A UCR associate professor of bioengineering has been elected a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), one of the society's highest professional honors.
The honor recognizes Chung-Hao Lee for his exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the profession, particularly his work to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the heart, blood vessels, and the brain.
Lee’s research focuses on developing new experimental and computational tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases.
By combining biomechanics, bioengineering, precision medicine, and artificial intelligence (AI), his work seeks to better understand conditions such as heart valve disease and brain aneurysms and develop more effective, patient-specific therapeutics.
“Engineering has the unique ability to bring together science, medicine, and technology to solve problems that directly improve people’s lives,” Lee said. “I’m grateful to be recognized by my peers, and I share this honor with the students and collaborators who have made our research possible."
Lee developed an imaging and measurement system that helps researchers study the microscopic structure of heart valve tissue. He also led the creation of one of the first personalized computer modeling frameworks for tricuspid heart valve disease, giving physicians a potential tool to plan surgical treatments that can be tailored to individual patients.
In addition, Lee established one of the first publicly available biomechanics databases for the tricuspid heart valve, providing researchers worldwide with data that could accelerate new discoveries and predictive tools for valvular heart diseases.
Lee is also working to personalize treatments for brain aneurysms. He and his collaborators are developing patient-specific devices designed to overcome limitations of current minimally invasive therapies. This translational research combines advanced materials, 3D printing, and engineering design to improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for repeat procedures.
Beyond research, Lee has built a reputation as an educator and mentor. Since joining UCR in 2024 after serving on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma, he has developed graduate courses in bioengineering and biomechanics while mentoring graduate and undergraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds. Many of his former students have gone on to graduate school, medical school, faculty positions, national laboratories, and engineering careers.
Lee also has served the ASME Bioengineering Division through technical committees, conference organization, journal peer review, and grant review panels for organizations including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American Heart Association, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and Poland's National Science Centre.
Lee is among just 3,411 fellows selected from the organization's more than 70,000 members worldwide, according to ASME. The distinction recognizes engineers who have made most outstanding contributions through research, education, and professional service. The honor reflects excellence not only in research, but also in education, leadership, and professional service.