European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (EGMOTC) 2025

Title:

Bioengineering Diabetes: Research and Pedagogy

Speaker:

Dr. Mridusmita Saikia, Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.

Venue:

G1, Main Building, HBCSE.

Abstract (in speaker's own words):

In this seminar I will highlight two different aspects of my academic career while focusing on the same topic. There are very few in our society who are stranger to the term ‘Diabetes’. It is a metabolic condition that affects millions across the globe. Studies have suggested that even SARS-CoV-2 may be an underlying cause of new-onset Diabetes. Despite years of research, we are still waiting for a clear breakthrough, and a complete cure. In the first part of my seminar, I will discuss my work on molecular mechanisms of Diabetes. Specifically, I will discuss my study on beta and alpha cell plasticity in the human pancreatic islet cells. I will put forth bioengineered alpha cells as a novel avenue of research, and as a potential therapeutic tool for Diabetes. In the second half of the talk, I will pivot to discuss Diabetes education and pedagogy, specifically addressing the following two questions:

R1. How do we train engineering students to approach physiological problems such as Diabetes with a unique bioengineering perspective?

R2. Can understanding of patient backgrounds improve engineering student design outcomes. I will conclude with a reflection on why there is a need for socio-technical education, in the context of Diabetes. How this may lead to creation of novel therapeutics, glucose monitoring devices, clinical services, as well as social support structures for patients.

Short Bio:

Dr. Mridusmita Saikia is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering (BME), Cornell university. She is an interdisciplinary scientist with expertise in biochemistry, molecular biology, and genomics. Dr. Saikia completed her PhD at the University of Chicago, where she developed quantitative and high throughput biochemical assays to analyze RNA modification levels in biological systems. Her work was supported by a fellowship from the Burroughs-Wellcome Trust. Following her PhD, Dr. Saikia conducted postdoctoral research at Case Western Reserve University and Cornell University. In her postdoctoral work Dr. Saikia developed single cell RNA sequencing technology to study human immune cell function, as well as human pancreatic beta cell pathology that can lead to Diabetes. As a faculty at Cornell BME, Dr. Saikia teaches courses in the fields of Biomaterials & Drug Delivery (BMDD), and Molecular, Cellular, and Systems Engineering (MCSE). Her primary pedagogical objective is to help students master the fundamental concepts of biomedical engineering and apply these to engineer biomedical applications that positively impact human health.