Oregon Bioengineering Symposium
Digital Program
For more information about the 2026 Oregon Bioengineering Symposium, visit the main event page.
May 8, 2026
CH2M Hill Alumni Center at Oregon State University
Event schedule
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Welcome
Elain Fu
Director of the Bioengineering Graduate Program and Professor, Oregon State University
Summer Gibbs
Douglas Strain Professor of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine Oregon Health and Sciences University
Danielle Benoit
Lorry Lokey Chair of the Department of Bioengineering and Professor, University of Oregon
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM
Keynote
Engineering Human Organoids, Organs, and Societies
Dr. Kelly Stevens is the Koh Associate Professor of Bioengineering, and Laboratory Medicine & Pathology at the University of Washington. Dr. Stevens' research team focuses on human organ design. She develops new methods for mapping and bioprinting human organs. Dr. Stevens also works to disseminate the message that to develop advances that equitably improve the lives of all people, our profession needs to include all people. Dr. Stevens has received numerous honors and awards as a result of her work, including Elected Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine New Voices Cohort, AIMBE Fellow, BMES Mid-Career Award, and Allen Distinguished Investigator Award and more.
Engineering human organoids, organs, and societies
Bioprinted organs have captured the imagination of both scientists and the public alike. Yet, to realize this promise, we as a field need to make massive progress across several areas. First, scientists need to better understand what human organs truly "look like" from cellular to organ levels - we need to acquire cell-resolution (and ideally molecular resolution) organ maps, across scales. Second, we need cost-effective processes for producing the billions of human cells found in organs using GMP-compatible processes. Finally, we need to vastly improve the speed and resolution 3D bioprinting technologies, so that we can bring fabrication time for each human-sized organ from days to minutes. Here, I will discuss these challenges and also the technological advances that my lab is making to them.
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9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Faculty Talks I
Mapping Proteins Where They Live: A New Era of Spatial Proteomics
Andrew Emili, PhD, is a Professor at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. His research focuses on developing and applying advanced proteomic and interactomic technologies to map protein networks underlying cancer and other complex diseases. Dr. Emili’s work integrates systems biology, spatial biology, and translational oncology to systematically define molecular networks in disease-relevant tissue contexts, with the ultimate goal of linking molecular mechanisms to disease progression, therapeutic response and human health.
Mapping Proteins Where They Live: A New Era of Spacial Proteomics
Understanding biology at the level of individual cells requires more than knowing what molecules are present, it means knowing where they are and how they are organized into functional units within tissue. In this presentation, I’ll introduce an emerging imaging-based approach to proteomics that leverages spatial “Super-H&E” imaging to connect molecular identity with histologic context at unprecedented resolution. This framework aims to make high-dimensional proteomic information intuitive, visual, and directly interpretable for biomedical researchers interested in bridging pathology, systems biology, and next-generation multi-modal technologies.
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Engineering Microphysiological Models of Gynecological Tissue
Dr. Kaitlin Fogg is an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Davis, where she focused on tissue engineering for bone and wound repair under the mentorship of Dr. Kent Leach. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cancer systems biology with Dr. Pamela Kreeger at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, integrating in vitro models with computational approaches to study immune regulation in ovarian cancer. Her training was supported by an American Heart Association predoctoral fellowship and a Scientific Scholar Award from the Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research.
Since joining OSU in 2019, Dr. Fogg has built a nationally recognized research program at the intersection of women’s health and engineering. Her lab develops advanced 3D models of gynecological tissues and computational tools for high-throughput drug screening and mechanistic discovery. Supported by NIH R35 and R21 awards, her work investigates how the menstrual cycle influences drug delivery, how nanoplastics from menstrual products and environmental sources impact gynecological health, and how biomaterial and epithelial models can illuminate disease progression in cervical cancer and endometriosis. She has received national honors including the Young Innovator Award from Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering and the Emerging Scholar in Biomaterials Award from the Society for Biomaterials.
Engineering Microphysiological Models of Gynecological Tissue
Despite affecting half of the world’s population, women’s health research has historically been critically underfunded, receiving less than 5% of global research investment. Many gynecologic conditions, including endometriosis and emerging environmental exposures affecting the reproductive tract, remain poorly understood, in part because of the limited availability of experimental models that capture the complex biology of human reproductive tissues. Tissue engineering provides new opportunities to address this gap by developing physiologically relevant models that recapitulate key features of the gynecologic microenvironment, including epithelial–stromal interactions and extracellular matrix organization. This talk will highlight engineered models of endometriosis used to identify novel treatment strategies and a vaginal epithelial model used to investigate the effects of tampon-derived nanoplastics.
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Feedback-Controlled and Image-Guided Ultrasound Therapy for Drug Delivery and Antibacterial Applications
Dr. Sara Keller is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon, where she leads a research group developing quantitative, image-guided ultrasound therapies. Prior to joining the Knight Campus, she was a Glasstone Research Fellow at the University of Oxford in the Biomedical Ultrasonics, Biotherapy, and Biopharmaceuticals Laboratory (BUBBL). Dr. Keller received her PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington, where she was an Institute for Translational Health Sciences TL1 Fellow. Her work has been recognized with a L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science UK and Ireland Rising Talent Award.
Feedback-Controlled and Image-Guided Ultrasound Therapy for Drug Delivery and Antibacterial Applications
Ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging modality that can support every stage of an image-guided intervention, from diagnosis through treatment and treatment monitoring. In this talk, I will present my work at the intersection of all three, including the development of new imaging tools for diagnosis, the design of adaptive focused ultrasound therapies for diverse disease targets, and the implementation of feedback-controlled algorithms that integrate imaging and therapy into unified intervention systems. While these approaches have broad applicability, I will focus on two case studies: chemotherapy delivery using clinical ultrasound scanners and ultrasound-based antibiofilm therapies.
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Engineering Neural Infrastructure: Scalable Interfaces for Distributed Brain Networks
Dr. Felix Deku is the Betsy and Greg Hatton Assistant Professor of Neuroengineering at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon. He earned his B.Sc. with first-class honors in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana in 2008, and completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
Prior to joining the University of Oregon, Dr. Deku worked in the neurotechnology startup industry leading electrode engineering at Braingrade, Austin TX, and served as Director of Microfabrication at Neuralink Corp. in Fremont CA, where he contributed to the development of high-density, thin-film neural interfaces for patients with tetraplegia. These devices have received FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) approval and are currently implanted in patients around the world.
At the University of Oregon, Dr. Deku directs an NIH-funded Neuroengineering Lab, where his team develops next-generation, scalable neural interface platforms for chronic recording and stimulation across distributed neural circuits. His research integrates advanced microfabrication, amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) thin-film materials, multilayer device architectures, and CMOS-integrated systems to enable large-scale, stable, and minimally invasive neural interfaces. He is particularly focused on understanding how device geometry, material properties, and stimulation paradigms influence immune response, long-term stability, and functional neuroplasticity.
His work bridges materials science, microelectronics, and systems neuroscience to advance both fundamental neurobiology and translational neuroprosthetic technologies for brain and peripheral nerve applications.
Engineering Neural Infrastructure: Scalable Interfaces for Distributed Brain Networks
Neurotechnology will only scale when our interfaces scale with the brain. Most existing implants are still designed to interrogate isolated sites, yet behavior and cognition emerge from distributed networks. If we want to understand and modulate those networks, we need systems that are chronically stable, multi-regional, and engineered as integrated platforms, not as disconnected components.
In this talk, I will describe our lab’s work building multilayer thin-film neural interfaces capable of simultaneously targeting spatially distributed brain regions. Using advanced microfabrication and amorphous silicon carbide materials, we engineer devices that balance flexibility, durability, and long-term biostability. These architectures are designed from the outset to support high channel counts, complex routing, and chronic implantation without sacrificing mechanical integrity or signal quality. Equally important is the electronic interface. We develop compact, lightweight headstage systems optimized for high-channel-count recording and stimulation, reducing mechanical burden while enabling scalable data acquisition.
The broader goal is straightforward: create durable, scalable neural infrastructure that allows us to interface with distributed circuits reliably over time. Achieving that requires convergence in materials science, semiconductor engineering, systems neuroscience, and translational design working together. If we get this right, neural interfaces will move from experimental tools to foundational technology for understanding brain function and restoring it when it fails.
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Decellularized Extracellular Matrix as an Immunomodulatory Scaffold for Tumor Tissue Engineering and Immunotherapy
Dr. Matthew Wolf, PhD, is a Stadtman Investigator in the NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) where he is head of the Cancer Biomaterials Engineering Section. Dr. Wolf investigates immunomodulatory biomaterials composed of extracellular matrix (ECM) to enhance the development of next-generation cancer immunotherapies to treat solid tumors. His lab integrates tissue engineering with immune oncology by using the ECM scaffolds to deliver signaling cues that direct immune function. This includes applications such as scaffold-assisted cancer vaccine delivery, and 3D tumor microenvironment models in-a-dish. He showed that alternative Type 2 immune induction by biologic scaffolds can restrict tumor growth and be leveraged to prime cytotoxic T cells in a therapeutic cancer vaccine, and that 3D matrix specific signals alter the immune regulatory phenotype of cancer cells. Dr. Wolf earned his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and conducted his postdoctoral work at the Johns Hopkins University Translational Tissue Engineering Center and Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Immunotherapy before starting his lab at the NCI as a tenure track investigator. He was the recipient of the Immune Modulation and Engineering Symposium (IMES) Early Career Investigator Award.
Decellularized Extracellular Matrix as an Immunomodulatory Scaffold for Tumor Tissue Engineering and Immunotherapy
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a vast reservoir of biochemical and mechanical signaling cues that directs not only tissue function, but local immunity as well. By applying tissue decellularization techniques, intact ECM can be isolated and harnessed as an immunomodulatory biomaterial scaffold. The Cancer Biomaterials Engineering Section studies how ECM scaffolds influence adaptive and innate immunity, and how they can be leveraged in cancer therapy. This talk will focus on efforts to (1) use ECM to engineer predictive models of the 3D tumor immune microenvironment in vitro to dissect the ECM-cancer-leukocyte axis, (2) repair tissues that are damaged by the surgical trauma of tumor resection, and (3) infuse ECM scaffolds with immunotherapeutics to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery. The lab has developed 3D tumor models termed “MatriSpheres” that self-assembles tissue derived extracellular matrix into an engineered 3D tumor stroma in-a-dish. These are now being applied to determine how tumor stroma affects cancer cell behavior and immune cell function in co-culture with T cells and macrophages. We found that ECM scaffolds recruit leukocytes and prolong cancer vaccine release in vivo, leading to enhanced tumor regression and anti-tumor memory.
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10:45 AM - 11 AM
Break
11 AM - Noon
Lightning Talks I
Pulsed Immunity: Nanoparticle-Enhanced Ultrasound Primes Cold Melanoma to Immunotherapy
Michael Henderson, OHSU
Image-Based Computational Model of Calcium Transients in Contractile/Non-Contractile Cardiomyocytes
Ivana Hernandez de Estrada, OSU
Nanoparticle core molecular weight correlates with siRNA delivery in human chondroprogenitor cells
Phillip Hernandez, UO
Interaction of Sleep Disruption and Knee Osteoarthritis in Mice
Hannah White, OSU
Iron Deficiency Delays in vitro and in vivo Osteogenesis
Victoria Duke, OHSU
An engineered dual-affinity collagen-binding fusion protein to improve localized bone regeneration
Malvika Singhal, UO
Validation of an Avian Embryo Model for Diabetes-Associated Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Marina Nimmo, OHSU
Screening salivary gland-acting drugs for oral biofilm control via salivary gland tissue chip
Sydney Yang, UO
Engineering a Volumetrically-Printed, Osteoconductive Bone Graft Delivery System
Julia Andraca Harrer, UO
Distinguishing Phenotypes for Back Pain
Rachel Thompson, OSU
Noon - 12:15 PM
Pick-up Boxed Lunches
12:15 PM - 1 PM
Industry Panels
Your Roadmap to Industry: Internships, Jobs, and What Employers Want
Josefine Fleetwood is the Employer Relations Manager for the OSU College of Engineering where she leads strategic industry engagement, recruiting programs, and employer partnerships that connect engineering students with high‑impact career opportunities. She collaborates closely with employers, faculty, alumni, workforce organizations, and students to strengthen talent pipelines and advance the college’s goal of being a partner of choice. With more than 20 years of experience developing workforce and career programs across chambers of commerce, higher education, and K–12 systems, Josefine has been recognized by the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley for her contributions. She is an active member of the Mid‑Valley STEM‑CTE Hub and holds a BS in Speech Communication from Portland State University.
Shelly Ridder is the Community Engagement and Workforce Development Manager at Oregon Life Sciences, where she focuses on building strong partnerships that turn ideas into real, practical workforce solutions. She has helped launch a state-registered apprenticeship program, supported the development of early career pathways, and played a key role in creating a statewide Manufacturers Forum, including a Workforce Development committee that addresses both regional and statewide needs. Shelly brings together industry, education, and community organizations to create meaningful opportunities and strengthen Oregon’s life sciences talent pipeline.
Maddie Midgett is the Manager of Therapeutic Technologies Applied Research at Micro Systems Engineering, Inc. Maddie leads a team that develops innovative implantable medical technologies in Cardiac Rhythm Management, which includes traditional bradycardia therapy, leadless pacemakers, and cardiac monitors to improve the lives of people living with cardiovascular conditions. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Oregon Health & Science University in 2016, where she investigated the role of abnormal blood flow in the development of cardiac defects using multiscale imaging and hemodynamic analysis. Maddie is passionate about innovation that is built on quality, reliability, teamwork, and technical excellence to address unmet medical needs.
Walt Pebly, Chief Scientific Officer at Oregon Freeze Dry Life Sciences, has spent more than four decades pushing the boundaries of lyophilization—transforming it from a preservation method into a platform for scientific and nutritional innovation. His journey began at the intersection of cell biology and engineering with a degree in agricultural engineering from OSU. Throughout his career, Walt has developed patented, scalable solutions to stabilize everything from bioactive compounds and living cells to inorganic materials. Today, he’s focused on advancing functional, nutrient-dense foods with applications in microbiome research and gut-brain health, and is collaborating closely with OSU. His latest work explores the powerful convergence of food and medicine to improve outcomes for chronic disease and support better quality of life through nutrition.
Samantha Mosley-Wallace has a B.S. in bioengineering from Oregon State University as well as a Master's in biomedical engineering from the University of Portland. In 2018, she joined Acumed, an orthopedic implant design and manufacturing company, as an entry level product engineer. Within her first four years at Acumed, she was promoted to an Engineering Manager for both Acumed's Sustaining Product Engineering and Tray & Packaging Engineering teams. Through her roles at Acumed, Samantha has supported many initiatives and projects pertaining to manufacturing and quality improvements, product registrations, surgeon labs, surgical instrument and implant development, biocompatibility qualifications, and overall improvements of company processes. Samantha was also inducted into Oregon State University's Council of Early Career Engineers in November 2022 and became a member of Oregon State University's College of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering's Industry Advisory Board (CBEE IAB) in May 2023.
John Baumann is Head of Advanced Engineering Technologies in ADS R&D at Lonza in Bend, Oregon. He leads a cross‑functional team advancing pharmaceutical formulation, process development, and drug delivery innovation. With more than 22 years of experience across pharmaceutical R&D, he has played a key role in developing spray drying technologies for bioavailability enhancement platforms from early development through commercialization. John has a strong track record of building high performing teams, translating engineering innovation into differentiated business offerings, and collaborating globally across R&D, operations, and commercial organizations. He is an author and inventor in pharmaceutical engineering and actively contributes to industry and academic partnerships. John earned a B.S. in Bioengineering from OSU in 2002 and was recognized with the Oregon Stater award for the Council of Outstanding Early Career Engineers in 2014.
Tianna Coburn is the Principal Digital Delivery Program Manager and Digital Lead at Genentech's Hillsboro Technical Operations campus. Across Genentech, she has worked in Data & Analytics Engineering, Reliability Engineering, and Global Procurement. In her current role, she combines her manufacturing knowledge with her analytical expertise to build out the site's digital roadmap, and works with local and global colleagues to understand how to effectively execute and sustain digital solutions. Aside from her day-to-day work, she is active in local outreach and recruitment initiatives to strengthen the talent pipeline. She graduated from OSU with a degree in chemical engineering, and in her spare time enjoys trail running, playing the violin in the local orchestra, reading, and homebrewing hard cider.
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Translating Ideas to Impact Through Industry–Academic Collaboration
Skip Rung is the President and Chief Startup Officer of ONAMI, Oregon’s Deep Technology Accelerator and one of Oregon's Centers of Innovation Excellence, founded in 2003 to advance materials and device research at Oregon’s universities and to commercialize technology via science-based startup companies. Since 2006, ONAMI’s commercialization funds have made over $14M in investments in Oregon science-based startups, enabling over 70 portfolio companies to raise over $2.5B (~90% private capital) in leveraged funding and revenue. In 2012, ONAMI received the State Science and Technology Institute Excellence in TBED (Technology-Based Economic Development) award for Commercializing Research. From 1987 to 2001, Rung led Advanced Research and Development at Hewlett-Packard’s Corvallis, OR facility, responsible for multiple generations of HP’s inkjet printing technology. He holds BSEE and MSEE degrees from Stanford University.
Chris Larson is Executive Director of the Biotechnology Translational Institute (BTI) at Oregon State University. Established in response to industry need, BTI is designed to move advanced bioscience toward real-world application. The institute’s focus includes precision biologics, manufacturable protein design, and new-to-nature protein function. Chris leads the operations and partnership development across research, workforce and talent development, and commercialization. He brings 20 years of leadership experience spanning industry-university partnerships, program development, and talent strategy.
Dr. Worapol Ngamcherdtrakul obtained his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Oregon Health & Science University. He currently serves as the COO and Head of Research at PDX Pharmaceuticals. He has developed a patented mesoporous silica-based nanoparticle platform called Pdx-NP™ for the delivery or co-delivery of siRNAs, antisense oligonucleotides, adjuvants, peptides, immunotherapeutic agents, antibodies, chemotherapeutics, and other small molecule drugs. With different therapeutic cargoes, this platform nanotechnology has led to several therapeutic or vaccine lead assets for cancer treatment in the company's pipeline. He has served as the principal investigator on five competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, totaling approximately $10 million from the National Cancer Institute for the development of these technologies. Dr. Ngamcherdtrakul is an inventor of 7 issued US patents, 1 issued EU patent & over 30 pending worldwide. Furthermore, he has authored several high-impact peer-reviewed publications describing these different therapeutic or vaccine candidates in renowned journals, such as Advanced Materials, Nature Communications, Advanced Functional Materials, and Small. He was also named one of Portland Business Journal's prestigious '40 Under 40′ honorees for 2024.
Jeff Nielsen is a Master Technologist at HP Inc. In a career spanning more than 29 years, he has held numerous technologist and engineering positions at HP. His experience includes printhead architecture and system design for Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) based systems, application development (including bioprinting, printed electronics, and 3D printing), and microfluidic technology development. As a technologist for HP’s Specialty Printing and Technology Solutions, Jeff defines and leads strategic programs in the Life Science Solutions business. His pioneering work in non-traditional inkjet-based printing applications, including life science solutions and solid freeform fabrication, has resulted in more than 30 patents and numerous publications. Jeff holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Keat Ghee Ong joined the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon in 2019 as a Professor of Bioengineering. He received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2000 from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Ong has an internationally recognized research program in implantable sensors, wearable technologies, and medical devices, with over 130 peer-reviewed publications and numerous funded projects and patents. His current work focuses on “smart implants” based on wireless sensor/actuator platforms that monitor physiological conditions in real time and adapt to improve treatment outcomes. To translate this work beyond the lab, Ong founded Penderia Technologies Inc in 2020 and currently serves as Chief Technology Officer. The company develops orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation biofeedback systems based on implantable sensor technologies. With support from federal, local, and private investor funding, the technology is advancing through FDA regulatory processes and toward scalable commercialization.
Dr. Ben Golomb is Associate Director of Alliance and Growth Strategy at Absci Corporation, an AI-powered drug discovery company. In this role, he manages a portfolio of partnerships spanning major pharmaceutical companies, academic medical centers, and biotechnology startups, with a focus on translating Absci's generative AI platform into impactful scientific and commercial outcomes. His partnership portfolio have included a multi-target drug discovery collaboration with Almirall S.A. and a co-development partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, among others. Ben also contributes to Absci's growth strategy, where he provides competitive landscape analysis, target selection, and program strategy. He holds a Certificate of Achievement-Alliance Management (CA-AM) through the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals and a PhD in Food Microbiology from UC Davis. Prior to his role in alliance management, Ben led strain engineering teams at Absci and held scientific positions at Novozymes (now Novonesis) and Bayer Crop Science.
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1 PM - 1:15 PM
Break
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Faculty Talks II
Morphology-Aware Profiling of Highly Multiplexed Tissue Images using Variational Autoencoders
Dr. Gregory J. Baker is an assistant professor and cancer systems immunologist at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. His most recent work has centered on the development and deployment of research strategies for correlative clinical and preclinical studies in cancer immunology including those related to multiplex tissue imaging, systemic immune response profiling, and multimodal data integration.
Morphology-Aware Profiling of Highly Multiplexed Tissue Images using Variational Autoencoders
Spatial proteomics (highly multiplexed tissue imaging) provides unprecedented insight into the types, states, and spatial organization of cells within preserved tissue environments. To enable single-cell analysis, high-plex images are typically segmented using algorithms that assign marker signals to individual cells. However, conventional segmentation is often imprecise and susceptible to signal spillover between adjacent cells, interfering with accurate cell type identification. Segmentation-based methods also fail to capture the morphological detail that histopathologists rely on for disease diagnosis and staging. In this talk, I will present a computational method that combines unsupervised, pixel-level machine learning using autoencoders with traditional segmentation to generate single-cell data that captures information on protein abundance, morphology, and local neighborhood in a manner analogous to human experts while overcoming the problem of signal spillover. The result is a more accurate and nuanced characterization of cell types and states than segmentation-based analysis alone. For additional context ahead of the talk, please refer to our bioRxiv preprint describing this work.
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Microbiome signatures map pain–pathology dissociation in osteoarthritis
Holly Arnold, DVM PhD is a data and scientist and Assistant Professor at Oregon State University whose research focuses on interactions between gut microbial communities and the peripheral nervous system. Her lab combines microbiome sequencing with quantitative physiological and behavioral data to study microbial associations with chronic pain and other nervous system phenotypes across animal models. Using mammalian disease models and developing vertebrate experimental systems, her group applies data-driven approaches to identify microbial signals associated with host traits. A long-term goal of this work is to develop longitudinal whole-organism phenotyping datasets that integrate microbiome measurements with physiological and behavioral data obtained through continuous biosensor monitoring to better understand how microbial ecosystems relate to nervous system function. Her research sits at the intersection of microbial ecology, neurobiology, and quantitative biology.
Microbiome signatures map pain–pathology dissociation in osteoarthritis
Lily Zhen, Emma Little, Hannah White, Angel Villegas, Morgan Johnson, Heidi Kloefkorn, Holly K. Arnold
Bioprinted organs have captured the imagination of both scientists and the public alike. Yet, to realize this promise, we as a field need to make massive progress across several areas. First, scientists need to better understand what human organs truly "look like" from cellular to organ levels - we need to acquire cell-resolution (and ideally molecular resolution) organ maps, across scales. Second, we need cost-effective processes for producing the billions of human cells found in organs using GMP-compatible processes. Finally, we need to vastly improve the speed and resolution 3D bioprinting technologies, so that we can bring fabrication time for each human-sized organ from days to minutes. Here, I will discuss these challenges and also the technological advances that my lab is making to them.
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Illuminating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Engineering Silver Nanoparticles for Precision Imaging
Marilyn R. Mackiewicz is an internationally recognized expert and academic leader in transdisciplinary chemical and materials-based research addressing complex sustainability and environmental challenges. Their scholarship sets strategic direction at the intersection of fundamental chemistry, advanced materials science, and real‑world systems, uniting discovery-driven inquiry with solution-oriented design. Through leadership in collaborative, cross-sector initiatives, this work has shaped research agendas, advanced technological innovation, and informed environmental stewardship and societal resilience. These contributions are reflected in high-impact scholarly publications, influential interdisciplinary collaborations, and invited keynote and plenary presentations.
Illuminating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Engineering Silver Nanoparticles for Precision Imaging
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with limited treatment options and significant challenges for early detection due to the lack of specific biomarkers. To address limitations of conventional iodinated contrast agents used in X-ray–based imaging, we developed photochemically engineered silver nanotriangles as targeted imaging probes for TNBC. Silver nanoplatelets were transformed into uniform triangular nanostructures under sodium lamp irradiation and stabilized with hybrid lipid membranes, followed by antibody-based functionalization for TNBC targeting. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization confirmed shape uniformity, stability, and successful bioconjugation. In 3D TNBC spheroid models (MDA-MB-231), antibody-conjugated silver nanotriangles demonstrated targeted uptake, minimal cytotoxicity, and strong fluorescence signals. These results highlight the potential of light-engineered, lipid-coated silver nanostructures as biocompatible and targeted contrast agents for TNBC imaging, with future work focused on in vivo imaging performance and biodistribution.
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SPADE: Inferring Transcriptional Dynamics from Spatial Transcriptomics with Physics-Informed Deep Learning
Dr. Sha Cao received her B.S. in Applied Mathematics in 2011 and her Ph.D. in Statistics in 2017. Following her doctoral studies, she became a biostatistics faculty member at the Indiana University School of Medicine before joining OHSU in 2024. Dr. Cao specializes in high-dimensional data modeling, specifically for RNA-seq, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics. Her research focuses on the tumor microenvironment and disease metabolism, with a particular interest in developing computational approaches to model the molecular and metabolic interactions among TME components.
SPADE: Inferring Transcriptional Dynamics from Spatial Transcriptomics with Physics-Informed Deep Learning
Insitu sequencing–based spatial transcriptomics technologies, such as 10x Genomics Xenium and Vizgen MERSCOPE, have recently emerged as powerful platforms that enable subcellular-resolution mapping of RNA transcripts within intact tissues. While existing computational models developed for pixel-based spatial transcriptomics can be applied to in situ sequencing data, these approaches overlook molecule-level information and thus underutilize the full potential of the high-resolution measurements. Recognizing that post-transcriptional mRNA localization arises from a hybrid process of active transport and diffusion, we hypothesized that the spatial distribution of transcripts relative to the transcription start site encodes information about transcriptional activity within short time windows, offering a new paradigm for inferring transcriptional dynamics. To realize this capability, we present SPADE, a physics- and systems biology–informed deep learning framework that leverages the spatial organization of RNA molecules to infer transcriptional dynamics. SPADE first constructs a trajectory for each cell, ordered along a pseudo-time axis defined by local shifts in molecule distributions, and then employs a recurrent neural network to disentangle RNA synthesis from drift–diffusion processes under a bistate transcriptional regulation model. Extensive evaluations on both simulated and in-house spatial transcriptomics datasets demonstrate that SPADE accurately reveals gene-specific bursting patterns, recovers dynamic transcription rates, and uncovers regulatory delays between genes. As the first framework to estimate temporal variations in transcription rates from static spatial transcript distributions, SPADE establishes a novel paradigm for studying transcriptional dynamics and their underlying biological mechanisms.
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Spatiotemporal control of STING activation and saRNA delivery decouples humoral and cellular immunity
David Peeler is a nanomaterial immunoengineer studying how drug delivery vehicles shape innate immune responses to the next generation of nucleic acid therapies. He opened The Biomaterial Research for Immunomodulation, Drug delivery, and Genetic Engineering (BRIDGE) lab in March 2026 on the Knight Campus at the University of Oregon. He received postdoctoral training in the labs of Prof. Dame Molly Stevens and Prof. Robin Shattock at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London, where he worked on 3D-printed protein vaccine delivery systems, saRNA vaccine manufacturing scale-up, and adjuvanted antiviral and antibacterial RNA vaccines. Prior to moving to the UK in 2020, he received his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Washington under Prof. Suzie Pun, where he engineered gene therapy and cancer vaccine delivery systems.
Spatiotemporal control of STING activation and saRNA delivery decouples humoral and cellular immunity
The inherent immunogenicity of lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-formulated self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) potentiates low-dose vaccines and motivates immunoengineering strategies to broaden applications. We hypothesized that targeting a polymeric STING agonist prodrug (polySTING) to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) independently of saRNA delivery could tune vaccines responses without limiting saRNA expression. Across delivery platforms, orthogonal STING agonism differentially rewired innate recruitment, antigen expression, and TH1 polarization, with opposing effects for LNP- and polyplex-based saRNA vaccines. By controlling the timing and location of STING activation relative to antigen expression, we selectively tuned humoral versus cellular immunity in influenza models. In a bacterial infection setting, synchronizing lymph node–targeted saRNA delivery with orthogonal STING agonism enhanced TH1 immunity and protection for saRNA—but not mRNA—vaccines. Collectively, these findings define formulation-specific innate immune responses to saRNA vaccines and establish APC-targeted adjuvants as a strategy to tune saRNA vaccine immunogenicity.
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Lightning Talks II
Developing a 3D extrusion bioprinted model to probe hematopoietic stem cell behavior
DeShea Chasko, UO
Micro and nanoplastics in cardiovascular plaque
Sandra Prickett, OSU
High-Throughput Mapping of Cryoprotectant Permeability, Vitrification Concentration, and Toxicity
Nima Ahmadkhani, OSU
A Molecular Shielding Strategy to Develop Non-Protein Binding, Renal Clearable Pan-Cancer Dyes
Li Xang, OHSU
Size-Isolated Microparticles for Selective Ultrasound-Activated Gene Delivery in Engineered Tissue
Alexandra Tihomirov Bukchin, OHSU
Ruthenium-complex Nanomicelle Sensors for Oxygen Mapping in 3D Tissue-Engineered Microenvironments
Kevin Schilling, OHSU
Hybrid Lipid Coated Silver Nanoparticles with Fluoride for the Prevention of Dental Caries
Bianca Silva de Sousa, OSU
Engineering Fluorescent Polydioxanone Microfibers for High Resolution Scaffold Manufacturing
Iman von Briesen, UO
From Prediction to Action: Personalized Physical Activity to Optimize Glycemic Outcomes in T2D
Valentina Roquemen-Echeverri, OHSU
Engineering Durable PEDOT:PSS for Safe and Effective Neuromodulation Therapy
Ifra Ilyas Ansari, UO
3:30 PM - 5 PM
Poster Session and Networking Time
Poster Presentations
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Pascal Achenbach, UO
Advanced additive manufacturing to overcome mutually repulsive cell-cell interactions
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Megan Adamec, OSU
Segmental Shear Transduction in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells
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Iman Adem, OHSU
Delivery of TLR 7/8 Agonist via a Cancer-Targeting Peptide for Enhanced Immunotherapy
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Alexandra Aeschliman, UO
Leveraging cyclic peptide ligands for targeted nanoparticle drug delivery systems
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Mini Aga, OHSU
Cytoskeletal and ECM Remodeling and in High- and Low-Flow Regions in the Trabecular Meshwork
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Simon Aguilar Auld, UO
Acute Running Exercise Does Not Alter Lymphatic or Venous Clearance in Rat Achilles Tendons
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Nima Ahmadkhani, OSU
High-Throughput Mapping of Cryoprotectant Permeability, Vitrification Concentration, and Toxicity
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Ramzy Al-Mulla, UO
Designing and testing a hybrid surface-depth neural interface
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Cynthia Alcazar-Daleo, OHSU
Improved bone union and functional recovery in a murine model of composite bone-muscle injury using
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Elizabeth Amponsem, UO
Tunable anisotropic PEG-based hydrogels promote a regenerative tenocyte phenotype
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Emma Anderson, UO
Intrinsically Fluorescent Polymeric Nanoparticles for Biodistribution in Targeted Drug Delivery
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Julia Andraca Harrer, UO
Engineering a Volumetrically-Printed, Osteoconductive Bone Graft Delivery System
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Noora Azadvari, UO
Analyzing the Permeability of Highly Diverse Cyclic Peptides in PAMPA and Caco-2 Assays
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Cameron Azizi, UO
Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediators Regulate Chondrocyte Metabolism in Osteoarthritis
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Cole Baker, OHSU
Thrombogenicity testing of magnesium alloys and surface modifications for bioresorbable stents
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Salem Bassi, UO
A Hydrogel Platform for Mapping and Controlling Oxygen in Bone Marrow Niches
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Isaiah Bennett, OSU
Simultaneous electrochemical measurements of drug concentration and sample pH in saliva
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Sophie Biegel, UO
3D in vitro model of osteoarthritic cartilage for screening therapeutic siRNA-loaded nanoparticles
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William Burgess, UO
Modeling Iron Deficiency Anemia in 3D Using Bioprinted Bone-Like Organoids
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Ben Burress, UO
Computational Design of Peptide Macrocycles Targeting S. mutans Glucosyltransferase B (GtfB)
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Shelby Case, OHSU
Sequence-Dependent Cooperativity in a Key Hub Protein Examined via ITCand Molecular Dynamics
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Sofia Castillo, OSU
Gut Microbiome Diversity in a Mouse Model of Knee Osteoarthritis
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Brooklyn Cessna, UO
Targeting Protein Pathways: Computational Design of Protein Pathway Inhibitors
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DeShea Chasko, UO
Developing a 3D extrusion bioprinted model to probe hematopoietic stem cell behavior
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Jessica Chavez Chairez, OSU
Isolation of Cancer-Associated Nanoparticles from Cerebrospinal Fluid Using Dielectrophoresis
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Alyssa Chi, UO
Hyaluronic Acid Coated Melt Electrowritten Scaffolds Promote Myoblast Attachment and Differentiation
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Peter Chudinov, UO
Linear Time Syllable Segmentation and Low-Dimensional Manifolds in Canary Birdsong
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Austin Clark, UO
De novo design of interleukin-6 binders to modulate cytokine delivery
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Jackson Coelho, UO
Evaluating siRNA-loaded polymeric nanoparticles in THP-1 macrophages
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Ushasi Datta, OSU
Hybrid Lipid-Metal Nanoparticles Unlock Targeted OCT Imaging of Stem Cells
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Leslie Dietz, OSU
From Sewers to Surveillance: Tracking Measles with RT-dPCR
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Sheridan Donovan-Stauder, Willamette U
Assessing stability and sensor response of FRET pair-modified quadruplex molecular beacons
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Victoria Duke, OHSU
Iron Deficiency Delays in vitro and in vivo Osteogenesis
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Grace Dunn, OSU
Investigation of Barrier Integrity in Cervical Cancer and Healthy Cervical Cells for Drug Delivery
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David Dzamesi, UO
Multivalent bone-targeting peptides reshape protein corona and immune cell trafficking
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Eve Elwood, OSU
Characterizing Proteins Bound to Menstrual Product Associated Nanoplastics Using Gel Electrophoresis
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Diego Escobedo, UO
Quantifying Rod Bipolar Cell Dendritic Morphology in Early Retinitis Pigmentosa
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Liliana Escobedo, UO
Effects of MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 Lactoferrin in Human Keratoconus Cornea Cells
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Alexander Fagan, UO
De Novo Type I Blue Copper Protein Design
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Tomi Fagbemi, OSU
Understanding Polymer Identity and Biomolecular Corona in Microplastic-Lipid Interactions
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Cora Ferguson, UO
Biological Sex and Age Regulate Estradiol-Mediated Cartilage Matrix Development
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Diana Flores Barnett, UO
Temporal regulation of growth factor delivery for skeletal muscle regeneration
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Favour Foday, UO
Metformin Preconditioning Enhances Therapeutic Potency of hMSCs for Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis
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Sophia Foerster, UO
Evaluating the Chondroprotective Effects of Estrogen on Cartilage Integrity under Inflammation
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Caroline Foskett, UO
BMP-2 Delivery from Hydroxyapatite-Binding Fusion Proteins for Bone Regeneration
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Olivia Foster, OHSU
Ultrasound-Responsive Biomaterials for Modeling Breast Cancer Progression in the 3D Microenvironment
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Esmee Fuller, UO
Cryopreservation of 3D Chondrocyte Constructs for Accelerating Osteoarthritis Research
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Juan Garcia, UO
Temporal Control of VEGF and PDGF Delivery Using Affibody‚ Conjugated Hydrogel Microparticles
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Milan Gautam, OSU
Designing RNAs with Language Models
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Pradnya Ghalsasi, OSU
Developing Seaweed Derived Biomaterials for Biofabrication
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Alec Gosiak, OHSU
3D Printing Tissue Models using Dissolvable Photo-poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) Sacrificial Templates
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Dominique Granville, UO
Defining the Neuro-Muscular-Immune Interface Following Traumatic Muscle Injury
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William Greer, OHSU
Investigations into Defining the Biomolecular Activity Target of NIR Nerve Specific Fluorophores
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Sayandeep Gupta, UO
Accelerating Therapeutics Discovery: Expressing Human Proteome and Screening Binders in E. coli
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Tara Hartman, OSU
Designing a 3D in vitro model of bronchial epithelial tissue to evaluate sex based differences
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Kaitaro Hawkins, OSU
Improved fabrication of stencil-printed electrodes for point-of-care electrochemical devices
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Michael Henderson, OHSU
Pulsed Immunity: Nanoparticle-Enhanced Ultrasound Primes Cold Melanoma to Immunotherapy
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Phillip Hernandez, UO
Nanoparticle core molecular weight correlates with siRNA delivery in human chondroprogenitor cells
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Ivana Hernandez de Estrada, OSU
Image-Based Computational Model of Calcium Transients in Contractile/Non-Contractile Cardiomyocytes
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Mahshid Hosseini, OHSU
A Biomimetic Mineralized 3D Osteosarcoma Model
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Andy Huang, UO
Selective Protein Sequestration using Affibody-Conjugated Polyethylene Glycol-Maleimide Microgels
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Rose Hulsey-Vincent, UO
Songbird stuttering: a model of neural circuits in motor control
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Ifra Ilyas Ansari, UO
Engineering Durable PEDOT:PSS for Safe and Effective Neuromodulation Therapy
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Emma Jacobs, UO
Freely Moving Rodent with 144-Channel ECoG Implant Capable of Stimulation and Recording
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David Johnson, UO
Enhancing Myoblast Alignment within a Tunable Anisotropic Engineered Hydrogel
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Paula Josic Dominovic, OHSU
Nanoparticle-Mediated Nucleic Acid Delivery to Modulate Vascular Cells after Flow Diversion
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Maya Kasteleiner, UO
Engineered Nano and Micro Topographies to Model Glioblastoma Invasion
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Kelsey Krusen, UO
Anisotropic Muscle Mimetic Hydrogels Sustain Long-Term Viability and Alignment of Myoblasts in Vitro
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Noel Lefevre, OSU
Sex-Specific Hippocampal Plasticity and Sleep Fragmentation in a Preclinical Osteoarthritis Pain
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Yunxing Li, OSU
Quantification of Bacterial Adsorption and Surface Characterization via Impedance Spectroscopy
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MaryLou Lux, OSU
Effects of loading on cryopreservation of Intervertebral Discs
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Charles Mainwaring, OSU
Exploring Potential Analgesic Effects of CBD-ML and a Minor Cannabinoid using Behavioral Tests
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Biruk Mengesha, OHSU
Visualization of white matter tracts during surgery with novel near-infrared fluorescent probes
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Aidan Moellering, OSU
Improving Detection of Phase Transitions for High-Throughput Assessment of Cryoprotective Agents
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Samantha Moellmer-Gomez, OHSU
Factor XIa regulates Angiopoietin-Tie signaling and Weibel-Palade body exocytosis via ADAM10
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Cameron Moore, UO
Engineering Polycatecholic Nanoparticles to Restore Macrophage Homeostasis in Aged Microenvironments
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Anika Moorjani, UO
Development of a Biaxial Strain Sensor for Real-Time Load Monitoring in a Rodent Bone Defect Model
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Sebastian Mueller, OSU
Successful Predictive Modeling of Pollen Phenotypes Is Enabled by Measures of Expression Specificity
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Anshika Nagar, OSU
Hybrid Lipid-Shielded Silver Nanotriangles Enable Shape Stability and Subcellular Targeting
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Samuel Nightheart, UO
Unraveling Time Dependent Mechanotransduction in Vascular Network Formation
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Marina Nimmo, OHSU
Validation of an Avian Embryo Model for Diabetes-Associated Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
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Charlotte Olds, UO
Evaluating Tumor Growth in a Glioblastoma Spheroid Model
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Cecelia Ong, UO
Bonedots: A Bone Like Graft Alternative to Enhance Healing in Super Critical Defects
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Diana Ostojich, UO
Integrating Two-Photon 3D Printing and Thin-Film Microfabrication for Ultrasmall Neural Interfaces
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Nicholas Pancheri, UO
Specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators to reduce inflammation and slow osteoarthritis progression
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Emma Piccione, OSU
Evaluating Key Signaling Pathways as Therapeutic Targets in an In Vitro Endometriosis Lesion Model
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Sandra Prickett, OSU
Micro and nanoplastics in cardiovascular plaque
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Joseph Qualtier, UO
Controlled Protein Release using Affibody-Conjugated Polyethylene Glycol-Maleimide Microparticles
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Sarea Recalde Phillips, UO
Drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles induce metabolic changes that promote musculoskeletal healing
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Austin Ricci, OSHU
Advanced Age Delays Functional Recovery Following Composite Bone-Muscle Injury
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Valentina Roquemen-Encheverri, OHSU
From Prediction to Action: Personalized Physical Activity to Optimize Glycemic Outcomes in T2D
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Lucy Rose, UO
Histological analysis of femoral defects after biologically or mechanically mediated interventions
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Nasim Sanati, OHSU
Schema Crush: An Agentic AI System for Mapping Heterogeneous Biomedical Data to FHIR Graphs
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Jordan Sandler, OSU
Target identification of a tetrazole-based mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibitor
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Kevin Schilling, OHSU
Ruthenium-complex Nanomicelle Sensors for Oxygen Mapping in 3D Tissue-Engineered Microenvironments
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Genevive Sheehan, OSU
Unlocking Axonal Transport: Nanoparticle-based Tracer for Glaucoma Detection
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Bianca Silva de Sousa, OSU
Hybrid Lipid Coated Silver Nanoparticles with Fluoride for the Prevention of Dental Caries
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Miranda Simpson, UO
Computational Design of Miniprotein Binders to P53-SIRT1 Pathway
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Malvika Singhal, UO
An engineered dual-affinity collagen-binding fusion protein to improve localized bone regeneration
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Alec Snyder, OSU
High-Throughput Determination of Vitrification Concentration Under Fast-Cooling Conditions
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Cameron Sugden, OSU
Microfluidic UV C Treatment for Non Thermal Inactivation of Neonatal Pathogens in Human Milk
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Samantha Tan, UO
Wireless Embeddable Magnetoelastic Sensor for Real Time Monitoring of Human Stem Cell Growth
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Max Tenenbaum, UO
High-Speed Two-Photon System for Large Format Microfabrication
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Rachel Thompson, OSU
Distinguishing Phenotypes for Back Pain
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Alexandra Tihomirov Bukchin, OHSU
Size-Isolated Microparticles for Selective Ultrasound-Activated Gene Delivery in Engineered Tissue
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Mady Tung, OHSU
Platelet-driven activation of transcatheter aortic valve thrombogenicity
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Oyinkansola Tunji-Ogunsanya, UO
Stability and Adhesion of EIROF and PEDOT Coatings on Microelectrodes for Neural Interfaces Implants
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Joshua Vanderpool, OHSU
Substrate topography and composition drive macrophage crosstalk with muscle and bone in vitro.
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George Vengrovski, UO
SongMAE: A foundation model for fine-grained analysis of birdsong
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Angel-Rose Villegas, OSU
The Nose Knows: Male Sweat Scent Alters Mechanical Sensitivity in Mice with Pain
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Iman von Briesen, UO
Engineering Fluorescent Polydioxanone Microfibers for High Resolution Scaffold Manufacturing
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Jason Ware, OHSU
High-Throughput Liquid Biopsy Identification of Pancreatic Cancer via Electrokinetic Isolation
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Samantha Watson, UO
Resistance Running Effects Quadriceps Strength and Femur Bone Quality in Male Wistar and Lewis Rats
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Luke Whitcomb, OHSU
GDF15-induced wasting in cardiac, but not skeletal, muscle is mediated by reduced caloric intake
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Hannah White, OSU
Interaction of Sleep Disruption and Knee Osteoarthritis in Mice
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Jade White, OSU
Chemical Characterization of Nanoplastic Surfaces and Their Interactions with Biological Interfaces
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Garrow R. Whitefield, UO
Engineering Degradable Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems through Thioester Backbone Integration
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Wendy Woothtakewahbitty, OSU
Framework for Building and Sustaining Relationships with Public Entities
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Li Xiang, OSHU
A Molecular Shielding Strategy to Develop Non-Protein Binding, Renal Clearable Pan-Cancer Dyes
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Bowen Xie, OSU
Constraint-Aware Diffusion Language Models for RNA Inverse Folding
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Sydney Yang, UO
Screening salivary gland-acting drugs for oral biofilm control via salivary gland tissue chip
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Kaitlin Yarrington, UO
Unique adhesin profiles may shape Fusobacterium nucleatum subspecies specificity in cancer growth
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Veronica Young, OHSU
The Impact of Nanoparticle-Based Cavitation on Melanoma Immunotherapy
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Feipeng Yue, OSU
Sampling-based Continuous Optimization for Messenger RNA Design
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Tingting Zhang, UO
Development of Hydrazone-crosslinked Gelatin-Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels for Tissue Regeneration
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Yiheng Zhang, OHSU
Novel small molecule mPTP inhibitors block platelet procoagulant activity
1
5 PM - 5:45 PM
Discussion Groups on Health Equity Topics
Designing BioE technologies to address health disparities
Community Engagement Strategies
Health Equity in AI Tools Use
Diversifying Biomedical Research — Local Efforts
