Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that Paul Blainey, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Biological Engineering and a researcher at the Broad Institute, is the recipient of Agilent's sixth annual Early Career Professor Award for his work in single-cell measurement and analysis. Blainey's research focuses on integrating new microfluidic, optical and molecular tools into biological research and medicine. His lab develops quantitative single-cell and single-molecule approaches that reveal the workings of natural and engineered biological systems across a range of scales. Recently, Blainey demonstrated that DNA-binding proteins track the DNA helix as they slide and discovered new classes of biomolecules with sliding activity. Ongoing studies using microfluidic single-molecule assays will help understand how these molecules move; they will also identify additional classes of biomolecules that use thermal energy to move in both directions along a strand of DNA. "Our department is very proud to have Paul Blainey receive this highly competitive award from Agilent, a company that has played a leading role in biotechnology for many years," said Douglas Lauffenburger, Ford Professor of Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Biology, and head of MIT's Department of Biological Engineering. "Paul is a splendidly meritorious awardee, based on his superb accomplishments and exceptional promise for continuing impact in single-cell measurement and analysis technologies." "Dr. Blainey's groundbreaking research in single-cell measurement puts him at the forefront of a very talented group of scientists from around the world," said Jack Wenstrand, director of University Relations and External Research at Agilent. "We are proud to support his promising career with this award." The Agilent Early Career Professor Award is presented annually to recognize and encourage excellence in measurement research. It seeks to establish strong collaborative relationships between Agilent researchers and leading professors early in their careers, as well as to underscore Agilent's role as a sponsor of university research.

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