Ramanujam Receives 2019 WIMIN Outstanding Leadership Award
Women in Molecular Imaging Network honors BME professor for her pioneering work to improve global cervical cancer screening
Nimmi Ramanujam, the Robert W. Carr Jr. Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, has received the 2019 Women in Molecular Imaging (WIMIN) Outstanding Leadership Award in recognition of her work surrounding cervical cancer screening and diagnosis.
The WIMIN Interest Group, part of the World Molecular Imaging Congress, fosters the career development and advancement of women in molecular imaging sciences, and recognizes the professional and scientific accomplishments of women within the field. The annual Outstanding Leadership Award was created to recognize a prominent female molecular imaging scientist who has supported the advancement of women in STEM positions through leadership, mentorship, friendship and active support of WIMIN’s goals and vision.
Working at the intersection of engineering and global health, Ramanujam and her lab explore and create new tools to improve cancer screening and diagnosis. In addition to her role in Duke BME, Ramanujam is the director of Duke’s Global Women’s Health Technologies Center, a joint venture between Duke Global Health Institute and the Pratt School of Engineering. One of her most recognizable projects is the Pocket Colposcope, a compact tool that allows health care workers to scan for and diagnose cervical cancer without relying on an expensive colposcope. The Callascope––the newest version of the device––also removes the need for a speculum, making the exams more comfortable for women. The Pocket Colposcope has been used in India, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Peru, Honduras, Guatemala and the United States.
To learn more about the WIMIN Interest Group and the Outstanding Leadership Award, click here.