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Prof. Steven Goldstein |
Professor Steven Goldstein has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, the highest professional recognition to be bestowed upon an engineer. Membership in the academy honors engineers for their contributions to engineering research, practice or education.
Goldstein serves as Henry Ruppenthal Family Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and holds joint appointments as Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering. He was recognized for furthering the profession's understanding of bone micromechanical and remodeling behaviors and their translation into new therapies for repair and regeneration.
Goldstein's work examines how both mechanical and biologic factors influence bone formation, repair and adaptation. "Bone is a truly smart material," he explained. "It has the ability to continuously sense its chemical, biological and, most importantly, its mechanical environment." That ability to sense the mechanical environment and react appropriately, he said, is at the root of normal bone function, and "if we understood the fundamental control mechanisms, we could then identify the biofactors and genes that might be dysfunctional in disorders and design rationale strategies for their repair or replacement."
His research has included both fundamental and applied research toward the ultimate goals of treating and preventing bone disorders, enhancing post-trauma healing and maintaining structural integrity associated with the aging process. He has designed new surgical instruments and a unique artificial joint that can be biologically anchored in bone, which increases longevity and functionality. He also co-developed a methodology for using gene therapy to alter the wound healing response in bone as well as to other tissues, including skin, cardiac muscle and tendon. A clinical trial using the technique for healing diabetic ulcers is underway.
Goldstein said he was both excited and humbled by his election to the NAE. But it may be the accomplishments of the students he has worked with since he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in 1981 of which he's most proud. "I have had the privilege of working with a fabulous group of trainees. Many of my graduates are doing spectacularly well in industry while a large number hold appointments at prestigious universities across the world, performing pioneering science and publishing outstanding papers. Sometimes what you’re most proud of are your children.”
Goldstein credits mentor Larry Matthews, professor emeritus, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, with having influenced how he approaches his bioengineering work. "He taught me to step back and to try and simplify the problems, to approach them more straightforwardly. That often works and lets you unravel complex phenomena."