Edward A. Botchwey, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Biomedical Engineering, at the University of Virginia, has been selected by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to be among eighteen NIH grantees and two intramural scientists to receive the 2009 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). It is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

Dr. Botchwey currently directs the Laboratory for Converging Technologies at the University of Virginia. His laboratory is investigating multidisciplinary approaches to improve tissue engineering therapies. His research on ways to promote the growth of mature microvascular networks by therapeutic induction of arteriogenesis (the process by which new arterioles—a small diameter blood vessel—form and existing arterioles enlarge) is supported by a grant from the NIAMS.

“The NIAMS applauds Dr. Botchwey’s leadership and service to the biomedical research community,” said NIAMS director Dr. Stephen I. Katz. “His innovative work to promote the growth of mature vascular networks holds great promise for addressing the pressing public health need for strategies to enhance vascularity and promote healing in damaged musculoskeletal tissues.”

Dr. Botchwey received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002. After completing a United Negro College Fund (UNCF)/Merck sponsored postdoctoral fellowship at the Wistar Institute, he joined the University of Virginia Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2003.