Bahareh Behkam, associate professor and John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow in Mechanical Engineering, has been recognized as an emerging leader in biological engineering by the Journal of Biological Engineering, the official journal of the Institute of Biological Engineering. The journal's cohort of emerging leaders in biological engineering is determined by review of a paper that includes their perspective on the future of their field of expertise.

Behkam's paper, "Engineered live bacteria as disease detection and diagnosis tools," investigates the potential of using bacteria as live sensors for sensitive and minimally invasive medical diagnostics. Behkam's team have discovered that bacterial whole-cell biosensors can have wide-ranging functions from direct sensing to image-guided surgery.

"I am honored to receive this recognition," Behkam said. "As mechanical engineers, we offer a unique perspective in the field of living machines. I am excited about the future of my team and our projected impact on human health and environmental monitoring."