The University Of Arkansas College Of Engineering has selected Raj R. Rao to be head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Rao comes to the U of A from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was associate professor of chemical and life sciences engineering. He also held an affiliate faculty appointment in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics in the VCU School of Medicine.

"We are honored and excited to welcome Dr. Rao to the College of Engineering." Said John English, dean of Engineering. "His experience in education and research will be very valuable for us, and I'm confident he can build on the momentum that this department has already achieved."

"I am truly privileged to have been selected to serve as biomedical engineering department head," said Rao. "I look forward to working with the faculty and staff as we move the department forward, based on shared vision and keeping in line with the mission of the department, college and university."

Rao received a dual bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and biology from the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences in Pilani, India, in 1993. He earned a master's degree in biotechnology from the University of Texas, San Antonio in 1996 and a doctorate in biological engineering from the University of Georgia in 2001. He completed postdoctoral training at the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia.

Rao's research interests are in the broad area of cellular engineering. He takes an interdisciplinary approach to developing technologies for regenerative biomedical research and applications. With support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, his research and educational programs have contributed to more than 50 journal articles, book chapters and conference proceedings; more than 80 conference abstracts; and more than 70 invited lectures.

Rao is committed to integration of research and education, and he actively promotes science and engineering by organizing training workshops and developing educational materials for K-12 students and the general public.