As part of the inaugural round of Engineering Program Enhancement Fee investments, the UW College of Engineering is funding upgrades to Bioengineering’s instructional wet lab. The project will benefit approximately 500 students each year across multiple departments by expanding access to updated equipment and strengthening the hands-on learning experiences that help prepare students for careers in engineering, medicine and biotechnology. Every undergraduate in the department uses the lab while earning their degree.
Students learn fundamental subjects in the lab, such as the diagnosis of disease or genetic risk by analyzing blood or tissue, the physics behind medical devices, and the chemical processes that drive life. Improvements to the lab will give students access to state-of-the-art tools that they will use throughout their careers in medicine, research, and industry. New equipment will include an incubator to grow cell cultures for study and experiments, a miniPCR machine to replicate DNA, and a fluorescent inverted microscope to observe cells and tissue.
The investment will also be used to build a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) space for engineering students. BSL-2 safety cabinets are required when working with human cells, pathogens, and other materials in order to reduce researchers’ health risks. BSL-2 and mammalian cell culture skills are among those most frequently sought by bioengineering employers.
“The majority of our students are initially attracted to bioengineering by the medical advances generated by modern wet-lab research. Access to state-of-the-art technology and techniques not only provides career-building experience that is traditionally gained only through research in faculty laboratories, it also builds a technical foundation that our graduates will build on when designing next-generation medical instrumentation,” said Professor Christopher Neils, a leader in experiential learning and design-based courses.
The plan for the lab updates was developed by Niels, Professor Patrick Boyle, Facilities and Instructional Lab Operations Manager Kristen Hadley, Department Chair Princess Imoukhuede, Director of Finance and Operations Kristin Martinez, and Professor Wendy Thomas.
The updated lab will support Bioengineering’s senior capstone experience, in which student teams design, build, and test devices and processes with the mentorship of faculty or professionals from local companies. The newly renovated space will support a wide range of biological projects. Master of Applied Bioengineering students will complete similar projects in the lab, as will student organizations like the local Biomedical Engineering Society chapter, Bioengineers Without Borders, and the iGEM synthetic biology program.
“We consistently assess and improve our facilities to support the most up-to-date training. Wet lab upgrades are challenging due to cost and unique technology, so this refresh award is particularly valuable,” Neils said. “We are fortunate to have an outstanding space where we can develop a career-oriented setup that serves a broad spectrum of students, courses, and projects.”
This work is supported by the UW Engineering Program Enhancement Fee. Recommended by a committee of faculty leaders and undergraduate students selected by the Engineering Student Council, it is enriching the student experience and expanding hands-on learning for an evolving engineering profession.
“The Engineering Program Enhancement Fee was created to invest directly in opportunities that enhance student learning and success,” said Dean Nancy Allbritton of the College of Engineering. “Projects like this one provide students with access to modern equipment and hands-on experiences that connect classroom concepts to real-world practice. These investments help ensure UW Engineering students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to make an impact from day one.”