Marian Hettiaratchi, an associate professor of bioengineering at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, has been awarded a Rising Star award from the 2025 BMES Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Conference. The Hettiaratchi lab develops specialized protein delivery systems, combining protein engineering, biomaterial design, and computational modeling to control exactly how and when proteins are delivered to damaged areas. The CMBE Rising Star Award recognizes scientists in the early stages of their independent careers who have made an outstanding impact on the field of cellular and molecular bioengineering.