Of the 38 million Americans who have diabetes at least 90% have Type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 2 diabetes occurs over time and is characterized by a loss of the cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin, which helps the body manage sugar.
Chemical engineers in the Pozzo Research Group are using open-source tools to build modular robots that can run multiple functions of complex experiments. This customizable framework helps alleviate the cost barrier of purchasing multiple, single-purpose commercial machines.
Lih Lin, a Molecular Engineering & Sciences faculty member and electrical & computer engineering professor, was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows last month.
Study findings promise to shift the field away from trial-and-error approach and toward computational approaches.
Protein engineering scientists have been able to use machine learning to design proteins that are more efficient at performing a biochemical task. This approach shortened a process that typically takes months to years of trial and error.
Currently, researchers design proteins by introducing mutations into a protein’s amino acid sequence in the hope those mutations will give the protein a desired property or function. They then must repeatedly test the resulting mutant proteins in the lab.
New research led by the University of Washington demonstrates a new class of hydrogels that can form not just outside cells, but also inside of them. Hydrogels are made up of protein building blocks linked together. Shown here are images of two cells. The cell on the right contains hydrogels decorated with Green Fluorescent Protein (green blobs), whereas the cell on the left does not because it is missing one of the hydrogel building blocks (green is everywhere in the cell).Mout Read More
Molecular engineering graduate student Olivia Dotson is not wasting any of her time at UW. The Ypsilanti, Michigan native is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, focused on regeneration in injured or diseased livers.
Suzie H. Pun is the Washington Research Professor of Bioengineering, a fellow in the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and now, the new director of the Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute (MolES). Pun has been a major part of MolES since it opened in 2009 -- contributing to the growth of research collaborations and the Ph.D. program.
Sept. 6, 2023
The molecular engineering Ph.D. program welcomes its latest cohort of doctoral candidates. From designing innovative drug delivery methods to developing sustainable materials, the forthcoming research from these 15 students has the potential to reshape industries and solve critical issues facing society. Learn about our newest students and their interests below.
Karl Anderson’s interests span synthetic biology, metabolic engineering and their applications in bioproduction. During his undergraduate years, he delved into enzyme engineering research. Following graduation, he contributed to the development of T-cell therapies for cancer treatment at Bristol Myers Squibb. Read More
Aug. 31, 2023
Gokce Altin-Yavuzarslan, Samantha Borje and Olivia Dotson with their student achievement awards.
Gokce Altin-Yavuzarslan , Samantha Borje and Olivia Dotson received Molecular Engineering and Science student achievement awards at the MolES’s graduation celebration on June 1. This is the second year awards were given out at the ceremony.
Altin-Yavuzarslan won the Scientific Achievement Award , which recognizes students that demonstrate extraordinary productivity in their research and scholarship and have contributed meaningfully to the scientific community.
“Gokce’s most impactful contribution to the field of engineered living materials thus far, is the demonstration of 3D printed ones with bio-augmented mechanical properties,” said Alshakim Nelson , professor of chemistry, Gokce’s advisor and Director of Education for MolES. Read More
March 9, 2023
An interdisciplinary research team led by University of Washington Chemistry Professor Alshakim Nelson received $2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation's Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) program. The funding will be used to combine engineered microorganisms with 3D printing to create materials for sustainable built environments. This grant will provide funding to researchers at UW, the University of Texas at Austin, and University of California Davis over four years.
"Engineered living systems for construction and other building materials have the potential to afford a level of durability and sustainability that cannot be achieved with our traditional materials," said Nelson. Read More