Congressman Osborne visits UNMC campus

Congressman Tom Osborne watches Jason Dumpert, left, demonstrate how miniature robots, developed through a collaborative project between UNMC and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, work in a surgical setting.

Congressman Tom Osborne and members of his staff spent Monday afternoon on the UNMC campus to learn about some of the cutting-edge technology being used.

The 3rd District congressman and former University of Nebraska football coach was accompanied by his staff, which included: Bruce Rieker, chief of staff, Jeremiah Blake, legislative assistant, Nancy Eberle, central area director, and Vicki Powell, campaign manager.

During his visit, Osborne toured the Flow Cytometry Core Facility in the Durham Research Center, received an update on stem cell research, met with Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., director of education and training for the minimally invasive and computer-assisted surgery initiative, to learn about micro robotics, and visited with John Chan, M.D., professor, department of pathology and microbiology and co-director of the Center for Lymphoma & Leukemia Research, on microarray technology.

Earlier in the day, Osborne had lunch with UNMC representatives to discuss biotechnology’s role in growing Nebraska’s economy.

Osborne is one of three candidates seeking Nebraska’s 2006 GOP gubernatorial nomination. The others are Gov. Dave Heineman and Omaha businessman Dave Nabity.