The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) honored Jonathan Butcher, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, with the Rita Schaffer Memorial Young Investigator Award earlier this month.

In recognition of the award, Butcher was invited to give the Rita Schaffer Memorial Lecture Oct. 10 during the BMES annual meeting in Pittsburgh, Oct. 7-10.

Butcher talked about engineering breakthroughs that could complement genetic programs for combating cardiovascular disease through the study of embryonic tissues.

Butcher's research at Cornell focuses on mechanisms of embryonic heart and valve development, with the goal of implementing an embryonic "blueprint" to control heart and valve tissue assembly and remodeling.