Biomedical Engineering

Jennifer Lewis, a Harvard University researcher known for her work in materials science and biologically inspired engineering, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in American biomedical science. Election recognizes individuals for outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service in the medical sciences, health care and public health.

Researchers have determined the structure of the Norrin signaling complex, a protein assembly central to blood vessel development in the eye and ear. With the detailed structural blueprint in hand, scientists can now design potent engineered surrogates that mimic Norrin's activity, an advance with potential relevance for treating disorders such as familial exudative vitreoretinopathy and other Wnt-related conditions.