Rutgers biomedical engineering assistant professor Ronke Olabisi was awarded prestigious CAREER award by the National Science Foundation. The award is given to early career faculty who show excellence in integrating teaching and research.
Olabisi was awarded $500,000 for her research on faster healing of chronic wounds that afflict the elderly, immobile, obese and diabetics. Her lab will study the pairing of adult-stem and insulin-producing cells in speeding wound healing and reducing scarring and threats to life and limb. Initial findings are promising. Olabisi plans to emphasize the recruitment and retention of female students to course-based research; they in turn will do educational outreach in K-12 schools in Central Jersey. Olabisi grew up in nearby Plainfield and came to Rutgers in 2012.
“CAREER awards are a tremendous honor for Rutgers and recognize our most promising junior faculty who will provide meaningful research opportunities for the students they teach and mentor” said Thomas N. Farris, dean of the engineering school.