Cheng Dong, Ph.D.

The Department of Bioengineering has been renamed the Department of Biomedical Engineering after being approved by the Penn State Board of Trustees.

Cheng Dong, distinguished professor of biomedical engineering and head of the department, said the name change more accurately reflects the program’s teaching and research efforts, with a vision that the department will be a leader in applying engineering technologies to health and medical/life sciences.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering traces its origins to 1970 as a collaborative effort between the colleges of Engineering and Medicine to develop implantable circulatory assist and artificial heart devices.

Dong said, “The original idea was to combine engineers’ problem-solving ability with doctors’ biological and medical expertise.”

Cheng Dong, distinguished professor of bioengineering, has been named the new head of Penn State’s Department of Bioengineering, effective Aug. 1.

The major focus of Dong’s research is to elucidate biomechanical, biophysical and biochemical aspects of cellular function in the circulatory systems, with particular interest in cellular biomechanics, cell adhesion, cell migration, cell signaling, systems biology and multi-scale modeling of biological systems.

College of Engineering faculty members Cheng Dong, of bioengineering, and Jerzy Ruzyllo, of electrical engineering, were recently bestowed with the title of distinguished professor.

The honor recognizes outstanding professors for exceptional instruction, research and service as demonstrated by evaluation of teaching, research support, graduate student supervision, refereed journal publication, professional society activities and service to the University community.