Sara Keller is a bioengineer seeking to develop image-guided interventions for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, with a focus on investigating the immunological effects of high-intensity sound waves across diverse tissue microenvironments, including wounds and infections. The Keller Lab (opening in January 2026) will explore how ultrasound — a technology more commonly known for medical diagnostic imaging — can be used in new and innovative ways to treat infections and stimulate the immune system. Keller's team will focus on understanding how highly focused sound waves affect the body and how they can be harnessed to make treatments smarter and more effective. The Keller Lab will push the boundaries of how we use sound in medicine — working to create therapies that are more targeted, less invasive and better tailored to individual patients.
Keller is currently concluding her Glasstone Research Fellowship in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, where she’s been developing ultrasound-based tools to diagnose and treat infections caused by biofilms — communities of bacteria that are often hard to eliminate and treat. She was awarded the 2024 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Rising Talent Award in the UK. Before her time in the UK, she earned her PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington, where she worked on improving the delivery of chemotherapy using clinical ultrasound systems.
NOTE: Please reach out by email if you're interested in joining the team as an undergraduate, graduate student, postdoc, or research staff member. Ultrasound experience is a plus but not a necessity.