Faculty & Staff

		Jonathan Wickert Dean, College of Engineering James and Katherine Melsa Professor in Engineering Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Balaji Narasimhan Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies	Diane Rover Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs	Derrick Rollins Assistant Dean for Diversity	Loren Zachary Assistant Dean for Engineering Education

For Tim Bigelow, Moving Ultrasound Beyond Images

A grainy, black-and-white ultrasound image can show an expectant mother the first glimpse of her baby. And while the picture is not entirely comprehensible, it provides physicians with a great deal of information about the health of the child.

Now imagine a more sophisticated form of this technology used on the same woman, one that instead can determine if a mass in her breast is cancerous. Advances in ultrasound such as this are at the heart of Tim Bigelow’s research.

Bigelow, an assistant professor in both the electrical and computer engineering and mechanical engineering departments, came to Iowa State in August 2008 from the University of North Dakota, where his investigation into ultrasound had accelerated to the point where, by January 2007, he received a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop a system to use ultrasound to treat cancer.

He joins a 75-year exploration of ultrasound energy in the medical field, engaging both past uses of the technology, which included treatment for ailments such as brain disorders, as well as the medical imaging that is seen today during prenatal care. Using an integrated approach, Bigelow’s work seeks to make some medical practices more efficient while providing immense benefits to patients.

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