Elliot L. Botvinick PhD, BS, MS

Dr. Botvinick is Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Surgery at the University of California Irvine. His research program has two areas of focus, one in mechanobiology and the other in medical device development. These two efforts occur in his laboratories located within the Edwards Lifesciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology and the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic. In general, both the mechanobiology and medical device efforts utilize photonics tools such as nonlinear microscopy, optical tweezers, luminescent reporters, and laser induced cavitation. The laboratory also develops state-of-the-art instrumentation and devices for quantitative biophysical measurements towards the study of mechanobiology. These tools are applied to test mechanical hypotheses in the areas of cancer biology, microvascular morphogenesis, tissue engineering, and stem cell biology. Dr. Botvinick co-founded Metronom Health, Inc, which manufactures a fiber-type transcutaneous continuous glucose monitor. The Botvinick laboratory is currently funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to: (1) develop a novel device for the transplantation of pancreatic or stem cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, (2) develop sensors of additional signals for the artificial pancreas, including a continuous insulin monitor, and (3) develop and test a new material to extend the lifetime of insulin infusion sets.