BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:0-8347@eng.ufl.edu DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260330T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260330T160000 DTSTAMP:20260313T205538Z URL:https://www.eng.ufl.edu/news-events/events/bme-seminar-earlier-better- fairer-translating-technology-into-womens-cancer-care/ SUMMARY:BME Seminar: "Earlier\, Better\, Fairer: Translating Technology int o Women’s Cancer Care" DESCRIPTION:Nimmi Ramanujam\, Ph.D.\nRobert W. Carr\, Jr.\, Distinguished P rofessor of Biomedical Engineering\, \nPratt School of Engineering\, \nDuk e University\n\nAbstract: Despite major advances in cancer biology and tre atment\, outcomes for breast and cervical cancer remain strongly shaped by when disease is detected and how care is delivered\, underscoring the nee d for systems that better connect technological innovation with clinical p ractice. This talk highlights an interdisciplinary translational research program focused on women’s cancers. Across both disease areas\, this wor k emphasizes the translation of engineering advances into real-world clini cal impact\, with a commitment to equitable and sustainable cancer care. I n cervical cancer\, low-cost imaging technologies\, artificial intelligenc e–driven diagnostics\, and digital health platforms enable task-shifting from specialists to community health workers and extend screening from cl inics into communities and homes through long-standing partnerships in Per u and Kenya. In breast cancer\, complementary therapeutic and imaging stra tegies—including localized immune-activating therapies and real-time met abolic imaging—aim to reduce overtreatment and enable earlier identifica tion of relapse risk. Together\, these efforts highlight scalable\, integr ated approaches that shift cancer care earlier\, improve clinical decision -making\, and translate technological innovation into meaningful\, real-wo rld impact.\n\nBio: Nirmala (“Nimmi”) Ramanujam is the Robert W. Carr Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Cancer Pharmacology\, Cancer Biology\, and Global Health at Duke University\, and the founder o f the Center for Global Women’s Health Technologies (GWHT). Her research integrates low-cost imaging\, artificial intelligence\, and digital healt h to expand cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings through lon g-standing partnerships in Kenya and Peru\, while her breast cancer resear ch focuses on developing localized immune-based therapies and real-time me tabolic imaging technologies to reduce overtreatment and enable early dete ction of relapse\, with multiple approaches advancing to Phase I clinical trials. In 2019\, Professor Ramanujam founded Calla Health to commercializ e women’s health technologies\, reaching more than 8\,000 women across 1 1 countries\, and co-developed The (In)visible Organ\, a femtech documenta ry selected for the Women at the Center Film Festival in 2020. She also es tablished the IGNITE\, DukeEngage Orange County\, and Bass Connections ini tiatives that provide project-based learning opportunities in STEM and hea lth care technologies. Her honors include the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Innovator Award\, the IEEE Biomedical Engineering Technical Field Award\, and the AnitaB.org Social Impact Award. She is a Fellow of the Nat ional Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors\, a Ful bright Scholar\, and the author of Biomedical Engineering for Global Healt h\, which connects engineering principles to real-world global health chal lenges. CATEGORIES:Seminars LOCATION:Communicore Room C1-4\, 1249 Center Dr.\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32610\, United States GEO:29.648381;-82.348511 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=1249 Center Dr.\, Gainesvil le\, Florida\, 32610\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Communicor e Room C1-4:geo:29.648381,-82.348511 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR