On May 15, the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Oregon held its annual Spring Symposium, highlighting the theme “Translating Research into Impact on Athletes.” The event showcased interdisciplinary work from across the alliance, emphasizing how research directly benefits athletic performance and well-being.

Rachel Bedford interviewed Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance scientists who study running - from biomechanics to the use of environmental elements to enhance oxygen availability - asking them to explain their work while running alongside her. The format challenged researchers to distill complex science into short, accessible insights for athletes while also showcasing their own endurance.

Lia Strait, a PhD candidate in Bioengineering at the University of Oregon’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, is helping bones heal faster — and advocating for science policy on Capitol Hill. Strait, a researcher in Bob Guldberg’s lab focused on improving bone regeneration, recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for a prestigious fellowship that provided hands-on experience in science policy—an area she plans to pursue as a career.

The annual event enables University of Oregon employees to spend a day on the Eugene campus with the children in their lives. Kids get a glimpse into the working world while parents and other guardians get quality time with their families — and more. Leslie Coonrod and Paul Dalton of the Knight Campus organized 3D printers creating all different toys. 

Founded in 2024 at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon, biomedical startup company VivoTex seeks to transform tissue engineering through an innovative approach to advanced, microfiber 3D printing using techniques pioneered in the lab of bioengineering professor Paul Dalton.

Therapeutic ultrasound engineer Sara Keller and nanomaterial immunoengineer David Peeler will join the department in January 2026, bringing research with the potential to improve antimicrobials, immunotherapies and vaccines.

As runners increasingly adopt new technologies to monitor their performance, a University of Oregon Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance researcher has developed a simpler, more accurate method for calculating the physical characteristics of walking and running. 

The 2025 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting is set to take place in Chicago from April 9–12. This year’s theme, “Half a Century of Progress: Crafting Resilience in Mind and Matter,” highlights the field’s advancements and future directions. We’re excited to have several Knight Campus faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students presenting their work at the conference.

Pioneering researcher, innovator and educator Jim Hutchison headlines the Knight Campus’ ninth annual community science lecture, Science Knight Out, on May 1.