Following an extensive national search, Prof. Michael Miga has been named as the new chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, effective January 1, 2025. Miga, who had served as the interim chair since the Fall of 2023, and is the Harvie Branscomb Professor of Biomedical Engineering, has accepted a three-year term in this role. Miga also leads the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering.
“Professor Miga has been an incredible leader for the department since taking over as interim chair in the fall of 2023,” said Krish Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of the School of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor. “He has strong support from our faculty and staff and is the best person to lead the department into its next chapter of growth, excellence, and impact. As dean and also a BME faculty member, I am deeply grateful for his leadership and partnership. I’m thrilled that he has agreed to take the helm more permanently as we embark on our transformative vision for the School of Engineering.”
Miga, whose research expertise includes image-guided surgery, computational modeling, soft-tissue mechanics, and the development of novel imaging and sensing techniques for procedural medicine, joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2001. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and has been instrumental in advancing the field of biomedical engineering through his work.
“Vanderbilt’s innovation environment for biomedical engineering is world-class. I am so honored and excited to be appointed chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering,” Miga said. “The Department has been a pioneer in the field for over six decades and this experience is evident across our faculty and their collaborative network, encompassing every cutting-edge area in the discipline. It is quite remarkable and is made possible by our exceptional faculty, staff, and students. Coupled with our integrated clinical cadre from the medical center, we have a recipe for groundbreaking technical innovation and sustained patient care impact. I am thrilled to serve and advance this legacy over the coming years.”
Miga holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from Dartmouth College with biomedical specialization and a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Rhode Island. He is a Fellow of both the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.