Penn Bioengineering

Four Penn third-years named 2026 Goldwater Scholars, one of the nation’s top honors for undergraduate researchers. Bioengineering student Ian Peng is advancing synthetic biology tools for precision medicine and gene therapies. bit.ly/3NSyAxW @PennEngineers

In @NatureMaterials, the lab of @MJMitchell in @pennbioeng redesigned lipid nanoparticles to boost mRNA vaccine performance while reducing common inflammatory side effects, thanks to chemistry that revs up the metabolism of immune cells. bit.ly/3NdvtAC

Congratulations to Yash Rajpal, a fourth-year studying bioengineering and biophysics in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research, who has been named a 2026–27 Luce Scholar. A future leader building global experience across Asia. bit.ly/4bz0U0d @PennEngineers

Congratulations to @XueSherryGao on her lab's renewal of the Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA) from the @NIH. The $2+ million award will fund five years of continued support for research advancing genome engineering and exploring fungal natural products as a rich source of small molecule therapeutics. #GenomeEngineering #SyntheticBiology #Biocatalysis #NaturalProducts #NIH / @CBE_Penn

Penn Engineering and @Rice_BIOE researchers refined a base-editing tool to more precisely change single DNA letters, dramatically reducing unintended “bystander” edits. Led by @XueSherryGao and Gang Bao, the work advances safer, potential therapies for cystic fibrosis and other genetic diseases. seas.upenn.edu/stories/engine…

The February 2026 Bioengineering Newsletter is out. Featuring AI in stroke recovery, rural health innovation, lipid nanoparticle discovery, alumni updates and faculty research highlights. Read more: bit.ly/4baw26e @PennEngineers

@ClaudiaLoebel has received the 2026 Young Investigator Award from @SFBiomaterials. The award recognizes outstanding early-career achievement in biomaterials research. Loebel’s work in mechanobiology is advancing how we understand tissue injury and healing. @PennEngineers

Nearly 100 Penn students recognized a faculty or staff member who made a meaningful difference in their academic experience. We are proud to share that LeAnn Dourte, Practice Associate Professor, was among those honored. #HigherEd #Mentorship @PennEngineers

Reimagining stroke recovery with AI. Shreya Parchure, bioengineering M.D.-Ph.D candidate, is developing AI-driven tools to personalize speech therapy and help survivors regain their voices. 🔗 bit.ly/4qAWcVn Photo credit: Penn Today @PennEngineer @PennEngAI

Featured in @NatureBiotech, @pranamanam shares what drives his work at the intersection of computer science and bioengineering, and how generative AI and programmable biology can help design molecules to cure disease. @PennEngAI @pennbioeng @CIS_Penn go.nature.com/4p3CeSr

Penn Engineering is proud to announce that two faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (@theNAEng), one of the highest professional honors accorded to engineers. @NaderEngheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor in @ESEatPenn, and Karen Winey, Harold Pender Professor in @CBE_Penn and in @MSEatPenn, join the ranks of the distinguished members that comprise the NAE Class of 2026. seas.upenn.edu/stories/two-pe…

Congratulations to Professor César de la Fuente (@delafuentelab) named to Vox's “Future Perfect 25” for his work using AI to combat antibiotic resistance. 🔗 bit.ly/4rbKzFM @PennMedicine @PennMicro @CBE_Penn

Penn’s 2025 research portfolio showcases 20 of the University’s most collaborative breakthroughs. Five of those discoveries come from Penn Engineering, ranging from AI-powered weather prediction and cancer immunotherapy to micro-robotics, immune system modeling and carbon-absorbing concrete. penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-20-b…

Our January BE newsletter is live. Faculty appointments. Student honors. National recognition. Read a message from the Chair and see how our community is building momentum for 2026. 🔗 bit.ly/4rywMZj @PennEngineers

Thrilled to host women's health rockstar @AriellaShikanov for @pennbioeng seminar Thursday at 330PM in Berger Auditorium! Ariella is a pioneer in reproductive tissue engineering and will present new engineering tech for ovarian function restoration + fertility research. Join us!

NICU noise is stressful for preemies, but a team of Penn Bioengineering alums created an adorable high-tech solution that caught the attention of 6 ABC Action News 6abc.com/post/high-tech… @6abc @PennEngineers @PennMedicine

A discovery only matters if the world understands why. Dr. Reuther’s insights on making science resonate beyond the lab. 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4oWjcxG @PennEngineers #ScienceCommunication #TranslationalResearch #InnovationToImpact

Congratulations to Penn Bioengineering’s Su Chin Heo and Jina Ko, named Rising Star Awardees by BMES-CMBE! 🌟 Their work in cellular & molecular bioengineering is shaping the next era of discovery and impact. #RisingStars #BMESCMBE @PennEngineers

A new “tumor-on-a-chip” from @PennBioeng recreates the environment of solid tumors, revealing why CAR T-cell therapy often struggles to work. The model showed that a diabetes drug, vildagliptin, can restore immune signaling, helping engineered immune cells better infiltrate and attack tumors. Now published in @NatureBiotech, the chip gives researchers a window to observe interactions between engineered immune cells and cancer, and uncover unexpected ways to help the immune cells win. "It's incredible how closely we can replicate the complexity of malignant human tumors and their environment using this device," says Professor Dan Huh, the paper's senior author. bit.ly/49l4lIh

Penn MD/PhD student Nick Marzolini, the 7th Michael S. Brown Fellow, is pioneering DNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles that deliver targeted gene therapies — offering new hope for diseases once thought untreatable. 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/43lHhp6 @PennEngineers