I am a fifth year graduate student in the SSPB program at Rice, working in a chemical engineering lab under Dr. Ross Thyer. I am interested in non-model microbe engineering, as well as high throughput protein engineering efforts. My background is in environmental microbiology, lanthanide biochemistry, protein engineering, and synthetic biology.
The Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact (Knight Campus) Department of Bioengineering at the University of Oregon (UO) invites applications for three tenure-track faculty positions. These three positions start a multi-year hiring plan for up to 16 positions. Candidates focused on biomedical data science, synthetic biology, neural engineering, or immune engineering are particularly encouraged to apply and will have the opportunity to become members of the UO/OHSU Center for Biomedical Data Science, UO Institute of Neuroscience, the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, and/or the Center for Translational Biomedical Research. A commitment to translation and entrepreneurial activities will be reviewed especially favorably. Applicants at all levels (assistant, associate, or full professor) with significant track records of research and innovation, teaching, and service excellence as appropriate to their seniority will be considered.
I received my BS in Bioengineering from Cornell University. I have experience with research on bioelectrochemical systems for biofuel production using electroactive microbes, as well as gas fermentation for biofuel production. My interests include synthetic biology, sustainability, cell-free systems, protein engineering, and carbon-negative biomanufacturing. I’m also passionate about STEM outreach and science communication.
I’m a PhD student in computational biology who studies protein fitness using a combination of directed evolution experiments, molecular dynamics simulations, and data-driven modeling techniques. I got my Bachelor’s at the University of Washington in bioengineering and applied math, and worked at the biological tissue modeling software company Biocellion before grad school. I’m very interested in self-advocacy and making academia acceptable for people with disabilities and people of all socioeconomic status.
I am currently a PhD Student at the University of Florida, where I am devoting my research to finding solutions to some of agriculture’s most important challenges. Specifically, I am working to develop drought and salt stress resistance in crops, with a focus on studying CAM photosynthesis at the molecular level in the ice plant. To achieve this, I use techniques in the fields of molecular biology, genomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and bioinformatics.
The primary responsibilities of this role are to:
– You will experiment independently to understand how process variations affect fermentation outcomes, this can mean that you will review literature, design hypotheses, develop experiments, analyze results, and report conclusions;
– This role requires setup, use, maintenance and modification of lab equipment so as to assess parameters of interests;
– Research results shall be analyzed, reports drafted, and results need to be effectively communicated to internal partners;
– Support with routine lab operation is required to ensure a safe lab operation.
PhD. Luis Joel Figueroa-Yáñez is Researcher class A, repatriated, belongs to the National System of Researchers (Level I), assigned to the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of Jalisco State (CIATEJ), México.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the Universidad Veracruzana, a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the Universidad Anáhuac, a PhD in Biological Sciences from the Yucatán Scientific Research Center and a postdoctoral degree at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis Missouri, United States of America.
It has publications on:
-CRISPR-Cas and pathogenic organisms
-Neural networks, deep learning and artificial intelligence in pancreatic cancer
-The DBTL paradigm in Synthetic Biology and Synthetic Biology and COVID-19
-Antioxidants and type 2 diabetes mellitus
-Improvement of plants to counteract the greenhouse effect and other factors
-CRISPR-Cas9 and dCas9 in yeast
Otto X. Cordero received a B.S. in computer and electrical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Ecuador, an M.Sc. in artificial intelligence from Utrecht University, and a Ph.D. in theoretical biology, also from Utrecht University. In 2014 Cordero received the ERC Starting grant in Europe and in 2015 he moved to MIT, where he has since been a member of the faculty. Cordero is a past Sloan Fellow in Ocean Sciences and recipient of the Simons Early Career Award in Marine Microbial Ecology. In 2017, Cordero co-founded PriME, a new Simons Collaboration that brings together physicists, biologists and engineers to decipher the rules that govern the assembly and functioning of marine microbial ecosystems.
Dr Maobing Tu is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He received his PhD degree in Forestry Bioenergy at the University of British Columbia (2007). Dr. Tu is a recipient of Industrial R&D Fellowship from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and an NSF CAREER award in 2013. His research is centered on the development of cost-effective processes for producing biofuels and chemicals from renewable resources and waste. Specifically, he focuses on the interface between biomass processing chemistry and biochemical engineering in the production of fuels, chemicals and biomaterials. He has published more than 60 papers and received funding from NSF, DOE and EPA.
Dr. Jonathan Conway earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University under the guidance of Dr. Robert Kelly, focusing on lignocellulose degradation by extremely thermophilic bacteria. After completing his Ph.D., he trained as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in Dr. Jeff Dangl’s lab, where he worked on engineering the plant root microbiome.
In 2021, Dr. Conway established his independent lab in the Chemical & Biological Engineering department at Princeton University. He is also an associated faculty member of the Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, and the High Meadows Environmental Institute. The Conway lab focuses on genetically engineering non-model bacteria at plant-microbe interfaces. By mechanistically defining and engineering plant-microbe interactions, the lab aims to develop technologies for the bio-agriculture, bio-energy, and bio-chemical industries.
I am a French-trained Chemist/Chemical Engineer with a PhD in organic synthesis from Michigan State University, postdoctoral training at the University of Bath and Oxford. My first independent academic position was at Queen’s University Belfast (Chemistry) in 2000. I was appointed first in faculty of science and engineering, then requested a joint appointment with the Center for Cell Biology and Cancer Research, and ultimately moved to the School of Pharmacy to fully exploit the collaborative network that my moving within the institution had allowed me to create. In 2016, I left my permanent UK academic position to join the Mitchell Cancer Institute at the University of South Alabama, after a sabbatical year in the department of Biochemistry at the Carver College of Medicine in Iowa. I seek to accelerate translational research programs through basic research in chemical biology and synthetic chemistry.
More specifically, I pursue chemical research on canonical and non-canonical nucleotides and dinucleotides in the context of cell bioenergetics and signaling. I direct biology-focused research projects supported by bespoke organic synthesis and knowledge-based metabolomics and RNA/DNAomics research. My laboratory’s activities focus on synthesizing nucleosidic isotopologues, nucleotide-derived cofactors, and catabolites and develop analytical platforms that help unravel their role in diseases linked to genomic and metabolic mitochondrial dysfunction. Key to our research efforts are novel synthetic methodologies of isotopically labeled and modified nucleos/tides using mechanochemistry to allow atom-efficient syntheses.
Carolyn Riley Chapman, PhD MS, joined the Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard (MRCT Center) in October 2023 (mrctcenter.org). She is a Member of the Faculty of the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Lead Investigator in the Division of Global Health Equity (DGHE), Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her work involves collaboration with diverse stakeholders to identify and address challenges in the research and development of genetic technologies and precision medicine, including cell and gene therapies. Since April 2023, Dr. Chapman serves as Co-Chair of the ELSI-Dedicated Genome Engineering Workgroup at the Center for Synthetic Regulatory Genomics (SyRGe), led by Dr. Jef Boeke, the Sol and Judith Bergstein Director of the Institute of Systems Genetics and Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Prior to joining the MRCT Center, Carolyn worked at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in various roles. Immediately before joining the MRCT Center, she was Faculty in the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine with a primary appointment as Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health (Division of Medical Ethics). In the past, Carolyn has worked as an Associate/Lecturer and as Interim Associate Director for the Columbia Bioethics program; as a business strategy management consultant in the biopharmaceuticals industry at L.E.K. Consulting; at a start-up biopharmaceutical company, Aton Pharma; and as a freelance science/medical writer. Carolyn graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College with a BA in Biology. She has a PhD in Genetics from Harvard University and an MS in Bioethics from Columbia University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in medical ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a Graduate Certificate in Survey Research at UConn’s School of Public Policy.
Engineering of cell-free systems, proteins & enzymes, and adopting bioengineering to the university classroom
The program features case studies in vaccine development for cancer and infectious diseases, offering insights into best practices and technological advancements. Engage in focused discussions and networking with thought leaders to understand immunotherapy innovations for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The event concludes with the release of the ‘Harnessing Vaccine Technologies & Immunotherapies with Best Practice Approaches’ report, summarizing key insights and emerging trends.
Join global innovators at our symposium focused on oligo chemistry and therapeutics to explore advances in overcoming therapeutic challenges, optimising targeted delivery, and utilising analytical methods like liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Engage with experts on peptide-oligo conjugation, modification chemistry, and advanced synthesis technologies. Discuss clinical applications across disease areas and anticipate future uses. The event concludes with the ‘Harnessing Oligo Chemistry & Therapeutics Development with Best Practice Approaches’ report, summarising key insights and trends for effective utilisation.
Join global innovators at our symposium on antibody engineering to explore cutting-edge topics such as best practice approaches, advanced therapeutics, and stability strategies. Engage with experts on AI applications and computational tools in antibody engineering. Discuss case studies on achieving stability through advanced methods. The event concludes with the ‘Harnessing Antibody Engineering with Best Practice Approaches’ report summarising key insights and trends for effective utilisation.
Rabia Yazicigil is an Assistant Professor of ECE Department at Boston University. She was a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT and received her Ph.D. degree from Columbia University in 2016. Her research focuses on the development of Cyber-Secure Biological Systems, leveraging living sensors constructed from engineered biological entities seamlessly integrated with custom-designed semiconductor chips. This unique synergy harnesses the advantages of biology while incorporating the reliability and communication infrastructure of electronics, offering a unique solution to societal challenges in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and sustainable biomanufacturing. She has received numerous awards, including the NSF CAREER Award (2024), Early Career Excellence in Research Award for the Boston University College of Engineering (2024), the Catalyst Foundation Award (2021), Boston University ENG Dean Catalyst Award (2021), and “Electrical Engineering Collaborative Research Award” for her Ph.D. research (2016). She was selected as a member of the 2024 National Academy of Engineering (NAE) US Frontiers of Engineering (USFOE) cohort.
Clay Wright is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. His lab focuses on understanding and engineering chemical signaling pathways from plants and fungi. Clay received his BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from North Carolina State University and PhD in the same from Johns Hopkins University, where he worked with Professor Marc Ostermeier to engineer cancer therapeutic enzymes that are selectively active in the presence of a cancer marker. For his postdoctoral research, he worked with Professors Jennifer Nemhauser and Eric Klavins at University of Washington to study evolution and function of receptors for auxin, a critical plant growth hormone. Clay was recently awarded an NIH MIRA to further our understanding and engineering of chemically activated ubiquitin ligases, such as those that coordinate auxin signaling and other plant hormone signaling pathways.
Eric Young received undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering from the University of Maine at Orono. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. He completed postdoctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology developing the MIT-Broad Foundry. Dr. Young is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, with affiliate appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His research objective is to understand and engineer microbes that improve the human condition. This research program informs his educational goal – to train the current and future workforce for an economy shaped by engineered biology.