Bioengineering News

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Ambati Featured in Eugene Weekly
Knight Campus Research Professor Bala Ambati was profiled in the Aug. 27 edition of the Eugene Weekly. Among other things, Ambati discussed becoming a Guinness World Record holder for being the world’s youngest doctor, and his move to Eugene to pursue his research at the Knight Campus.
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Knight Campus Researchers Engineer Molecules That Stagger the Release of Regenerative Cues

By engineering highly targeted molecules, called affibodies, and controlling when they release regenerative cues, researchers from the Marian Hettiaratchi Lab, are developing ways to help muscle, bone, and spinal cord injuries heal better and faster.

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Knight Campus Department of Bioengineering to Welcome Two New Faculty Members

Neuroscientists Colin Bredenberg and Zoé Christenson Wick will join the department in September 2026, bringing research with the potential to deepen understanding of the neural basis of learning and neurodegenerative aging.

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Plesa Receives Tenure, Promoted to Associate Professor of Bioengineering
Calin Plesa, Ph.D., was recently promoted to associate professor with indefinite tenure in the Department of Bioengineering. Plesa joined the Knight Campus in June 2019 and has since built a research program that is reshaping how scientists design and test genetic sequences at scale.
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CBDS Hosts Inaugural Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Workshop
The Center for Biomedical Data Science (CBDS) hosted its inaugural workshop, designed to equip experimental scientists with the data science skills needed to advance their research.
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Knight Campus Celebrates 145 Graduates at Second Annual Commencement
On June 15, 2026, the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact hosted its second annual commencement ceremony, honoring 145 graduates across academic programs.
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Dalton Wins Accessible Design Award
Knight Campus Department of Bioengineering Associate Professor Paul Dalton has won the 2026 Faculty Excellence in Universal Design Award from the UO's Accessible Education Center for his exceptional commitment to creating inclusive learning environments where all students have equitable opportunities to learn and succeed.
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Moore Receives the Excellence Award in Mentorship for Graduate Student Mentors

Cameron Moore, a PhD candidate in the Benoit lab, received the Excellence Award in Mentorship for Graduate Student Mentors from the Division of Graduate Studies, for their peer mentorship and advocacy.

Sarea Recalde Phillips
Recalde Phillips Awarded 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Award
Sarea Recalde Phillips, a postdoctoral scholar in the Benoit Lab, has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program award to support her research and professional development.
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Dalton Receives UO Innovation and Impact Award
Paul Dalton has been recognized with a 2026 Outstanding Research Awards from the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation