefs’ Create the Future Design Contest, First Prize Winner in Medical Category, NASA Tech Briefs
2013, Belcher-Weir Family Pediatric Innovation Award, Center for Clinical Research and Technology at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center
2013, Doris Duke Innovations in Clinical Research Award, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
2013, Steve Garverick Memorial Innovation Incentive Award, Cleveland VA Medical Center, APT Center
2011, Partners in Excellence Award for Outstanding Community Contributions, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
2011, Wyss Award for Translational Research, IEEE-Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS)
2009, A. H. Ismail Interdisciplinary Program Doctoral Research Travel Award, Purdue University
2009, Geddes-Laufman-Greatbatch Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Purdue University
2009, Joe Bourland Graduate Student Travel Award, Purdue University
2009, Top Dissertation Proposal Award, Purdue University
2008, Purdue Graduate Student Government Travel Grant , Purdue University
1999, Sabanci Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship, Sabanci Foundation
Professional Memberships
Jan. 1, 2016 - PRESENT, Fellow American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
Jan. 1, 2016 - PRESENT, Senior Member National Academy of Inventors
Jan. 1, 2013 - PRESENT, Member American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Jan. 1, 2013 - PRESENT, Member Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Jan. 1, 2011 - PRESENT, Member Biomedical Engineering Society
Jan. 1, 2011 - PRESENT, Member European Society of Biomechanics
Jan. 1, 2010 - PRESENT, Founding Member International Society for Biofabrication
Jan. 1, 2010 - PRESENT, Member Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society
Jan. 1, 2008 - PRESENT, Member Materials Research Society
Non-CWRU Academic, Government, Military and Professional Positions
2021 - PRESENT, Director of Technology BioChip Labs
2016 - PRESENT, Chief Scientist Hemex Health

 

Research Interests

Umut A. Gurkan is leading the CASE Biomanufacturing and Microfabrication Laboratory (CASE-BML).  Dr. Gurkan’s research is focused on microcirculation, vascular biology, red blood cells, hemoglobin, cell/gene therapies, and the design, development, and translation of microfluidic systems, point-of-care diagnostics for blood disorders, infectious diseases, and cancer. His research program aims to achieve global equitable access to diagnostics and personalized medicine for all.

Dr. Gurkan’s research and inventions have led to founding of new biotechnology companies with products in global markets. Dr. Gurkan has industry roles in start-up companies as the Director of Technology at BioChip Labs Inc. and Senior Scientist at Hemex Health Inc. BioChip Labs Inc. offers commercial clinical microfluidic biomarker assays for blood disorders and cell/gene therapies. Hemex Health Inc. offers affordable point-of-care diagnostics for hemoglobin disorders, anemia, and infectious diseases. Professor Gurkan has led international clinical studies on technology translation in the United States, Africa, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and India. His group invented the Gazelle Hb Variant technology, an affordable point-of-care screening test for sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and other common hemoglobin disorders.

 

Teaching Interests

EMAE 370 Design of Mechanical Elements

EMAE 456 / EBME 456 Biomanufacturing and Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (BioMEMS)

 

Other Affiliations

Professor (Secondary Appointment), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University

Chief Scientist in Microfabrication, Hemex Health Inc.

Director of Technology, BioChip Labs Inc.

Co-Director, Translational Fellows Program

Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Annual Pilot Award Program Lead at Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio

 

Professional Memberships

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Member

IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS), Member

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Member

American Society of Hematology (ASH), Member

American Electrophoresis Society (AES), Member

National Academy of Inventors (NAI), Senior Member

American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Fellow

 

Selected Awards

Professor Gurkan’s national and international honors include the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the American Society for Engineering Education Curtis W. McGraw Research Award Finalist, Translational Research Featured New Investigator Award, the Biomedical Engineering Society Rising Star Award, MIT Technology Review Innovator under 35 Award, the Doris Duke Innovations in Clinical Research Award, NHLBI feature in Today’s Faces of Sickle Cell Disease, NHLBI Hope for Sickle Cell Disease Challenge Award, NIH Technology Accelerator Challenge Award, the Wiederhielm Award from the Microcirculatory Society, National Academies US-Africa Frontiers Symposium invited attendee, National Academies Arab-American Frontiers Symposium co-chair, USPTO Patents for Humanity recognition, and USFDA Breakthrough Device Designation. Professor Gurkan’s institutional honors at Case Western Reserve University include the Faculty Distinguished Research Award, Research Innovator of the Year Award, Faculty Innovator Award, Excellence in Device Innovation Award, Ingenuity Award, International Activity Award, Case School of Engineering Research Award, and Belcher-Weir Family Pediatric Innovation Award.

 

Google Scholar

 

 

Research Thrusts
Human Health
Micro-/Nano-electronics and Sensors
Biomechanics and Biomaterials
High-Performance Manufacturing
300000
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Vodafone Americas Foundation
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Infrastructure to diagnose, track, and monitor individuals with malaria and/or sickle cell disease is not developed in Africa, which directly contributes to high mortality rates. With eHealth Africa, we plan to establish the first electronic health record system to diagnose, track, and monitor sickle cell and malaria patients in Nigeria.