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Abstract
▪ Abstract
Richard Skalak (1923–1997) played a leadership role in the formative
decades of the discipline of biomedical engineering through his technical
contributions in biomechanics, his educational influence on students, and his
service to many developing societies and journals. But always, the
distinguishing marks of his involvement with any activity or person were his
generosity, respect and tolerance for others, integrity, and curiosity. These
very qualities are what first brought him as a traditional engineer trained in
engineering mechanics into the young field of biomedical engineering in the
1960s, and they are what led him to new approaches to cellular and molecular
engineering, tissue engineering, and orthopedic biomechanics. His technical
papers and lectures on blood cell mechanics, pulmonary circulation, dental
implants, and tissue growth were models of clarity and often pointed the way to
new areas of exploration, while his personal writings offer advice on life,
academic organizations, and the pursuit of significant work. He would be deeply
appreciative that this first volume of the Annual Review of Biomedical
Engineering is dedicated to his memory.
Keyword(s):
biomechanics, biomedical engineering, blood flow, cell mechanics, discipline, tissue engineering