Fanny Chapelin, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Engineering’s F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been named a 2021 Scialog: Advancing Bioimaging Fellow.

Chapelin is among 55 promising early-career scientists that were selected to participate in this year’s prestigious Research Corporation for Science Advancement program. The series of three yearly meetings will bring together a diverse group of scientists from a wide range of fields to address the challenges involved in enhancing high-resolution imaging of tissues to support basic science and the treatment of disease.

At each conference, participants form multidisciplinary teams to design research projects, which they pitch to a committee of leading scientists who have facilitated discussions throughout the meeting. The committee then recommends seed funding to catalyze the most promising of those team projects, based primarily on the potential for high-impact results.

“It is an honor to be selected as a Scialog Fellow,” Chapelin said. “As an early-stage investigator, focused mentorship from leaders in the field of molecular imaging and networking with fellow bioimagers will be invaluable to grow as an independent researcher.” 

Chapelin’s lab develops non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods to track immune cell migration to inflammation in different pathologies such as transplant rejection, autoimmune diseases and cancer. The broad aim of the lab is to develop molecular imaging methods to visualize cell therapy tissue distribution, survival and efficacy, and help clinical translation of therapeutic cells by determination of best treatment dosing, schedule and delivery route.

Chapelin has received numerous awards for her achievements in research including France’s “Engineer of the year for science” Award, conferred by l’Usine Nouvelle. She was also recently selected by UK biomedical engineering students for the department’s 2021 Outstanding Teacher Award.

“In her tenure at UK, Chapelin has established herself an exceptional young researcher embarking on a career in translational science empowered by her superb intellectual skills and talent for scientific reasoning,” said Dr. Guigen Zhang, professor and chair of the F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering. “She is a well-liked colleague by faculty and staff in the department, the college and beyond. Moreover, she is a well-respected teacher and mentor by students.”

Learn more about Chapelin and her research at http://chapelinlab.engr.uky.edu/.