Claudia Fischbach-Teschl has been appointed to lead the Engineering Innovations in Medicine initiative, a program launched by Cornell Engineering and Weill Cornell Medicine in 2022, aimed at revolutionizing healthcare through interdisciplinary collaboration and data-driven innovation. Fischbach-Teschl’s new role is part of her responsibilities as the James M. and Marsha McCormick Family Director of the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering.
The initiative leverages Cornell’s strengths in engineering, data science, and medicine to create advanced tools for data acquisition, including imaging, omics, and microphysiological systems. Lynden Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering, emphasized the importance of integrating artificial intelligence with these innovations to enhance therapeutic development and improve disease prediction.
In his announcement, Archer expressed gratitude to Emmanuel Giannelis, the college’s new associate dean for innovation, for steering the initiative during its initial three years. Under Giannelis’s leadership, the program launched a dual-degree M.D.-M.Eng. program and established a pathway in health systems in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine. Additionally, the initiative created the Professor William Maxwell ’56 Fellows program, funded by Dev Joneja, Ph.D. ’89, to drive research in artificial intelligence applications for disease detection and clinical decision support.
“Claudia’s extensive experience in cross-departmental collaborations makes her ideally suited to build upon the initiative’s early successes,” Archer noted. “With her leadership, Engineering Innovations in Medicine will continue to expand its impact, merging established programs with new initiatives to enhance health outcomes.”
Fischbach-Teschl, also known as the Stanley Bryer 1946 Professor of Biomedical Engineering, has a distinguished background in research and leadership. She previously directed Cornell’s intercampus Physical Sciences Oncology Center focused on cancer metabolism and served as the associate director of the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Engineering Facility. She holds a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical technology from the University of Regensburg in Germany and completed her postdoctoral studies at Harvard University.
“To advance human health, we must integrate diverse expertise,” Fischbach-Teschl stated. “Cornell’s collaborative environment demonstrates that when engineers, clinicians, and life scientists work together, they can redefine possibilities in healthcare. The Engineering Innovations in Medicine initiative consolidates our strengths and emerging opportunities, serving as a launchpad for transformative breakthroughs.”
Looking ahead, Fischbach-Teschl envisions the next phase of the initiative focusing on four key pillars grounded in Cornell Engineering. Two of these pillars are well-established programs: the Center for Data Science for Enterprise and Society, led by David Shmoys, and Cornell Neurotech-Engineering, directed by Chris Xu. The initiative will also introduce new efforts, including a Menopause Health Engineering project led by Nozomi Nishimura, and a collaboration aimed at enhancing medical data acquisition and analysis for cancer, co-led by Iwijn De Vlaminck and Olivier Elemento from Weill Cornell Medicine.
In addition to groundbreaking research, the initiative will prioritize experiential learning for both undergraduate and graduate students, equipping them with interdisciplinary knowledge at the intersection of engineering, computation, and medicine. De Vlaminck, recognized for his collaborations with Weill Cornell Medicine and advancements in precision medicine technologies, will serve as the associate director of Engineering Innovations in Medicine.
“I am eager to see what this team achieves under Claudia’s guidance,” Archer remarked. “Engineering Innovations in Medicine exemplifies how engineers can positively impact lives by applying their expertise to address pressing issues in healthcare.”
