ECU Hosts NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

By: Erika Dietrick, Undergraduate Director of Marketing and Communications

Senior EC Scholar Leela Goel has had her eye on biomedical research for as long as she can remember. What began as a love of mathematics fused with a passion for medicine and a desire to change the world.

Always one to work hard toward her goals, she spent last summer immersed in the Brody School of Medicine and Honors College Summer Heart Institute Internship. Her exposure to clinical procedures and the engineering miracle that is the da Vinci Si Surgical System further fueled her interest in improving medical treatment.

This summer, Leela applied for the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) – Biomedical Engineering in Simulations, Imaging and Modeling (BME-SIM). Funded by the National Science Foundation, the 10-week summer research program allows outstanding students to work on cutting edge projects with a distinguished faculty member. This year was ECU’s second time hosting this particular REU experience.

Leela was 1 of only 8 students chosen out of a pool of 200 applicants from across the country.

She recently presented the culmination of her work alongside her REU peers. Under the direction of Dr. Stacey Meardon, Leela created a computer model of the tibia (or the shin bone) in the hopes of predicting tibial stresses. Tibial pain and fractures are a common problem, especially among athletes. By taking measurements of several long-distance runners, Leela was able to design a tibia model capable of being personalized to individual patients.

For more information about the biomedical engineering REU program, click here.