Bioengineer Earns Recognition for Distinguished Work
Dr. Shalini Prasad, professor and department head of bioengineering at The University of Texas at Dallas, was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). She is the first bioengineer at UTD to earn the honor.
Prasad also recently was elected to the 2022 Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Class of Fellows and was named a Fellow of IAAM (International Association of Advanced Materials).
The RSC, whose origins date to 1841, is the world’s oldest professional society of chemists and is dedicated to advancing the chemical sciences and enhancing the role that chemists play in the world. The organization is the European counterpart to the American Chemical Society. Fellows of the RSC are recognized leaders in the chemical sciences who have made exceptional contributions to the field and are committed to promoting the global value of chemistry.
BMES fellows are recognized for their impactful achievements and significant contributions to biomedical engineering. Fellow of IAAM is a distinction that recognizes researchers and scientists for contributions to advanced materials science, engineering and technology.
Prasad’s research focuses on designing miniature cellular and molecular platforms, with the goal of creating faster and more affordable clinical diagnostics. She and her team have designed a wearable sensor that can detect molecules associated with conditions, including diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and sepsis. Most recently, they demonstrated technology that can detect two key biomarkers of infection in human sweat, a significant step toward making it possible for users to receive early warnings of infections such as COVID-19 and influenza.
“It is all in the chemistry. This is foundational to unlocking and simplifying design of sensors that impact the quality of human life and well-being,” said Prasad, a Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Earlier this year, Prasad was also elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering for her pioneering work and received the UT Dallas President’s Teaching Excellence Award in Graduate/Professional Instruction.
A version of this story appeared in News Center.