BME Professor Named 2024 da Vinci Circle Fellow
Philipp Gutruf creates revolutionary devices that integrate with biological systems while prioritizing hands-on learning for students.
The BME assistant professor is looking 10 years into the future of health care, inventing breakthrough medical devices that support personalized medicine.
As a boy in the Black Forest area of Germany – known for its production of high-end cars – Philipp Gutruf, the College of Engineering’s 2024 da Vinci Fellow, got his start tinkering on mopeds and electronics in the garage of his family home.
“That is not necessarily your typical academic path – getting the hands dirty,” said Gutruf, University of Arizona assistant professor of BME and associate department head of undergraduate affairs. “That gives you a different perspective on how you approach scientific problems.”
Now he is revolutionizing health care with biomedical devices for inside and outside the body.
From developing a technique for tracking neuron activity in the brain to creating wearable devices that ease the socioeconomic digital divide in health care, the Gutruf Lab is making significant inroads into equitable, streamlined and effective medical monitoring and treatment. “We are interested in capturing the state of the body very accurately in order to treat, monitor and mitigate disease,” said Gutruf, also an inaugural Craig M. Berge Dean’s Fellow and member of the BIO5 Institute.
Generous donors to the College of Engineering’s da Vinci Circle select a fellow annually. The award comes with a one-time grant of $10,000 to support exceptional research in microtechnology, nanotechnology and biotechnology.
Learn more about Gutruf's innovations in biomedical technology here.