Grant Boosts Lehigh Bioengineering Program

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 6 -- Lehigh University announced it will work with the state-funded Life Science Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania (LSGPA) on a federally funded program to develop a regional biotechnology research infrastructure and workforce.

The partnership will be supported by a $1.38 million federal National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to help give the university's year-old bioengineering program a technical entrepreneurial focus.

"In addition to new courses, we will be creating three bioengineering laboratories -- biopharmaceutical engineering, cell and tissue engineering, and bioelectronics and biophotonics," said Mohamed El-Aasser, dean of Lehigh's college of engineering and applied science. "The funding will help create biotech and clinical internship programs through partnerships with regional hospitals, medical schools and biotechnology firms."

Lehigh students began enrolling in bioengineering in 2002; more than 40 students now major in bioengineering.

LSGPA is a public/private venture with input and resources from government, business, universities and economic development partners. It works to enhance and translate discoveries in the life sciences into economic growth and job creation in Central Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit: www3.lehigh.edu