Welcome to the Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics (FRRCBE) at Old Dominion University. Founded in 2002 by Karl Schoenbach, one of the pioneers of bioelectrics, the Center was established for interdisciplinary research, innovation, and education in the then-uncharted territory of ultra-short pulse and plasma effects on living matter.
Our mission is to increase scientific knowledge of how electric fields and ionized gases interact with biological cells, advancing medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and environmental applications. With more than 50 issued U.S. patents and over 600 publications in peer-reviewed journals, FRRCBE is a global leader in advancing the field of bioelectrics.
The Center is the lead organization in the International Bioelectrics Consortium, an association of 18 research institutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia. We welcome collaborations and offer training in unique bioelectric technologies to students and seasoned investigators alike. Thank you for visiting, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Please note: our research pages are currently being updated. For the most current information about a specific research area or to discuss potential collaboration, please contact the Center directly.
Conventional pulsed power applications in biology and medicine have a long history, going back three centuries to Galvani, Volta, and Franklin (Benjamin), and even much earlier. Karl Schoenbach, working here at ODU, drawing on his experience in plasma physics and engineering, began in the 1990s with Stephen Beebe and colleagues at Eastern Virginia Medical School applying to biomedical targets a different kind of pulsed power: very high electric fields — megavolts per meter — for very short times — nanoseconds (billionths of a second). In doing so, he brought together the people and resources required to create a new multi-disciplinary field that includes physicists, engineers, cell and molecular biologists, and physicians. Explore Our Research
