Professor of Biomedical Engineering Practice
Education
- Doctoral Degree, Biomedical Engineering, University of Paris-Val-De-Marne (XII)
- Master's Degree, Biomedical Engineering, Paris Val-de-Marne University
- Master's Degree, Other Education, University of Southern California
- Bachelor's Degree, Chemical Engineering, École des Mines de Nancy
Biography
Jean-Michel I. Maarek received his engineering degree (Diplome d'Ingenieur Civil des Mines) in Chemical Engineering in 1980 from the Ecole des Mines in Nancy, France, his Doctorat Inganieur in Biomedical Engineering in 1984 from the Universite Paris Val-de-Marne in Creteil, France, and his M.S. degree in Education in 1997 from the University of Southern California. Prior to coming to North America, he worked in Creteil Medical School on the optical properties of biological tissues and the development of a functional imaging technique using near-infrared laser sources. Dr. Maarek came to USC in 1984 as a Research Associate. He was appointed Research Assistant Professor in 1987 and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in 1993.
Research Summary
Dr. Maarek worked for several years on the biomechanics of the pulmonary circulation. His primary interest is in biomedical optics applied to the development of diagnostic technology (optical biopsy) for critical care medicine and cardiopulmonary studies. His present research deals mainly with laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy applied to the identification and characterization of atherosclerotic lesions. Spectral and temporal characteristics of the fluorescent light generated by artery tissue excited with nanosecond laser pulses are analyzed to identify compounds present in healthy and diseased arteries. In another biomedical optics project, near-infrared laser spectroscopy is used to characterize oxygen supply and utilization in body tissues. Dr. Maarek is also interested in Engineering Education, especially in relation to improvement of teaching and learning and to the use of information technology in the undergraduate classroom.
Courses Taught
Laboratories
Awards
- 2007 C.L. Powell Foundation Biomedical Engineering Instructional Laboratory Award
- 2006 USC Undergraduate Research Support (Sharma Pooja, Francis Steven) Brain Mapping of Spatial Navigation In The Barnes Maze In Freely-Moving Rats
- 2006 Equipment Grant, C.L. Powell Foundation Funds for Biomedical Engineering Instructional Laboratory Equipment
- 2000 University of Southern California Provost Fund Award “Virtual Laboratories for Biomedical Engineering”
- 1997 School of Engineering, University of Southern California Outstanding Teaching Award
- 1996 School of Engineering, University of Southern California Outstanding Teaching Award
- 1995 School of Engineering, University of Southern California Outstanding Teaching Award
- 1994 University of Southern California Innovative Teaching Award “Interactive Software Tool for Teaching Nerve Cell Physiology”
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