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The Past Half Century of Engineering--And a Look Forward Summary of a Forum (2015) / Chapter Skim
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6 Engineering and Medicine
Pages 20-23

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
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From page 20...
... Pettigrew's work at the interface of engineering and biology eventually led him to be named director of the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. The institute was based on the idea that "biology and engineering were beginning to cross paths," he said, which promised a transformative impact on the understanding and treatment of disease.
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From page 21...
... "The point here is that there is no limit to imagination," said Pettigrew. "Decades of continuous imagination and innovation led us, just 30 years down the road, to the ability to produce exquisite images of the human brain and some of its biological processes without harm." PATHWAYS IN THE BRAIN As another example of the intersection of engineering and biology, Pettigrew briefly described neural tractography, the use of imaging to trace neural tracts in the brain in three dimensions.
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From page 22...
... CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT POINT TO THE FUTURE Pettigrew concluded by citing six current technologies (illustrated in a video1) that demonstrate the incredible promise of engineering to improve health: • Regenerative medicine makes it possible to grow human liver tissue in a mouse, which then can be tested for drug toxicity to avoid the need for human testing.
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From page 23...
... After this trip they were both fascinated by McNair's discoveries and new insights into the laws of nature revealed by his home videos of this voyage, which they reviewed together. Unfortunately, McNair's second mission was on the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded shortly after takeoff, killing all seven crew members.
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Key Terms

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  • current technologies
  • stimulation technique
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  • neural tractography

  • axonal pathways
  • quoted robert
  • balloon angioplasty
  • described neural
  • biological target

  • medicine makes
  • tually led
  • chemistry platforms
  • incredible promise
  • devices combined

  • continuous imagination
  • probe virtually
  • trace neural
  • nih national
  • pettigrew quoted

  • grow human
  • neural tracts
  • named director
  • six current
  • regenerative medicine

  • spinal stimulation
  • exquisite images
  • produce exquisite
  • analytic chemistry
  • efficiently analyze


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