Institute for
Engineering Driven Health

PI: Mark Blenner, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

This project will develop a dynamically regulated, stable mammalian cell line for recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) production, a key delivery vehicle for gene therapies. Current production methods are expensive, inefficient, and difficult to scale, largely because continuous expression of certain viral genes harms the host cells. Using advances in synthetic biology, the team will redesign the rAAV production system to allow precise, on-demand control of viral gene activity, reducing cell stress and improving yield. In parallel, they will modify the host cell’s immune and energy pathways to further boost productivity and quality. The resulting platform aims to make rAAV manufacturing more reliable, scalable, and affordable, ultimately expanding access to life-changing gene therapies.

PIs: Stephanie Cone, Biomedical Engineering; Karin Grävare Silbernagel, Physical Therapy

This project aims to develop an affordable, wearable mechanical stimulator that enhances musculoskeletal healing outside of the clinic setting while maintaining comfort and usability for the patient. The device delivers targeted external stimulation to injured tendons during movement, such as walking or exercise. An interdisciplinary team of engineers and physical therapists will refine the device to maximize its effectiveness, determine optimal patient-specific stimulation dosages, and compare outcomes against current standard-of-care treatments for tendinopathy. This approach has the potential to significantly accelerate recovery and improve outcomes for individuals with musculoskeletal conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy, which affect millions of people each year.

PIs: Charles Dhong, Materials Science & Engineering and Biomedical Engineering; Joshua Cashaback, Biomedical Engineering

This project will develop a dynamically regulated, stable mammalian cell line for recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) production, a key delivery vehicle for gene therapies. Current production methods are expensive, inefficient, and difficult to scale, largely because continuous expression of certain viral genes harms the host cells. Using advances in synthetic biology, the team will redesign the rAAV production system to allow precise, on-demand control of viral gene activity, reducing cell stress and improving yield. In parallel, they will modify the host cell’s immune and energy pathways to further boost productivity and quality. The resulting platform aims to make rAAV manufacturing more reliable, scalable, and affordable, ultimately expanding access to life-changing gene therapies.

PI: Curtis Johnson, Biomedical Engineering

This project aims to develop a rapid image reconstruction platform that integrates with advanced magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) sequences to produce high-resolution brain images in under 30 minutes. Current reconstruction methods, while highly accurate, are time-consuming and can take days to complete. The team will enhance their existing approach by incorporating graphical processing units (GPUs) and AI-based algorithms to improve both speed and precision. The new platform will also be compatible with commercially available clinical imaging software to enable seamless integration into radiology workflows. In collaboration with industry and clinical partners, this work has the potential to make advanced MRE of the brain a practical, clinically deployable imaging tool for faster and more accurate patient diagnosis.

PI: Catherine Fromen, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Biomedical Engineering; April Kloxin, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering

This project will develop a device and workflow to improve the manufacture of macrophages for immunotherapy applications. While chimeric antigen receptor macrophage (CAR-M) therapy has great potential, persistent roadblocks for CAR-M include low macrophage transduction, limited cell survival and lack of persistent phenotype control. In this project, a hydrogel coated membrane (HCM)-transflow filtration (TFF) device will be combined with nanoparticles to improve macrophage transduction, enhance cell survival and achieve persistent macrophage polarization. This unique combination of biomaterials (the hydrogel substrate and nanoparticles) in a flow-based device may improve workflows for CAR-M manufacturing.

PIs: Joseph Fox, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Materials Science & Engineering; Xinqiao Jia, Materials Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering; Samuel Scinto, Chemistry and Biochemistry

This project aims to develop a platform to identify novel cancer biomarkers through a proximity labeling technique. The research team will use a proprietary method known as Catalytic Activation of Bioorthogonal Labeling (CABL) to precisely tag proteins that interact with cancer-associated targets in living cells and 3D tissue models. By combining this chemistry with hydrogels that mimic tumor microenvironments, the approach will enable discovery of biomarkers that are more physiologically relevant than those identified through traditional 2D cultures. Collaborating with pharmaceutical partners and leveraging expertise in bioorthogonal chemistry and tissue engineering, the team aims to create a scalable platform for drug discovery and cancer diagnostics. This work has the potential to accelerate therapeutic development and improve understanding of the mechanisms driving cancer progression.

PI: John Slater, Biomedical Engineering

This project will validate and advance a tissue-engineered hydrogel platform designed to model cancer dormancy and reactivation in vitro to address a critical barrier in metastatic cancer treatment, as existing therapeutics remain largely ineffective against dormant cancer cells. The proposed work will establish quantitative benchmarks for validating dormancy, confirm mechanisms of chemoresistance across cancer types, and demonstrate target-driven treatment strategies to reduce investor risk and support commercialization. Ultimately, this model may advance a novel biotechnological platform to accelerate therapeutic discovery and improve outcomes for patients with metastatic cancers.