August 18, 2006

CONTACT: Wendy Carey

(202) 994-3087, wcarey@gwu.edu

GW'S SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE PROFESSOR JASON ZARA RECEIVES RESEARCH GRANT IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

Nearly $240,000 Over Two Years from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation

to Study Optical Imaging Techniques

WASHINGTON - The George Washington University's School of Engineering and Applied Science has announced that Jason Zara, assistant professor of engineering and applied science in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been selected to receive the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation Early Career Translational Research Award in Biomedical Engineering.  He is one of this year's 23 researchers selected from a nationwide pool of applicants to be selected for the award.

"We are honored to have Professor Zara's cutting-edge research housed here at GW's School of Engineering and Applied Science," said Timothy W. Tong, dean of the school.  "Professor Zara is one of our many talented faculty, and we are proud to have his work recognized by the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation."

Zara will conduct the funded research at The George Washington University on microfabricated optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging probes.  His award-winning project is titled "Microfabricated Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging Probes." OCT is an optical imaging technique similar to an ultrasound; Zara is working to further develop an "optical biopsy" using OCT to detect precancerous and cancerous conditions in vivo without surgery.  Zara's primary areas of research focus on the applications of Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems actuators in medicine and high-resolution medical imaging.   His current work includes the development of new instrumentation for high frequency ultrasound and infrared optical coherence tomography.  He is also exploring all areas of medical imaging, primarily focusing on the development of new imaging instrumentation.  Zara received a Ph.D. degree from Duke University, and has been a faculty member at GW since 2002.

"I am pleased to be a recipient of this prestigious award," said Zara. "Receiving this important funding will assist my efforts to develop new technologies for optical imaging that can be used in the clinic to improve the diagnosis of life-threatening diseases and ensure timely treatment."

The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving human healthcare by supporting translational research in biomedical engineering - research directed at the transfer of promising technologies within the university research laboratory that are progressing towards commercial development and clinical practice.  The Early Career Translational Research Awards in Biomedical Engineering are designed to support biomedical engineering research translational in nature, and to encourage and assist eligible biomedical engineering investigators as they establish themselves in academic research careers that involve translational research. 

GW's School of Engineering and Applied Science prepares engineers to address society's technological challenges by providing outstanding undergraduate, graduate, and professional educational experiences and by stimulating and providing innovative, fundamental, and applied research activities. 

For more information about GW's School of Engineering and Applied Science, visit www.seas.gwu.edu.

For more news about GW, visit the GW News Center at www.gwnewscenter.org.

-GW-