This year’s BMEGG Outstanding Graduate Student Award goes to Beko Binder from Prof. Kent Leach’s laboratory. While a doctoral student in the BME Graduate Group, Beko has made significant advances in the development of pharmacological and materials-based approaches to promote cell survival and direct tissue repair, with particular emphasis on bone and angiogenesis. His research contributions are broad, utilizing a range of materials including hydrogels and implantable scaffolds derived from natural and synthetic polymers.

Beko employs an array of methods to characterize and validate his experimental pursuits, including numerous in vitro and in vivo models. His research has revealed new methods to sustain and promote the survival of cells in vivo beyond traditional methods, considered one of the major challenges in cell-based approaches to tissue repair. Within the lab, Beko plays a critical role in the day-to-day operation of the lab in all aspects ranging from ordering to equipment maintenance and protocols.

Beko has published nine peer-reviewed papers to date (2 1st authored research papers, 5 co-authored research papers, 1 1st-authored book chapter, and 1 co-authored proceeding) in leading journals including Tissue Engineering, PLoS One, and Acta Biomaterialia, with two more manuscripts in preparation. He has presented his research in many highly visible forums including the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting in Seattle (Oct 2013), the 13th International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Related Diseases in San Juan, Puerto Rico, (Nov. 2013), and the 4th International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering in San Diego (March 2014). He also is an outstanding mentor to others in the lab, having mentored 6 undergraduate students during his time in the lab.