Umut Gurkan, PhD
Research interests
Micro/nano engineered systems for biology and medicine, biophysical characteristics and abnormal blood cell adhesion in sickle cell disease (SCD), joint and prosthesis health assessment tools based on microtechnology, biomanufacturing and bioprinting in musculoskeletal research
Dr. Gurkan is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department and in Orthopedics at Case Western Reserve University. He is leading the CASE Biomanufacturing and Microfabrication Laboratory. Dr. Gurkan is a core investigator at Advanced Platform Technology Center at Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Dr. Gurkan has received the APT Center Steven Garverick Innovation Incentive Award for: "Synovial Fluid Biochip for Monitoring Joint and Prosthesis Health". He has also received the Doris Duke Innovations in Clinical Research Award in 2013 for: "SCD Biochip: Towards a Simple and Reliable Way to Monitor Sickle Cell Disease", and Belcher-Weir Family Pediatric Innovation Award in 2013 for: "Functional Complete Blood Count for Children with Sickle Cell Disease via Easy-to-Use Biochip."
 Curriculum Vitae |
 Published Work |
Photo: SCD Biochip developed for studying biophysical characteristics of blood cells in sickle cell anemia. A sticky red blood cell adheres to the surface of a channel in the SCD Biochip. Close-ups show the cell with no flow and with flow. While most red blood cells flow by, a cell sticks to the surface of the channel, elongating further as flow increases.
