In this issue: Anniversary Update | Faculty Awards & Honors | Featured Publications | Trainee Highlights | Community Spotlight

Cecilia GiachelliWelcome to UW Bioengineering’s Innovation & Impact!

In this issue, we proudly showcase our latest achievements in bioengineering research, education, leadership and service.

With warm regards and season’s greetings,
Cecilia Giachelli, Ph.D.
W. Hunter and Dorothy Simpson Endowed Chair, Professor
Department of Bioengineering
University of Washington

Anniversary Update

50 years of engineering better health for a boundless futureStudents working in a lab

In our 50 years at UW, we have empowered better health care through biomedical innovation, and transformed lives here in Washington and around the world.

Faculty Research & Awards

Paul YagerPaul Yager named 2017 National Academy of Inventors Fellow

This honor recognizes Professor Paul Yager’s prolific spirit of invention, and his work to increase access to health care in developed and developing countries with affordable, point-of-care diagnostic devices.

Thomas HorbettThomas Horbett receives 2018 Society for Biomaterials Founder’s Award

As a founding member of BioE’s biomaterials research group, Professor Emeritus Thomas Horbett’s work advanced the fields of protein adsorption and surface science.

NeuronsAndre Berndt named Allen Institute for Brain Science Next Generation Leader

Assistant Professor Andre Berndt develops biosensors for optogenetics with the goal to advance understanding of neurological diseases, including autism and epilepsy.

Hao Yuan KuehHao Yuan Kueh named co-recipient of Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative’s Human Cell Atlas grant 

Assistant Professor Hao Yuan Kueh aims to develop methods for measuring epigenetic states in single cells using advanced imaging techniques.

Daniel ChiuDaniel Chiu named co-recipient of NIH Transformative Research Award

Daniel Chiu, joint professor of BioE and Chemistry, seeks to develop radical new technologies for high-resolution mapping of brain tissue, enabling nanoscale analysis of proteins across large regions of the brain.

Jennifer Davis, Hao Yuan Kueh and Alec SmithJennifer Davis, Hao Yuan Kueh, Alec Smith receive ISCRM Tietze Scientist Research Awards

The Tietze awards support novel stem cell and regenerative medicine research, and enable the advancement of preliminary studies to become competitive for external funding.

Material from shellfish boosts bioassays, medical testsAn artistic rendering of a virus particle (light blue, foreground) bound by brightly-colored reporter molecules in a common laboratory assay.

Professor Xiaohu Gao’s lab discovered that polydopamine, a material first isolated from shellfish, could dramatically increase the accuracy of ELISA and other common bioassays — by 100 to 1,000 times.

Researchers in lab2017 Faculty promotions: Albert Folch, Xiaohu Gao, Wendy Thomas, Deok-Ho Kim, Anthony Convertine

The promotions demonstrate BioE’s excellence in diverse areas of research including disease diagnostics and therapeutics, regenerative medicine and protein engineering.

Allan HoffmanAllan Hoffman honored at 2017 Biomaterials Showcase and Hoffman Symposium

The October event recognized Professor Emeritus Allan Hoffman’s pioneering contributions to biomaterials research, including the fields of drug delivery, diagnostic assay development and surface science.

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Featured Publications

Loss of PiT-2 results in abnormal bone development and decreased bone mineral density and length in mice

Shunsuke Yamada et al. (Cecilia Giachelli’s lab)
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

Chemical crosslinking mass spectrometry analysis of protein conformations and supercomplexes in heart tissue

Juan Chavez et al (Rong Tian / James Bruce labs)
Cell Systems

Fast and sensitive HPLC–MS/MS method for direct quantification of intracellular deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates from tissue and cells

Sigurast Olafsson et al. (Michael Regnier’s lab)
Journal of Chromatography B

High-throughput characterization of protein–protein interactions by reprogramming yeast mating

David Younger et al. (David Baker / Eric Klavins labs)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Nanoparticle-releasing nanofiber composites for enhanced in vivo vaginal retention

Emily Krogstad et al. (Kim Woodrow’s lab)
Biomaterials

Polypyrrole-coated perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions as a sono-photoacoustic contrast agent

David Li et al. (Matthew O’Donnell / Lilo Pozzo labs)
Nano Letters

Comparison of neovascular lesion area measurements from different swept-source OCT angiographic scan patterns in age-related macular degeneration

Fang Zheng et al. (Ruikang Wang’s lab / University of Miami)
Investigate Opthalmology & Visual Science

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Trainee Highlights

David Younger aims to improve drug safety with synthetic sex in yeastAgglutination of yeast cells

A team of UW synthetic biologists led by recent Ph.D. graduate David Younger has reprogrammed yeast’s mating habits to create a sophisticated drug testing platform.

 

Nuttada Panpradist presents HIV drug resistance test in South AfricaNuttada Panpradist and collaborators

OLA-SIMPLE, an instrument-free, point-of-care device developed by Ph.D. student Nuttada Panpradist and an interdisciplinary team of collaborators, addresses the growing global burden of HIV drug resistance.

Ryan Nagao and Mary WallingfordRyan Nagao and Mary Wallingford receive NIH Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00)

The program facilitates the professional development of outstanding postdoctoral researchers as they transition to faculty careers.

CellsCharles Roco advances single-cell RNA sequencing with NIH, Fred Hutch grants

With SPLiT-seq, Charles Roco aims to improve the affordability, accessibility and scalability of single-cell RNA sequencing technology.

iGEM studentsUndergraduate iGEM team wins silver at international competition

The interdisciplinary team presented Chromastat, a device that reduces the amount of time and effort needed to maintain cell cultures.

Students in classroomFall 2017 scholarship & fellowship roundup

The local, national and international awards recognize BioE student excellence in research, academics and service.

Jenny FerinaBioE welcomes new peer advisor Jenny Ferina

As part of BioE’s academic services team, peer advisors provide prospective undergraduates an inside perspective of the major, and help them navigate opportunities.

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Community Spotlight

Michael Regnier in labMichael Regnier: from champion weightlifter to researcher heavyweight

Professor Michael Regnier shifted Olympic ambition to a passion for researching and developing therapies for muscular disorders.

students working on toy adaptationHuskyADAPT: Toying with accessibility

BioE students promote accessible play and the importance of inclusive design through toy adaptation — modifying toys to enable their use by children with disabilities.

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