MatSE Assistant Professor Cecilia Leal Receives DURIP Award

Materials Science and Engineering Assistant Professor Cecilia Leal has recently received a Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) Award. DURIP awards support university research infrastructure and instrumentation essential to high-quality Navy-relevant, cutting-edge research. 

With the award, Leal’s group was able to acquire a fluorescence microscope to further research that looks at how the alterations of soft matter structure (lipid membranes in particular) is strongly correlated with lung malfunction.

“We were at the point in the project where fluorescence microscopy was instrumental to gain more insight into those pulmonary membrane defects,” Leal said. “However, samples were very sensitive, and transporting them to existing facilities across campus was too disruptive. With this award, I am able to provide a fluorescence microscope for my lab. It is the first one in the Materials Science and Engineering Building (MSEB) that is really devoted to biomaterials… I am sure this is exciting to my colleagues with MSEB labs as well.”