News & Events: Week of April 16

April 19 CEAS Seminar: Toward Early Glaucoma Diagnostics: The Use of Nonlinear Optical Imaging Techniques

RSVP now: College Year-End Celebration and Awards Ceremony

Save the Date: Spring 2012 Senior Design Competition

Middle School MESA Day competition draws 600 students

Colorado Center for Health and Wellness open on Anschutz Medical Campus

Have news you’d like to share with the college? Send it to Erica Lefeave.

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April 19 CEAS Seminar: Toward Early Glaucoma Diagnostics: The Use of Nonlinear Optical Imaging Techniques

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
College of Engineering and Applied Science
Spring 2012 Seminar Series
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
10:00a.m., NC 2607/09

Toward Early Glaucoma Diagnostics: The Use of Nonlinear Optical Imaging Techniques

Dr. Tim Lei
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Colorado Denver

Abstract
Glaucoma has been the leading cause of blindness in the United States and affects 60 million people worldwide. One of the major risk factors of Glaucoma is the evaluation pressure of the intraocular fluid. The increased fluid pressure in the eye is believed to cause damages to the optical nerves and ultimately results in permanent loss of vision. Therefore, it is important to develop non-invasive optical imaging techniques to identify early degeneracy in the fluid outflow system inside the eye to prevent the fluid pressure build up. Nonlinear optical imaging techniques allow functional and molecular specific imaging in biological tissues without the needs of exogenous fluorescent labels. In this talk, I will discuss the technical challenges of imaging the trabecular meshwork, which is the entrance of the outflow system of the eye and our achievements of using nonlinear optical techniques including second harmonic generation, two-photon excitation autofluorescence and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy to achieve excellent imaging resolutions and to extract valuable diagnostic information to determine the health of the fluid outflow system in the eye to determine early onsets of glaucoma.

Bio.
Prof. Tim C. Lei is an assistant professor in the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Colorado Denver. In addition, he also holds adjunct appointments of the Departments of Bioengineering, Physiology and Biophysics, and Medicine at the University. His research interests focus on applying and developing advanced optical imaging and spectroscopic techniques to study important biomedical problems. Several projects that he is currently researching include: 1) developing nonlinear imaging techniques for early glaucoma detection and diagnostics, 2) measuring protein dynamics and interactions using fluorescent correlation techniques in cell membranes and in lipid rafts for renal diseases, and 3) determining the optical scattering properties of brain tissue to understanding neural circuitry functions using optogenetic proteins.

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RSVP now: College Year-End Celebration and Awards Ceremony

It’s time to RSVP for the first annual college year-end celebration and awards ceremony!

May 11, 2012
11:30 – 2:30
Lawrence Street Center Terrace Room
1380 Lawrence Street

Join students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends as the college celebrates the end of the academic year and the beginning of summer with BBQ, laughs and an award ceremony honoring outstanding faculty, staff, alumni and students.

Contact Erica Lefeave to RSVP; space is limited so don’t wait.
erica.lefeave@ucdenver.edu | 303-352-3675

engineering.ucdenver.edu/celebration

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Save the Date: Spring 2012 Senior Design Competition

Mark your calendars: the Spring Senior Design Competition will be held on May 11 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the North Classroom Atrium. All faculty and staff are welcome to attend.

Stay tuned for more information.

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Middle School MESA Day competition draws 600 students

On Friday April 13, approximately 600 middle school students from around the state converged on the Auraria Campus for the Middle School MESA Day Competition.

Throughout the day, the students had an opportunity to “showcase their engineering might” by competing in a wide array of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) challenges. Events included Bio Bowl, Math Quest and a STEM spirit video challenge, as well as contests to build bridges, prosthetic arms, straw towers and wind-energy devices.

“All of the students did an excellent job,” says Paul Rakowski, director of student services for the CU Denver College of Engineering and Applied Science. “I’m always impressed by the caliber of students this event draws and how excited they are to learn about STEM.”

Rakowski was one of many people who volunteered their time to judge the various events.

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Colorado Center for Health and Wellness open on Anschutz Medical Campus

Monday April 16 is opening day at the Colorado Center for Health and Wellness. Doors open at 5 a.m.

The fitness center’s new, extended hours take effect Monday:
Monday – Thursday: 5 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday: 5 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Center membership is ongoing, so there’s still time to join one of the most unique and revolutionary wellness initiatives in the country. Call 303-724-WELL (9355) to speak with a Membership Advisor, or email membership@coloradocenter.com.  You can also visit the Center during business hours; we’re located at the corner of E. Montview Blvd. between Racine and Quentin Streets on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

For more details, visit http://coloradocenter.com/our-facility/fitness-center.
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