Professor Jennifer Doudna and BioE PhD student Connor Tsuchida are among the team that discovered CasΦ (Cas-phi) proteins, which have advantages over current genome-editing tools when they must be delivered into cells to manipulate crop genes or cure human disease.
Seth Shipman named Pew Scholar for Biomedical Research
Seth Shipman, graduate group faculty member and Assistant Professor of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences at UCSF, is one of 22 early-career researchers selected this year to join the Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. A rare honor, Pew Scholars receive 4 years of funding to invest in foundational research to pursue scientific breakthroughs and advance human health
Protecting the Heart from COVID-19
Graduate program faculty member Todd McDevitt and collaborators at the Gladstone Institute are investigating how COVID-19 might damage the heart by asking two questions: How susceptible are the cells in the heart to infection by the virus, and what pharmaceuticals could be used to lessen damage to the heart or prevent the virus from infecting heart cells altogether?
New technique ‘prints’ cells to create diverse biological environments
With the help of photolithography and programmable DNA, researchers have created a new technique that can rapidly print two-dimensional arrays of cells and proteins that mimic a wide variety of cellular environments in the body. The work was led by recent BioE PhD Olivia Scheideler with graduate group faculty Lydia Sohn and David Schaffer, plus BioE PhD Andrew Bremer and current BioE student Roberto Falcón-Banchs, among others.
Tejal Desai elected to National Academy of Inventors
Tejal Desai, PhD alumna and chair of the UCSF Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. The NAI Fellows Program highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.
Todd McDevitt on The Stem Cell Podcast
Bioengineering faculty member Todd McDevitt appears on The Stem Cell Podcast to discuss his recent work using machine learning in stem cell bioengineering.
Desai inducted into International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering
Tejal Desai, alumna and Chair of UCSF Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, joined the 2019 class of fellows of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE) for her in research in microparticle and nanoparticle engineering.
Prof Wendell Lim named to Wired25: Stories of People Who Are Racing to Save Us
UCSF Professor and graduate program faculty Wendell Lim is featured in WIRED25: Stories of People Who Are Racing to Save Us, for his work refining CAR-T therapy, genetically engineered T cells, to be safer, more versatile, and more reliable.
Shipman and Qi named to ScienceNews “SN 10: Scientists to Watch”
Graduate group faculty member Seth Shipman and PhD alumnus Stanley Qi have both been named to the annual SN 10: Scientists to Watch by Science News! Shipman is an Assistant Professor at UCSF Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, recognized for his success developing innovative strategies to manipulate cells for discovery and therapeutic purposes. Stanley Qi, PhD 2012, now Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford, has modified CRISPR/Cas9 to make a powerful suite of tools to manipulate DNA.
Tejal Desai named IAMBE Fellow
UCSF Professor and program alumna Tejal Desai has been named a 2019 Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE). Congratulations!
Professor Sarah Nelson, 1954-2019
It is with great sadness that we announce that Professor Sarah J. Nelson, a long-time leader of the Bioengineering Graduate Program, has passed away after a struggle with cancer. In addition to being an internationally recognized researcher in metabolic imaging, Sarah was instrumental in growing the joint graduate program and establishing the Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences at UC San Francisco. A tireless educator, she mentored over 90 students and postdoctoral fellows and lent advice and support to countless others. She will be missed.
Tejal Desai named President-Elect, AIMBE
Tejal Desai, program alumna and Chair of the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at UCSF, was announced as president-elect at the March 24, 2019 annual meeting. “Beyond recognizing excellence, AIMBE is unique in its commitment to advancing public understanding, showcasing the impact of biologic and medical engineering on society, and serving as a thought leader in public policy,” Desai said. “I look forward to serving as the organization’s future president.”
Prof Tanja Kortemme named AIMBE Fellow
Graduate program member and UCSF Professor Tanja Kortemme has been named a 2019 Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, for “outstanding contributions in computational protein design including energy functions, sampling algorithms, and molecules to rewire cellular control circuits.” Fellows fulfill AIMBE’s mission of providing leadership and advocacy in medical and biological engineering for the advancement of society.
Tejal Desai Named Director of UCSF Health Innovation Via Engineering Program
The Health Innovation Via Engineering (HIVE) program will drive connections and collaborations with faculty members in UCSF’s schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy to address unsolved challenges at the intersection of engineering and health.