Celebrating the 2025 Solomon R. Pollack Award Winners in Graduate Bioengineering Research

Each year, the Department of Bioengineering at Penn Engineering proudly recognizes outstanding doctoral students whose research exemplifies innovation, impact, and academic excellence. The Solomon R. Pollack Award for Excellence in Graduate Bioengineering Research celebrates the achievements of students who have advanced our understanding of biological systems through engineering.

In 2025, four exceptional Ph.D. students—Nikolas Di Caprio, Harshini Chandrashekar, David Gonzalez-Martinez, and Kelsey Swingle—have been honored with this prestigious award. Their work spans neuroscience, oncology, maternal health, and tissue engineering, reflecting the breadth and interdisciplinary nature of the field.

Dissertation Title: “Engineering Dynamic Granular Composites for the Repair of Cartilage Tissue”

Nikolas Di Caprio earned his B.S. in Bioengineering with a minor in Chemistry from Temple University in 2019, where he conducted undergraduate research on 3D in-vitro models of adipose tissue. 

Building on this foundation, his doctoral work in Dr. Jason Burdick’s lab focused on developing an injectable system using stem cell aggregates and hydrogel microparticles to repair cartilage. His work addressed both the biological and mechanical aspects of tissue regeneration, incorporating automated testing tools he designed to probe particle mechanics. The research offers new strategies for minimally invasive musculoskeletal treatments.

“I would like to thank Jason Burdick for the nomination, the committee for selecting me for the generous award, and my family, friends, and previous advisors for all the support during my Ph.D.

Nikolas’s research embodies the intersection of material science and regenerative medicine, pushing the boundaries of bioengineering innovation.

Dissertation Title: “Addressing the Genome’s Structure-Function Relationship in Neural Activation and Neurological Disorders”

Harshini Chandrashekar completed her B.Tech. in Biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology, India, before moving to the U.S. in 2017 to pursue a master’s degree in Bioinformatics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2019, she joined Dr. Jennifer Cremins lab as a Computational Scientist and began her Ph.D. in Bioengineering at Penn in 2020. In the Cremins lab, she investigated how the three-dimensional genome architecture—particularly chromatin loops—regulates gene expression in the context of familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD). Her innovative combination of experimental and computational approaches uncovered early-stage disruptions in genome folding that may precede classical disease hallmarks.

Her findings are available on bioRxiv and have already garnered accolades, including the Young Talented and Developing (TAD) Scientist Award from Genome Organization Australia and the Best Research Presentation Award at the 2024 Penn Bioengineering Graduate Research Symposium.

“I’m grateful to my Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Jennifer Cremins, for nominating me for this award and for her support — especially during the challenging moments that are part and parcel of everyday research.. I would also like to thank Dr. Yale Cohen, my thesis committee chair, for his support and encouragement over the years, and Dr. Erin Berlew, whom I had the pleasure of TAing for, for being a generous mentor and role model in teaching. Their support played a meaningful role in both my academic and professional growth at Penn.”

Harshini now works as a Bioinformatics Scientist at the Benaroya Research Institute in Seattle.

Dissertation Title: “Dissecting Mechanisms and Consequences of Oncogenic RTK Fusion Signaling”

David Gonzalez-Martinez began his academic journey at Florida State University, where he studied biochemistry. He went on to earn a master’s degree in Microbiology and Cell Science from the University of Florida before joining the Bioengineering Ph.D. program at Penn

Under the mentorship of Dr. Lukasz Bugaj, he used synthetic biology, optogenetics, and live-cell imaging to explore how oncogenic RTK fusions drive aberrant signaling and evade cancer treatment. His research pinpointed key mechanisms underlying drug resistance and identified drug combinations that improve therapeutic response. His recent publication in Nature Communications highlights these findings.

I would really like to thank the department for the recognition and Dr. Lukasz Bugaj, who has been a fantastic mentor throughout my Ph.D. as well as all of my lab mates who have been great friends and collaborators.

David’s contributions provide crucial insights into the dynamic nature of cancer signaling and potential avenues for more effective treatments.

Dissertation Title: “Engineering Placenta-Tropic VEGF mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Pre-eclampsia”

Kelsey Swingle earned her B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2020. As a Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. Mike Mitchell, her research focused on developing new biomaterial strategies for targeted drug delivery to the placenta. Her dissertation work involved engineering VEGF mRNA lipid nanoparticles designed to home specifically to placental tissue, with the goal of treating pre-eclampsia—a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity for which no clinical treatments currently exist.

“I’m incredibly grateful to my advisor Dr. Mike Mitchell, everyone in the Mitchell Lab, my mentors, friends, and family for their support throughout my PhD. While my PhD was both a rewarding and challenging personal experience, I leaned on and learned from my support system every step of the way.”

Her studies demonstrated the therapeutic potential of this targeted approach in mouse models, offering promising insight into a long-standing challenge in maternal health. In July 2025, Kelsey will begin a faculty position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University.

The 2025 Pollack Award recipients exemplify the best of Penn Bioengineering: rigor, creativity, and a drive to improve human health. Through their diverse research, each has made significant contributions to science and society. We congratulate Nikolas, Harshini, David, and Kelsey on their achievements and look forward to seeing how they will continue to shape the future of bioengineering.

Senior Design Awards Spotlight Part 3

2025 Team PRIME – Engineering a Smarter Response to Sepsis

From left to right: Sophie Gu; Shriya Boyapati; Sophie Klessel; McKenzie Davis; Majd Ayyad.

The final feature in the 2025 Senior Design Awards Spotlight highlights Team PRIME, who earned Second Place at the Minnesota Design of Medical Devices Competition

Team Members: Majd Ayyad, Shriya Boyapati, McKenzie Davis, Sophie Gu, Sophie Klessel

Senior design in Penn Bioengineering is a yearlong capstone experience in which bioengineering seniors identify an unmet bioengineering need, design a solution to address the need, and create a high quality prototype that demonstrates their design. The course consists of BE4950 and BE4960, and was most recently taught by Dr. Erin Berlew, Dr. David Meaney, and Dr. Michael Siedlik.

For Team PRIME, the mission was clear: create a tool that could help detect sepsis earlier—when timing can mean the difference between life and death. Their project centers around a device that automatically measures capillary refill time, a simple but powerful indicator of blood perfusion and circulation quality. By providing continuous, automated monitoring, PRIME aims to improve clinical decision-making in intensive care units and emergency settings.

PRIME as an idea; the first prototype of PRIME with all the wires.

The team’s inspiration came from their clinical mentor, Dr. John Greenwood, whose passion for improving sepsis detection was contagious.

Sophie Klessel shared, “We had a great clinical mentor (Dr. John Greenwood) who was really passionate about creating a device for earlier detection of sepsis, and we knew we wanted to work with him. Additionally, sepsis was an issue that resonated with our group and an issue that we were excited about.”

Team PRIME approached the work with a strong sense of collaboration, blending individual strengths across software, hardware, and systems integration. One member led the development of the user interface and application logic, while another focused on designing and assembling the physical and electrical components.

Working on PRIME revealed to the team just how demanding and rewarding bioengineering can be.

“Bioengineers need to understand it all from interviewing clinicians for needs findings, to studying the physiology of the human body, to designing all the technical components including hardware and software and finally towards producing a medical device. It is such a difficult job to be all the engineers at once but the final results are rewarding!” Majd Ayyad explained. 

As the project concluded, their work was already gaining traction. Dr.  Michael Siedlik, one of the bioengineering senior design instructors, shares, “This technology could greatly surpass the current standard of care, as it provides much needed automation, reproducibility, and clinician-free measurements in hectic medical environments where quick and reliable measurements are critical for preventing the negative outcomes of sepsis.”

PRIME device.

PRIME earned Second Place at the Minnesota Design of Medical Devices Competition, a national recognition of the team’s thoughtful engineering and strong clinical relevance. Development of the device will continue in partnership with their clinical mentor—bringing them one step closer to impacting real patient care.

Senior Design Awards Spotlight Part 2

2025 Team Prism Optics – Bringing Vision Care Within Reach

Photo Credit: Penn Engineering
From left to right: Lyle Brunhofer, Senior Design Project Competition Chairman; Dr. Robert Ghrist, Andrea Mitchell University Professor; Daniel Botros; Fady Fahmy; Daniel Serebrinic Jacobsohn; Danish Mahmood; and Aarush Sahni.

In Part 2 of the 2025 Senior Design Awards Spotlight, we turn to Team Prism Optics, winners of the Leadership Prize at Penn Engineering’s Senior Design Competition.

Team Members: Daniel Botros, Fady Fahmy, Daniel Jacobsohn Serebrinic, Danish Mahmood, Aarush Sahni

Senior design in Penn Bioengineering is a yearlong capstone experience in which bioengineering seniors identify an unmet bioengineering need, design a solution to address the need, and create a high quality prototype that demonstrates their design. The course consists of BE4950 and BE4960, and was most recently taught by Dr. Erin Berlew, Dr. David Meaney, and Dr. Michael Siedlik.

Across the globe, more than a billion people lack access to basic vision care, often simply because there aren’t enough optometrists to perform eye exams (Staff, One billion have preventable vision impairment 2019). Team Prism Optics took on this challenge by building a device that automates the process of determining an eyeglass prescription, offering a low-cost, portable solution that can be used without the need for a trained clinician.

The result is a self-administered vision screening platform that mimics the clinical process of subjective refraction. A user looks through a lens system and responds to a tumbling E eye chart using a joystick, indicating the direction of the letter. This interface, designed to be intuitive for users regardless of literacy, language, or age, was a major innovation in the team’s design. As Danish Mahmood explained, “Realizing the joystick input to indicate the direction of the tumbling E’s is functional for illiterate, non native English speaking, young and old people was our biggest logistical challenge.”

Danish Mahmood is using Prismatic to find his eye prescription by looking through the viewport of the device at a tumbling E’s eye chart located 20 ft away. He uses a joystick to input the direction of the E on the eye chart in response to audio feedback from the device.

The device was designed and built through a deeply collaborative process. Mahmood developed the control software and mechanical precision of the lens adjustment system, while Fady Fahmy handled the acrylic housing and gears. Aarush Sahni envisioned the LCD interface and helped lead algorithm development alongside Daniel Jacobsohn Serebrinic and Daniel Botros, working closely with clinical mentors at Penn Medicine. The system is already being tested with classmates and is set to begin clinical trials with patients this summer.

Throughout the process, the team remained focused on their goal: to make vision care accessible in underserved communities. Their mentor noted that clinical trials beginning just months after graduation are almost unheard of for senior design teams—underscoring just how effectively Prism Optics aligned their design to a global need.

Dr. Michael Siedlik,  one of the bioengineering senior design instructors,  highlighted just how exceptional this trajectory is for a student team:

“Not many senior design teams are able to start clinical trials a few months after graduation… This is a testament to their ability to identify a bioengineering need that is very well suited to their expertise and to the resources available to them, as well as their ability to execute at a high level as a team.”

“We have prototyped a working self-administered eye exam that mimics the process of subjective refraction with an automated device… Our next step is to ensure many patients can use it successfully and achieve accurate results,” Mahmood shared. 

Team Prism Optics earned the Leadership Prize at Penn Engineering’s 2025 Senior Design Competition, a recognition of both their technical achievement and their clear path to real-world deployment.

References:
Staff, RO. (2019, October 8). One billion have preventable vision impairment. Review of Optometry. https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/one-billion-have-preventable-vision-impairment 

Senior Design Awards Spotlight Part 1 

2025 Team ReFlex – Rewiring Stroke Rehabilitation

From left to right: Christopher Wun, William Qi,  Ryann Joseph, Aditya Gowd, and Udit Garg

This series profiles three Penn Bioengineering senior design teams whose work received recognition at major competitions in 2025. In Part 1, we feature Team ReFlex, recipients of the Judge’s Choice Award at Penn Engineering’s Senior Design Competition

Team Members: William Qi, Ryann Joseph, Christopher Wun, Udit Garg, Aditya Gowd

Senior design in Penn Bioengineering is a yearlong capstone experience in which bioengineering seniors identify an unmet bioengineering need, design a solution to address the need, and create a high quality prototype that demonstrates their design. The course consists of BE4950 and BE4960, and was most recently taught by Dr. Erin Berlew, Dr. David Meaney, and Dr. Michael Siedlik.

From the beginning, Team ReFlex set out to do something ambitious: create a system that could help stroke patients regain motor function by aligning therapy with the brain’s intent to move. The idea emerged from a shared interest in neurotechnology, combined with a diverse set of technical backgrounds—bioengineering, robotics, computer science, electrical engineering, and data science. After months of conversations with professors, clinicians, and researchers, the concept took shape: an integrated platform that uses EEG signals and artificial intelligence to detect motor intent and trigger functional electrical stimulation (FES).

William Qi, Building and testing the first prototype of ReFlex. Here, the full circuitry of the device is on a breadboard – this image was taken before the team finalized a PCB.

The team’s collaborative spirit was central to their progress. Each member brought complementary skills—some focused on the machine learning algorithms, others on signal processing, printed circuit board (PCB) design, or mechanical fabrication. Together, they built a noninvasive system designed for versatility, comfort, and real-world applicability.

“We knew from the start that we wanted to work on something in neurotechnology, as it was a space where all of our interests came together,” said William Qi. “With teammates in bioengineering, robotics, computer science, electrical engineering, and data science, we felt like we had a unique mix of skills to build something meaningful.”

The path wasn’t without challenges. The interdisciplinary nature of the project meant constantly stepping beyond individual comfort zones. Signal processing became a particular hurdle once the team moved to printed circuit boards—troubleshooting became more complex, but they leaned on strong communication and trust to navigate the setbacks.

As they developed the system, the team connected with a manufacturer of FDA-approved FES devices and successfully integrated one into their prototype—something that Dr. Michael Siedlik, one of the bioengineering senior design instructors, described it as a powerful example of vision meeting execution.

“They are a shining example of how our students can turn a plan that initially seems a little like science fiction into a high-quality biomedical device with the potential to address an important need,” Siedlik noted.

From left to right: Aditya Gowd, William Qi, Udit Garg, Ryann Joseph, and Christopher Wun
ReFlex team picture picture after their successful BE demo day.

The result is a modular, user-friendly platform that allows patients to participate in their own rehabilitation more directly and independently. Designed to be compatible with existing clinical tools, ReFlex introduces a new level of personalization and responsiveness to therapy—advancing the potential of brain-computer interfaces in a field that clinicians themselves acknowledge as outdated.

ReFlex received the Judge’s Choice Award at Penn Engineering’s 2025 Senior Design Competition, a recognition not only of their technical achievement, but of their commitment to reshaping what recovery can look like for stroke survivors.

Celebrating Innovation and Community at the 2025 Bioengineering Graduate Research Symposium

The 2025 Bioengineering Graduate Research Symposium, held on May 9 at the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, was a dynamic showcase of cutting-edge student research and a powerful example of scientific community in action. Organized by the Penn Bioengineering Graduate Group, the event featured a full afternoon of oral and poster presentations highlighting advances in immunotherapy, neuroengineering, regenerative medicine, and more. From engineering CAR-T therapies to decoding brain circuitry in depression and obesity, the symposium demonstrated the ingenuity and collaborative spirit of Penn’s graduate students.

A standout moment of the day was the keynote address by Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, a 2023 Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation. Dr. Weissman traced the trajectory of mRNA science, from its early hurdles to its pivotal role in developing life-saving COVID-19 vaccines. He also shared where the field is headed—toward applications in cancer, autoimmune diseases, and beyond. His talk connected fundamental research with global impact, echoing the values at the heart of Penn Bioengineering.

Beyond the research, the symposium fostered a sense of community—welcoming faculty, students, and staff to connect over science and shared curiosity. With two lively poster sessions accompanied by refreshments, attendees had ample opportunity to exchange ideas and forge new collaborations. The event culminated in a reception that reflected the collegial, interdisciplinary ethos that defines Penn Bioengineering.

Whether through high-throughput diagnostic platforms, innovative biomaterials, or neuroimaging technologies, the work presented at the symposium exemplified how research at Penn is not only advancing science but also addressing critical challenges in health and society. The 2025 Symposium was not just a showcase, it was a celebration of a thriving research community, united in its pursuit of innovation and impact.

2025 Undergraduate Awards for Bioengineering Students

Each spring, awards are given to undergraduate students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science in recognition of outstanding scholarly achievements and service to the School and University community.

Read the full list of Bioengineering undergraduate award winners below.

The Hugo Otto Wolf Memorial Prize

Christopher Wun

This prize is awarded to one or more members of each department’s senior class, distinguishing students who meet with great approval of the professors at large through “thoroughness and originality” in their work.

“Thanks to my BE professors (and lab instructors especially) that made it possible for me to explore just about every facet of engineering!”
-Christopher Wun

“I’d like to express my gratitude to the bioengineering professor that supported my work and always believed in me: Dr. LeAnn Dourte. Dr. Dourte has been a personal mentor, academic influence, and professional advisor that has shaped the way I approach the world. She is an incredible teacher, patient mentor, and wonderful friend. Thank you for all that she does!”
-Joey Wu

Joey Wu

The Herman P. Schwan Award

This department award honors a graduating senior who demonstrates the “highest standards of scholarship and academic achievement.”

Hana Bader

The Bioengineering Student Leadership Award

This award is given annually to a student in Bioengineering who has demonstrated, through a combination of academic performance, service, leadership, and personal qualities, that they will be a credit to the Department, the School, and the University.

Albert Giandomenico Award

Taken at the Penn Engineering Award Ceremony. From left to right: Gregory Datto (The Bioengineering Student Leadership Award), Jacqueline Li, Hana Bader, Hana Matsuda, and Rudy Whitney—all recipients of the Albert Giandomenico Award.

The Bioengineering Department also presents a single lab group with the Albert Giandomenico Award which reflects their “teamwork, leadership, creativity, and knowledge applied to discovery-based learning in the laboratory.”

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my incredible teammates—Hana Bader, Hana Matsuda, and Rudy Whitney—whose collaboration, dedication, and clear communication made this award possible. I am equally grateful to our instructors, Professors David Meaney, David Issadore, and Michael Patterson, for their unwavering support throughout the Bioengineering MADLAB courses. Their technical guidance and encouragement were instrumental to our success and growth as a team.”
-Jacqueline Li

Rose Undergraduate Research Award

Awarded by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF). Ryann’s project was titled, “Cas9 protein outperforms Cas9 mRNA in CRISPR/Cas9 editing for lipid nanoparticle mediated recovery of CFTR functionality,” and was completed with the assistance of Professor Michael J. Mitchell.

Penn Engineering Exceptional Service Award

This award recognize students for their outstanding service to the University and their larger communities.

“I have loved working to serve my engineering community as a TA and mentor!”
-Ryann Joseph

Ryann Joseph
Ethan Eisenberg

“Thank you very much to my professors and the faculty of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. I am very thankful and appreciative for this recognition.”
-Ethan Eisenberg

Ben and Bertha Gomberg Kirsch Award

This competitive award is decided by the SEAS faculty from among the Engineering undergraduate body and distinguishes a member of the B.A.S. senior class who “in applying the flexibility of the program, has created a personal academic experience involving the most creative use of the resources of the University.”

The Wolf-Hallac Award

Kaitlin Mrksich

This award was established in October 2000 to recognize the graduating female senior from across Penn Engineering’s departments who is seen as a role model, has achieved a high GPA (in the top 10% of their class), and who has demonstrated a commitment to school and/or community.

Boning Tong Wins Distinguished Paper Award

Boning Tong, a student in the Department of Bioengineering, has been awarded the Distinguished Paper Award from the AMIA 2024 Annual Symposium. The Awards Committee recognizes five notable papers that best encapsulate the potential of tremendous breakthroughs in the medical community. Ms. Tong works in the laboratory of Dr. Li Shen, who acts as her doctoral advisor and is a professor of Informatics in Biostatistics and Epidemiology.

“Our research tackles challenges in early Alzheimer’s Disease detection by addressing diagnosis label imbalances and fairness issues simultaneously in machine learning models,” said Ms. Tong. “Unlike traditional models, our approach achieves better prediction performance while minimizing bias related to sensitive factors like race, sex, and age. This advancement holds promise for improving the reliability and fairness of early AD detection, ultimately aiding better patient outcomes and equitable care.”

In the future, Ms. Tong plans to take the research they have gained and use them to obtain greater amounts of data. “Our plan is to apply our proposed model to other datasets with larger sample size and more detailed attribute subgroup information to explore the bias issue in AD further,” said Ms. Tong.

Ms. Tong’s work was supported by NIH grants and the ADNI data sets were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Database.

Developing Kidneys from Scratch: Alex Hughes Tackles the Tremendous Burden of Kidney Disease

by Ian Scheffler

Alex Hughes, Assistant Professor in Bioengineering, holds a model of a developing kidney. (Credit: Bella Ciervo)

To Alex Hughes, Assistant Professor in Bioengineering within Penn Engineering and in Cell and Developmental Biology within Penn Medicine, the kidney is a work of art. “I find the development of the kidney to be a really beautiful process,” says Hughes.

Most people only ever see the organ in cross-section, through textbooks or by dissecting animal kidneys in high school biology class: a bean-shaped slice with lots of tiny tubes. “I think that really undersells how amazing the structure is,” says Hughes, who points out that kidneys grow in utero like forests of pipes, branching exponentially.

Densely packed with tubules clustered in units known as nephrons, kidneys cleanse the blood, maintaining the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance, while also regulating blood pressure. The organ played a crucial role in vertebrates emerging from the ocean: as one paper puts it, kidneys preserve the primordial ocean in all of us.

Unfortunately, kidneys struggle in the modern world. Excessively salty food, being overweight, not exercising enough, drinking too much and smoking can all raise blood pressure, which damages the kidney’s tiny blood vessels, as does diabetes.

In some cases, damage to the kidney’s nephrons can be slowed with lifestyle changes, but, unlike the liver, bones and skin, which can regrow damaged tissue, kidneys have a limited capacity to regenerate. At present, without a transplant, the nephrons we have at birth must last a lifetime.

Read the full story in Penn Engineering Today.

Studying Wikipedia Browsing Habits to Learn How People Learn

by Nathi Magubane

A hyperlink network from English Wikipedia, with only 0.1% of articles (nodes) and their connections (edges) visualized. Seven different reader journeys through this network are highlighted in various colors. The network is organized by topic and displayed using a layout that groups related articles together. (Image: Dale Zhou)

At one point or another, you may have gone online looking for a specific bit of information and found yourself  “going down the Wiki rabbit hole” as you discover wholly new, ever-more fascinating related topics — some trivial, some relevant — and you may have gone so far down the hole it’s difficult to piece together what brought you there to begin with.

According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Dani Bassett, who recently worked with a collaborative team of researcher to examine the browsing habits of 482,760 Wikipedia readers from 50 different countries, this style of information acquisition is called the “busybody.” This is someone who goes from one idea or piece of information to another, and the two pieces may not relate to each other much.

“The busybody loves any and all kinds of newness, they’re happy to jump from here to there, with seemingly no rhyme or reason, and this is contrasted by the ‘hunter,’ which is a more goal-oriented, focused person who seeks to solve a problem, find a missing factor, or fill out a model of the world,” says Bassett.

In the research, published in the journal Science Advances, Bassett and colleagues discovered stark differences in browsing habits between countries with more education and gender equality versus less equality, raising key questions about the impact of culture on curiosity and learning.

Read the full story in Penn Today.

Dani S. Bassett is the J. Peter Skirkanich Professor at the University of Pennsylvania with a primary appointment in the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Department of Bioengineering and secondary appointments in the School of Arts & Sciences’ Department of Physics & Astronomy, Penn Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, and the Perelman School of Medicine’s Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry.

Penn Bioengineering Student Wins Gilliam Fellowship

Sam Preza (Image: Courtesy of Penn Medicine News)

Sam Preza, a doctoral student in Bioengineering, was named one of two Penn graduate students and one of 50 graduate students nationwide to receive a 2024 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship.  The HHMI Gilliam Fellowship cohort is awarded annually to graduate students and their advisors for outstanding research and commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in science. The fellowship includes a one-year mentorship skills development course and support to promote healthy and inclusive graduate training environments at their home institution.

Preza is a member of lab of Juan Rene Alvarez Dominguez, Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in the Perelman School of Medicine and member of the Bioengineering Graduate Group. He graduated from University of Maryland in 2019 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. After working for t three years at AstraZeneca in Bioprocess Development, he joined the J-RAD Lab where he researches technologies for unmet medical needs:

“[Preza’s] PhD program harnesses the power of stem cells and circadian rhythms to ultimately develop a cure for Type I diabetes, which he researches alongside his advisor, Juan Alvarez, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology. Their studies focus on beta cells, the type of cell found in the pancreas that helps regulate glucose. In the lab, they study how exposing cells to circadian rhythms could lead to functional beta cells that can be transplanted into diabetic patients to restore function. This work will be supported by their HHMI Fellowship grant.  

The fellowship not only supports their scientific research but also helps foster an inclusive research environment, ensuring various backgrounds and ideologies contribute to their research. Preza is starting a DEI ‘potluck’, where bioengineering students can gather to discuss new research or career ideas. The meetups are catered by whichever student is hosting the meeting and can either showcase their nationality’s food or a cuisine they are passionate about, highlighting the celebration of diversity of ideas through food.

‘I believe STEM fields should look more like a mosaic of all our backgrounds rather than a melting pot, to add to the richness that is the art of science,’ Preza said.”

Read “Inclusion meets innovation: Meet Penn’s new Gilliam Fellows” in Penn Medicine News.