Washington Research Foundation Fellows

Ali Alattar

Ali Alattar is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Bioengineering: Data Science and Biochemistry. He is interested in building therapeutic tools that integrate neural engineering, data-driven modeling, and real-time control of brain activity. In the Yazdan Lab, Ali leads a project focused on developing artifact filtering methods for stimulation-evoked potentials (SEPs), which are used to map brain connectivity and guide neuromodulation. Because SEPs are often distorted by large stimulation artifacts, they are difficult to use in closed-loop systems where stimulation must respond to brain activity in real time. Ali is addressing this problem through two approaches: one using artifact-only recordings from brain phantom models, and another using a lightweight convolutional neural network trained on neural data. Together, these methods aim to improve SEP clarity and reliability, laying the groundwork for more adaptive and personalized stimulation therapies. Ali hopes to pursue an MD/PhD to develop neurotechnologies that restore function in patients with brain disorders. Ali is grateful to the Washington Research Foundation for supporting this work and would especially like to thank Dr. Karam Khateeb and Dr. Azadeh Yazdan-Shahmorad for their generous mentorship and guidance.

Majors: Biochemistry, Bioengineering (Data Science)

Mentor: Azadeh Yazdan-Shahmorad, Department of Bioengineering

Vedant Chavan

Vedant is a senior majoring in Bioengineering and Biochemistry. He conducts research in the Berndt Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Andre Berndt and graduate student mentor Aida Moghadasi. Since joining the lab in January 2023, he has contributed to projects developing novel genetically encoded ROS and hormone sensors. His current project focuses on optimizing a newly designed glucocorticoid sensor to detect cortisol in vivo, with the goal of enabling real-time monitoring of stress hormone signaling in living systems. Outside of research, Vedant works as a Nursing Assistant at the Seattle Children’s PICU and volunteers at the Fred Hutch Proton Therapy Clinic. After graduation, he plans to pursue an M.D. with a focus on oncology and endocrinology research, aiming to bridge innovative molecular tools and therapies from the lab into the clinic. Vedant is deeply thankful to his mentors, Aida Moghadasi, Justin Lee, Dr. Andre Berndt, and the entire Berndt Lab for their guidance and friendship throughout his undergraduate experience. He is extremely honored to receive the WRF Fellowship and grateful to the Washington Research Foundation for their generous support.

Majors: Biochemistry, Bioengineering

Mentor: Andre Berndt, Department of Bioengineering

Chelsea Hu

Chelsea is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in bioengineering and biochemistry. She joined the Averkiou Ultrasound Lab in 2023 to study microbubble-enhanced heating (BEH) with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Her current project focuses on developing a novel tissue-mimicking phantom injected with thermochromic ink to visualize thermal distribution from BEH treatment. Ultimately, this work aims to provide a low-cost, innovative method for visualizing thermal distribution from BEH treatment, an approach that could be applied to further studies investigating the therapeutic potential of ultrasound. Looking ahead, Chelsea plans to apply to medical school and pursue a career as a physician-scientist, combining her passion for science and medicine to advance biomedical innovation and improve patient care. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys running, traveling, and reading. She would like to express her gratitude to her mentor Kaleb Vuong, P.I. Dr. Mike Averkiou, and fellow lab members for their support and mentorship in helping her achieve her professional goals and helping her grow as a researcher. Chelsea would also like to sincerely thank the Washington Research Foundation for generously supporting her project through the WRF Scholarship.

Majors: Biochemistry, Bioengineering

Mentor: Mike Averkiou, Department of Bioengineering

Naomi Nam

Naomi is a senior majoring in Bioengineering: Nano and Molecular Engineering with College Honors. She joined Dr. Cole DeForest’s lab in the spring of her freshman year. In her sophomore year, she was awarded the Mary Gates Research Scholarship for her project in characterizing photoactivatable protein systems. In her current project, she aims to develop a photosensitive hydrogel platform and reconstruct vascular architecture with multiphoton lithography. In doing so, she will extend this platform to model tumor angiogenesis by co-culturing endothelial and cancer cell spheroids, which will inform future studies in pathological mechanisms using tissue culture models. After completing her undergraduate degree, Naomi plans to pursue graduate studies in bioengineering. In addition to research, she is the co-lead for Biomedical Engineering Society’s outreach program, where she develops outreach materials for K-12 students and organizes hands-on workshops with other undergraduate students in the Seattle area. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, baking sourdough bread, and spending time with her family and friends. Naomi is immensely honored to receive the Washington Research Foundation fellowship and would like to thank Christina Yang, Dr. Brizzia Muñoz-Robles, Dr. Cole DeForest, and the rest of the DeForest Group for their support and guidance throughout her time at UW. She would like to express her gratitude to the Washington Research Foundation for the generous support.

Major: Bioengineering

Mentor: Cole DeForest, Department of Chemical Engineering and of Bioengineering

Jae Paik

Jae is a junior studying biochemistry working with Dr. Jeff Riffell in the biology and neuroscience departments. Her project studies the relationship between mosquitoes and plants. Unlike mammalian blood, which only female mosquitoes require for egg maturation, plant sugar is an essential nutrient for all mosquito life. Presently, research on the mosquito plant diet remains scarce, representing an area for opportunity for improved mosquito control methods. In her sophomore year, she used DNA barcoding to investigate mosquito-attractive plant species using plant matter found directly within the mosquito gut. She then used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to characterize the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles for each plant, which is being used to inform the current phase of her project. Presently, she is using electrophysiological techniques to characterize the tuning of plant-associated mosquito olfactory receptors. Her hope is that more knowledge on mosquito attraction and responsiveness can inform the development of enhanced mosquito traps, helping reduce the spread of diseases such as yellow fever, zika, and dengue. Following UW, she intends to continue graduate study in biology with the aim of improving global health outcomes. She would like to thank her mentors Dr. Jeff Riffell and Sandeep Jandu for their continuous mentorship, as well as the Washington Research Foundation for their generous support.

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Jeff Riffell, Department of Biology and of Neuroscience

Oumsri Priya

Oumsri is a fourth-year Bioengineering student at the University of Washington, conducting research in the DeForest Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Cole DeForest and graduate student mentor Jack Hoye. She joined the lab in 2023 and has been working on developing photoactivatable prime editing systems that integrate CRISPR technologies with protein engineering and hydrogel platforms. Her project focuses on bringing spatiotemporal control to gene editing by using light to precisely regulate when and where genome modifications occur. This approach has the potential to advance therapeutic gene correction while also providing new tools to study cell behavior and developmental biology in complex tissue-like environments. Beyond her academic research, Oumsri is committed to expanding access to STEM education and has worked to create opportunities for students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. She hopes to inspire others to see themselves as future scientists and engineers. After graduation, she plans to pursue an M.D. with a focus on oncology and gene therapy. She is grateful to the DeForest Lab for their mentorship and honored to be supported by the Washington Research Foundation.

Major: Bioengineering

Mentor: Cole DeForest, Department of Chemical Engineering and of Bioengineering

Keming Qiu

Keming is a junior majoring in biochemistry with departmental honors. For the past three years, she has been working in Dr. Benjamin Land’s lab where she studies chronic pain and its comorbidities on biochemical, cellular, and physiological levels. Her main project focuses on how a series of protein-protein interactions result in reactive oxygen species production, a known cause of many inflammatory processes as well as opioid tolerance. She is interested in investigating the mechanistic details and behavioral phenotypes in parallel using multiple pain models, with a goal of determining potential therapeutic targets. This summer, she pursued immunology research at Harvard Medical School where she learned a lot about systemic inflammation and how antibodies really work. She is excited to leverage these experiences to improve her biochemical experiments. In the coming year, with this award and a Goldwater Scholarship, she aims to publish part of this work and present new insights at several conferences. After graduating, she plans to pursue a PhD in chemical biology or biophysics to continue research on macromolecular interactions. As a career, she is interested building a lab that develops highly specific probes to track molecular activities and applies them to complex disease models. In addition to research, Keming enjoys working on science communication and translation with Grey Matters Journal at UW. In her free time, she loves reading, skiing, (almost) everything music, and petting her dog. Keming is extremely grateful for the guidance from everyone in her research journey, especially Dr. Land, Kaylin Ellioff, Sophia Mar, and Dr. Selena Schattauer. She also extends her deepest thanks to Maddie Critz for their work on this project and the Washington Research Foundation for the generous support.

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Benjamin Land, Department of Pharmacology

Kamaya Ronning

Sahana Sateesh

Sahana Sateesh is a senior at the University of Washington studying Bioengineering with a concentration in Nano and Molecular Engineering. She joined Dr. Alshakim Nelson’s lab after her freshman year, where she works on protein-based materials and engineered living materials (ELMs). Sahana is currently developing 3D-printed ELMs, polymer matrices embedded with the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, designed to break down oil in wastewater. This work has the potential to reduce wastewater treatment burdens and promote environmental sustainability in urban infrastructure. Her research focuses on fabricating 3D-printed ELMs that remain functional under environmental stress and support long-term microbial activity. After completing her undergraduate studies, Sahana hopes to pursue a PhD to explore the use of biomaterials and biomolecules in therapeutic applications. She would like to express her deep gratitude to her PI, Dr. Nelson, her mentor Kinsey Drake, and her lab colleagues. She is also thankful for the generous support of the Washington Research Foundation.

Major: Bioengineering (Nano and Molecular)

Mentor: Alshakim Nelson, Department of Chemistry

Sahana Subramanian

Sahana Subramanian is a senior at the University of Washington studying Bioengineering. She joined the Zheng Lab the summer before her freshman year, where she focuses on developing artificial tissue models to study vascularization processes in vitro. 3D in vitro models have the potential to recapitulate human tissue environments, but require functional and representative vasculature. Currently, little is known about the dynamics of vascularization processes, which are crucial to tissue development. Sahana is developing models to study this process and further the capabilities of tissue engineering research. Outside of school, Sahana loves to run, read, crochet, and go eat food with her friends! Sahana would like to thank her incredible mentors, Dr. Ying Zheng and Ph.D. student Ariana Frey for their mentorship and support in this project and throughout her college career. In addition she would like to thank the Washington Research Foundation for their gracious support in this work.

Majors: Biochemistry, Bioengineering

Mentor: Dr. Ying Zheng, Department of Bioengineering