Recent news
BREWS AND VIEWS PODCAST SERIES – PROMISES P̶R̶O̶M̶I̶S̶E̶S̶ – WILL GENOMIC APPROACHES TO HEALTH REDEFINE ILLNESS AND DISEASE?
September 13, 2019
With millions of human genotypes now determined, our information about human genetic variation is increasing faster than many other areas of science. That pace stokes an appetite for expanded investment. But has this information led to measurably improved, actionable understanding of illness and disease? Genomic medicine is fundamentally a biological and public health topic. Is the genome the major repository of the information we need in health? If so, to what extent might genomic approaches reduce the burden of disease in the community? Will they meet the promise of preventing/eradicating disease and illness? If not, what alternative approaches carry greater promise? What data is most salient/compelling to sway funding sources?
Discussants
Christopher Contag, PhD, Director, Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering; Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hannah Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, College of Natural Science
Nigel Paneth, MD, MPH, University Distinguished Professor, Departments of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Pediatrics & Human Development, College of Human Medicine
Moderator
Leonard Fleck, PhD, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, College of Human Medicine
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First Annual IQ Research Day
September 13, 2019
Contag Lab members (left to right): Dr. Ehsanul Hoque Apu, Victoria Toomajian, Dr. Ashley Makela, Emily Greeson, and Melissa Schott posing in front of Ehsanul’s poster at the institute-wide research day.
The IQ Research Day is a celebration of the accomplishments of our young investigators, and a time to learn about the amazing research being done at IQ. You will see, all in one short day, a breadth and depth of science that will blow your hair back. We are highlighting some of this amazing research with one representative oral presentation from each thematic area, and we have asked all students and postdocs in IQ to present their research as posters. This is a great opportunity for the new students in BME, and other departments, to see the research themes of the labs, meet the students, and talk to the faculty- --all of which will help new students find laboratory rotations and identify potential thesis committee members. The abstracts from Research Day will be used to document and benchmark the accomplishments of IQ such that 5, 10 and 20 years from now we can look back at the foundation of our Institute. Thank you all for participating in this exciting day—it will be a time to meet new colleagues and learn new things.
- Chris Contag, PhD
World Molecular Imaging Congress 2019 Meeting
September 7, 2019
The theme for this year’s meeting was “The Dynamics of Life: Integrating Molecular Imaging.” Contag lab member Victoria Toomajian is presenting her poster entitled “Tracking Targeted Exosomes using Superparamagnetic Nanoparticle Clusters and Molecular Particle Imaging.” Also in attendance at the meeting in Montreal were lab members Dr. Ashley Makela and Dr. Chris Contag.
1st Annual Great LAkes Advanced Molecular Imaging COurse
July 27, 2019
Contag Lab members (left to right): Dr. Ashley Makela, Dr. Chris Contag, Yuki Harada, Dr. Seock-Jin Chung, Evran Ural, Victoria Toomajian, and Emily Greeson attended the 2019 Great Lakes Advanced Molecular Imaging Course (GLAMIC) co-hosted by the Michigan State University Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences & Engineering and the Western University Molecular Imaging Graduate Program.
5th annual Pre-clinical Imaging Consortium Conference
April 30, 2019
Contag Lab members (left to right): Dr. Seock-Jin Chung, Dr. Ehsanul Hoque-Apu, Victoria Toomajian, Emily Greeson, and Dr. Chris Contag attended the 2019 Pre-clinical Imaging Consortium (PIC) hosted by the Center for Advancing Molecular Imaging at Northwestern University.
MSU Engineering Graduate Research Symposium - Poster Presentation
March 21, 2019
Graduate student Victoria Toomajian (left) presents her extracellular vesicle research using molecular particle imaging at the 2019 Michigan State University Engineering Graduate Research Symposium.
IQ is revolutionizing healthcare by converging medicine and engineering
AUGUST 7, 2018
Listen in as Chris Contag (right) discusses how IQ is bridging disciplines to solve real-world problems with new diagnostic tools and therapies related to precision health.
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Chris Contag: “IQ” at MSU converging science to achieve precision health
AUGUST 9, 2017
Chris Contag joined Michigan State University in November 2016 as the inaugural Director of the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering and the Chair of the new Department of Biomedical Engineering. The new research institute, IQ, is a collaboration between the Colleges of Engineering, Human Medicine and Natural Science, but there will be numerous investigators from other disciplines. The Biomedical Engineering department and graduate program will be housed in the College of Engineering.
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Bio Engineering Facility featured on local news
FEBRUARY 9, 2017
Lansing, Mich., television station WNLS-6 recently interviewed Chris Contag, the inaugural director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering and the chairperson of the new Department of Biomedical Engineering.
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Contag to Receive 2017 Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award
NOVEMBER 3, 2016
Christopher Contag, a pioneer of molecular imaging and chairperson of Michigan State University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, will receive the 2017 Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award from SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
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Pioneer in molecular imaging to lead new MSU initiatives
SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
Christopher H. Contag will join Michigan State University as the inaugural director of the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering and the chairperson of the new Department of Biomedical Engineering.