Treena Arinzeh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Treena Arinzeh
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|---|---|
| Born |
Treena Livingston Arinzeh
1970 (age 54–55) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Rutgers University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Biomedical Engineer |
| Employer | Columbia University |
| Known for | Stem cell therapy research |
Treena Livingston Arinzeh, born in 1970, is an American biomedical engineer and a university professor. She works at Columbia University as a professor of biomedical engineering, a role she started in 2022. Before that, she was a special professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Dr. Arinzeh is famous for her important work on stem-cell therapy, which helps the body heal itself.
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Early Life and Education
Treena Arinzeh grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She was born in 1970. Her mom was a home economics teacher, and Treena loved doing pretend science experiments in the kitchen with her. This sparked her interest in science. Her high school physics teacher also encouraged her to study STEM subjects.
Dr. Arinzeh went to Rutgers University and earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1992. She then studied at Johns Hopkins University, getting a master's degree in biomedical engineering in 1994. She continued her studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where she completed her PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 1999.
Research and Career
After finishing her studies, Dr. Arinzeh worked as an engineer at Osiris Therapeutics in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2001, she returned to university life. She started working at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, New Jersey. There, she created the first Tissue Engineering and Applied Biomaterials Laboratory in the fall of 2001. She was a distinguished professor at NJIT until 2022.
In 2022, she joined Columbia University as a Professor in Biomedical Engineering. She has written over 60 articles for science journals, conference papers, and book chapters.
What is Stem Cell Research?
Dr. Arinzeh's main research focuses on how different materials affect stem cells. Stem cells are special cells in our bodies that can turn into many different types of cells. She is known for finding out that mixing stem cells with special "scaffolding" materials can help bones grow back and repair damaged tissues.
She also made an amazing discovery: one person's stem cells can be used in another person without causing a bad reaction from the immune system. This means stem cell treatments could become more widely available. In 2018, she received an award to help reduce the time and cost for patients needing bone grafting.
Helping Others in Science
Dr. Arinzeh is a leader in her field. The Governor of Connecticut even asked her to be on the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee. She is also a fellow of important groups like the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
She works to help more minority students get involved in biomedical engineering. Every summer, she invites 40 to 50 teenagers from groups that are not often seen in science to her lab. They learn about engineering and her research. This is part of the Project Seeds program, supported by the American Chemical Society.
In 2018, Dr. Arinzeh was chosen to be a judge for a new science award from the famous Nature scientific journal.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Arinzeh has received many awards for her important work:
- 2018: QED Award recipient
- 2018: George Bugliarello Prize winner
- 2010: Grio Awards recipient
- 2004: Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers recipient
- 2003: Faculty Early Career Development Award recipient, given by the National Science Foundation
