Professor Michael King, Associate Vice President for Research and E.D. Butcher Chair of Bioengineering in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing at Rice University, was elected as the new President-Elect of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), as announced in their annual event which took place between March 29-31, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
King will serve a four-year term with the first year as president-elect, two years as AIMBE president, and the final year as past president.
“Being elected to lead a premier professional organization in my field is a great honor and I am proud to represent Rice University in this important and visible role,” said King, a CPRIT Scholar and Special Advisor to the Provost on Life Science Collaborations with the Texas Medical Center. “This role brings with it a big responsibility of advocating for biomedical research by communicating with lawmakers, taxpayers, and other stakeholders about the critical importance and contributions of the biomedical engineering research community. From finding innovative ways to diagnose, monitor, and treat various health conditions to mentoring and training tomorrow's workforce, this work is essential to improving our quality of life.”
King is a national leader in the field of biomedical engineering and an expert in the following research areas: the adhesion and transport of circulating cells; cellular delivery of anti-cancer therapeutics in the bloodstream; the mechanotransduction of cancer and immune cells in shear flow; and the development of 3D in vitro models of bloodborne metastasis.
AIMBE is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that represents the most accomplished individuals in the fields of medical and biological engineering and brings together academia, industry, government, and scientific societies to form a highly influential community advancing medical and biological engineering. Their mission is to provide leadership and advocacy in medical and biological engineering research for the benefit of society. This organization played a major role in the establishment of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and has provided expert guidance on public health policy issues such as the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in medical device manufacturing. PFAS are widely used long-lasting chemicals that cause considerable damage to humans, plants, animals, and the environment.