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 professor. She works to solve health problems using engineering ideas.
She is a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University. Before that, she was a special professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Dr. Arinzeh is famous for her work with adult stem cells. These are special cells that can turn into different types of cells in the body. She also helps high school students learn about science. She invites them to her lab for summer internships through a program called Project Seeds.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Treena Arinzeh was born in 1970 and grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She became interested in science early on. Her mother, a home economics teacher, helped her do fun, imaginary experiments in their kitchen.
Her high school physics teacher also encouraged her. This teacher helped her see that she could have a great career in STEM. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
Dr. Arinzeh went to Rutgers University and earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1992. She then studied at Johns Hopkins University. There, she got a master's degree in biomedical engineering in 1994. She continued her studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She finished her PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 1999.
Research and Career
After her studies, Dr. Arinzeh worked as an engineer at a company called Osiris Therapeutics. In 2001, she returned to teaching and research. She started working at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
At NJIT, she created the first Tissue Engineering and Applied Biomaterials Laboratory. This lab opened in the fall of 2001. She worked at NJIT until 2022 as a distinguished professor. In 2022, she joined Columbia University as a professor of biomedical engineering.
Stem Cell Discoveries
Dr. Arinzeh's research looks at how different materials affect stem cells. She wants to know how these materials can help stem cells change into specific types of cells.
She made an important discovery. She found that mixing stem cells with special materials, called scaffolding, can help bones grow back. This method can also help repair damaged body tissues.
Another big discovery was that stem cells from one person can be put into another person. This can be done without the body's immune system fighting against them. This is very important for medical treatments.
In 2018, she received an award called the QED Award. This award helped her work on ways to make bone grafting procedures better. Her goal was to reduce the time patients need to recover and lower the costs.
Helping Future Scientists
Dr. Arinzeh is very active in helping more students get into biomedical engineering. She mentors students through the Project Seeds program. This program is supported by the American Chemical Society.
Every summer, she invites 40 to 50 teenagers to her lab. These teens come from groups that are not often seen in science. They get to learn about engineering and her exciting research.
She has also been a judge for a special award from the scientific journal Nature.
Awards
- 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, from the National Science Foundation
