Luiz E. Bertassoni, DDS PhD
Associate Professor and Director, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Division of Oncological Sciences, Knight Cancer Institute
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Department of Biomedical Engineering, OHSU School of Medicine
Oral Reahibilitation & Bioscieces, OHSU School of Dentistry
Dr. Luiz E. Bertassoni is the founding director of the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub and Associate Professor at the Division of Oncological Sciences at the Knight Cancer Institute. He also holds appointments at the the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research center (CEDAR) at the Knight Cancer Institute and the OHSU School of Dentistry. Dr. Bertassoni obtained a PhD in Biomaterials from University of Sydney, and was a postdoctoral researcher at UCSF, and subsequently at Harvard Medical School and MIT's joint program in Health Sciences and Technology. Dr. Bertassoni leads a multidisciplinary research group working on various aspects of micro-scale technologies and bioprinting for tissue regeneration; nanoscale structural and mechanical properties of mineralized tissues; and different aspects in the field of ‘organs-on-a-chip’. Luiz has published over 90 manuscripts and his work has appeared in high-impact journals, such as Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, and has been broadly covered by the media. He is a recipient of over 30 national and international research awards, including the Medical Research Foundation New Investigator award, the IADR Centennial award, and the Silver Family Innovation award. He serves as a reviewer for over 55 peer reviewed international journals, an associate editor for 3 journals, and editorial board member for other 6 publications. Dr. Bertassoni is also a co-founder of 2 biotech spin-off companies, HuMarrow and RegendoDent, which resulted from his work on cancer research and regenerative medicine.
Selected publications:
Associate Professor and Director, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Division of Oncological Sciences, Knight Cancer Institute
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Department of Biomedical Engineering, OHSU School of Medicine
Oral Reahibilitation & Bioscieces, OHSU School of Dentistry
Dr. Luiz E. Bertassoni is the founding director of the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub and Associate Professor at the Division of Oncological Sciences at the Knight Cancer Institute. He also holds appointments at the the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research center (CEDAR) at the Knight Cancer Institute and the OHSU School of Dentistry. Dr. Bertassoni obtained a PhD in Biomaterials from University of Sydney, and was a postdoctoral researcher at UCSF, and subsequently at Harvard Medical School and MIT's joint program in Health Sciences and Technology. Dr. Bertassoni leads a multidisciplinary research group working on various aspects of micro-scale technologies and bioprinting for tissue regeneration; nanoscale structural and mechanical properties of mineralized tissues; and different aspects in the field of ‘organs-on-a-chip’. Luiz has published over 90 manuscripts and his work has appeared in high-impact journals, such as Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, and has been broadly covered by the media. He is a recipient of over 30 national and international research awards, including the Medical Research Foundation New Investigator award, the IADR Centennial award, and the Silver Family Innovation award. He serves as a reviewer for over 55 peer reviewed international journals, an associate editor for 3 journals, and editorial board member for other 6 publications. Dr. Bertassoni is also a co-founder of 2 biotech spin-off companies, HuMarrow and RegendoDent, which resulted from his work on cancer research and regenerative medicine.
Selected publications:
- Rapid fabrication of vascularized and innervated cell-laden bone models with biomimetic intrafibrillar collagen mineralization Nature communications 2019
- Bioprinting of complex multicellular organs with advanced functionality—Recent progress and challenges ahead Advanced Materials 2022
- 3D printing of microgel‐loaded modular microcages as instructive scaffolds for tissue engineering Advanced Materials 2022
Alex Davies, DVM PhD
Senior Scientist
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Dr. Alexander Davies graduated with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a D.V.M., with an interest in comparative oncology, from the University of California, Davis. He then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in cancer biology at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory before joining The Ohio State University as faculty in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences. While at OSU he was a member of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and faculty in the Cancer Biology and Cancer Engineering programs. Currently, Dr. Davies is a Senior Scientist at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center (CEDAR) where his work focuses on dynamic tumor-microenvironment signaling cross-talk, signal integration, and the development of 3D organotypic and tissue models to study these interactions using live-cell microscopy techniques.
Selected publications:
Senior Scientist
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Dr. Alexander Davies graduated with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a D.V.M., with an interest in comparative oncology, from the University of California, Davis. He then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in cancer biology at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory before joining The Ohio State University as faculty in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences. While at OSU he was a member of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and faculty in the Cancer Biology and Cancer Engineering programs. Currently, Dr. Davies is a Senior Scientist at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center (CEDAR) where his work focuses on dynamic tumor-microenvironment signaling cross-talk, signal integration, and the development of 3D organotypic and tissue models to study these interactions using live-cell microscopy techniques.
Selected publications:
- Systems-level properties of EGFR-RAS-ERK signaling amplify local signals to generate dynamic gene expression heterogeneity. Cell systems 2020
- Tumour exosome integrins determine organotropic metastasis. Nature . 2015
- Extracellular vesicle and particle biomarkers define multiple human cancers. Cell 2020
Rebekka Duhen, PhD
Senior Scientist
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Rebekka Duhen is a Senior Scientist at CEDAR, Knight Cancer Institute. Her research is focused on the role and use of immune cells, T cells in particular, in early cancer detection. Rebekka received her diploma from the Technical University of Dresden, Germany and received her Ph.D from the University of Bern and the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, in Bellinzona, Switzerland, where she studied ways to assess the human T cell repertoire and assisted in the identification of the Th22 skin-homing T cell subset. Following her Ph.D, Rebekka joined the Benaroya Research Institute in Seattle, WA from 2010-2015 to help define the role of pathogenic T cells in EAE. From 2015-2022 she worked as a scientist at the EACRI at the Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, OR where she examined the role of CD4 and CD8 T cells in tumors and contributed to the identification of tumor-reactive T cell subsets.
She is very excited to bring her expertise in both human and mouse T cell immunology to CEDAR and to develop new strategies using the immune system and/or its signatures to improve early cancer detection approaches. Understanding and visualizing the interaction of immune cells in 3-D tissue models will open completely new avenues in understanding the early development of tumor lesions and possibilities to intercept these changes.
Selected publications:
- Neoadjuvant anti-OX40 (MEDI6469) therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma activates and expands antigen-specific tumor-infiltrating T cells Nature Communications 2021
- Co-expression of CD39 and CD103 identifies tumor-reactive CD8 T cells in human solid tumors Nature Communications 2018
- T cell immunotherapies engage neutrophils to eliminate tumor antigen escape variants Cell 2023
Beverly Emerson, PhD
Distinguished Professor
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Co-Director, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Emerson directed a research laboratory at the Salk Institute in the field of gene regulation, focusing on mechanisms of chromatin restructuring and epigenetic programming. Her work led to unexpected discoveries underlying p53 function, aberrant gene silencing, COX-2 modulation of inflammation, and drug-resistance in human cancers. Recent work with human breast tissue revealed novel mechanisms of the stress response that may promote early cancer formation. Beverly Emerson has served in leadership roles as a member of the board of several non-profit organizations, organizer of major scientific conferences, and as elected Chair of the Salk Institute Faculty. Beverly Emerson helps mentor major research initiatives and contributes to formulating innovative scientific directions, in addition to co-directing the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub at CEDAR.
Selected publications:
Distinguished Professor
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Co-Director, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Emerson directed a research laboratory at the Salk Institute in the field of gene regulation, focusing on mechanisms of chromatin restructuring and epigenetic programming. Her work led to unexpected discoveries underlying p53 function, aberrant gene silencing, COX-2 modulation of inflammation, and drug-resistance in human cancers. Recent work with human breast tissue revealed novel mechanisms of the stress response that may promote early cancer formation. Beverly Emerson has served in leadership roles as a member of the board of several non-profit organizations, organizer of major scientific conferences, and as elected Chair of the Salk Institute Faculty. Beverly Emerson helps mentor major research initiatives and contributes to formulating innovative scientific directions, in addition to co-directing the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub at CEDAR.
Selected publications:
- Dynamic regulation of CTCF stability and subnuclear localization in response to stress PLOS Genetics 2021
- Genome-wide targeting of the epigenetic regulatory protein ctcf to gene promoters by the transcription factor TFII-I PNAS 2014
- P50-associated COX-2 Extragenic RNA (pacer) activates human COX-2 gene expression by occluding repressive NF-κB p50 complexes. eLife 2014
Cristiane Miranda França, DDS, MS, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Oral Reahibilitation & Bioscieces, OHSU School of Dentistry
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Core member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Cristiane is a dentist-scientist with a Ph.D. in Oral Pathology from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, OHSU and is currently working on the development, optimization and application of an organ-on-a-chip device for dental research, the ‘Tooth-on-a-chip’. Moreover, Cristiane is also involved in dental pulp regeneration projects and 3D bioprinting studies to fabricate vascularized tissues for dental and craniofacial applications. Her previous work was focused on the modulation of immune cells in wound healing and macrophage polarization using different strategies as photobiomodulation and neuro-immune modulation. Passionate about how research can improve people’s lives, her goal is to combine her background in oral pathology with current training in microfluidics and tissue engineering to investigate translatable approaches for dental and craniofacial regeneration. Her major research interests include organs-on-a-chip, tissue engineering, angiogenesis, immune cell modulation, and wound healing.
Selected publications:
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Oral Reahibilitation & Bioscieces, OHSU School of Dentistry
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Core member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Cristiane is a dentist-scientist with a Ph.D. in Oral Pathology from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, OHSU and is currently working on the development, optimization and application of an organ-on-a-chip device for dental research, the ‘Tooth-on-a-chip’. Moreover, Cristiane is also involved in dental pulp regeneration projects and 3D bioprinting studies to fabricate vascularized tissues for dental and craniofacial applications. Her previous work was focused on the modulation of immune cells in wound healing and macrophage polarization using different strategies as photobiomodulation and neuro-immune modulation. Passionate about how research can improve people’s lives, her goal is to combine her background in oral pathology with current training in microfluidics and tissue engineering to investigate translatable approaches for dental and craniofacial regeneration. Her major research interests include organs-on-a-chip, tissue engineering, angiogenesis, immune cell modulation, and wound healing.
Selected publications:
- High‐Throughput Bioprinting of Geometrically‐Controlled Pre‐Vascularized Injectable Microgels for Accelerated Tissue Regeneration. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2023
- Challenges and Perspectives on the Use of Pericytes in Tissue Engineering. Current Tissue Microenvironment Reports 2022
- The influence of osteopontin‐guided collagen intrafibrillar mineralization on pericyte differentiation and vascularization of engineered bone scaffolds. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B 2018
Carolyn Schutt Ibsen, PhD
Assistant Professor
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Department of Biomedical Engineering, OHSU School of Medicine
Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Dr. Carolyn Schutt Ibsen's research group is focused on developing energy-responsive biomaterial platforms for tumor modeling and regenerative medicine. We have a particular interest in stimuli-responsive materials that can be controlled remotely and noninvasively using ultrasound. Our efforts include developing dynamic tissue-engineered platforms to model cancer progression in response to oncogenic stimuli. We also engineer responsive biomaterial systems to guide tissue repair and regeneration. Our work lies at the intersection of nanomaterials design, tissue engineering, gene/drug
delivery and ultrasound physics. We are committed to fostering a lab culture that supports diversity, equity and inclusion and training the next generation of scientists through dedicated mentorship.
Selected publications:
Assistant Professor
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
Department of Biomedical Engineering, OHSU School of Medicine
Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Dr. Carolyn Schutt Ibsen's research group is focused on developing energy-responsive biomaterial platforms for tumor modeling and regenerative medicine. We have a particular interest in stimuli-responsive materials that can be controlled remotely and noninvasively using ultrasound. Our efforts include developing dynamic tissue-engineered platforms to model cancer progression in response to oncogenic stimuli. We also engineer responsive biomaterial systems to guide tissue repair and regeneration. Our work lies at the intersection of nanomaterials design, tissue engineering, gene/drug
delivery and ultrasound physics. We are committed to fostering a lab culture that supports diversity, equity and inclusion and training the next generation of scientists through dedicated mentorship.
Selected publications:
- Stimuli‐Responsive Biomaterials: Scaffolds for Stem Cell Control. Advanced Healthcare Materials. 2021
- Microbubble–Nanoparticle Complexes for Ultrasound-Enhanced Cargo Delivery. Pharmaceutics. 2022
- Ultrasound‐Triggered Enzymatic Gelation. Advanced Materials. 2020
Ellen M. Langer, PhD
- Assistant Professor,
- Division of Oncological Sciences, OHSU School of Medicine
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
- Member, Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, School of Medicine
Dr. Langer received her Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University in St. Louis and completed
postdoctoral training at Washington University, University of Utah, and OHSU. Dr. Langer’s major research interest is in identifying mechanisms of cellular plasticity in both neoplastic and non-neoplastic stromal cells, and understanding how interactions between these dynamic populations impact early tumor development and progression. To support these investigations, she co-led the development of manipulable, heterotypic, in vitro tumor models using an extrusion-based bioprinting approach. Current work in her group uses 2-dimensional tissue culture, 3-dimensional bioprinted tissues, and mouse models to determine how crosstalk between heterogeneous tumor cells and their microenvironment changes during early tumor development. Long term, her work aims to leverage this knowledge to prevent, detect, and target early stage breast and pancreatic cancer
Selected publications:
- Modeling Tumor Phenotypes In Vitro with Three-Dimensional Bioprinting. Cell Reports 2019
- Differentiation-state plasticity is a targetable resistance mechanism in basal-like breast cancer. Nature Communications 2018
- Sulfopin is a covalent inhibitor of Pin1 that blocks Myc-driven tumors in vivo. Nature Chemical Biology 2021
Joshua Moreau, PhD
Joshua Moreau is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, and a member of CEDAR. He aims to explore the earliest interactions between cancer and the immune system, within the tissues where cancer cells arise. A major research focus is to understand how tissue resident lymphocytes in barrier organs integrate microenvironmental signals to orchestrate anti-cancer immunity. Combining multiomic approaches with functional immunology, his work investigates the basic biology of tissue resident lymphocytes and the role of these cells during cancer pathogenesis.
Selected publications:
- Assistant Professor
- Division of Oncological Sciences, OHSU School of Medicine
- Department of Dermatology, OHSU School of Medicine
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, OHSU School of Medicine
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR), Knight Cancer Institute
- Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Joshua Moreau is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, and a member of CEDAR. He aims to explore the earliest interactions between cancer and the immune system, within the tissues where cancer cells arise. A major research focus is to understand how tissue resident lymphocytes in barrier organs integrate microenvironmental signals to orchestrate anti-cancer immunity. Combining multiomic approaches with functional immunology, his work investigates the basic biology of tissue resident lymphocytes and the role of these cells during cancer pathogenesis.
Selected publications:
- Transforming Growth Factor β in Treg Biology. Science Immunology. 2022
- Regulatory T cells promote innate inflammation following skin barrier breach via TGF- β activation. Science Immunology. 2021
- Tertiary lymphoid structures sustain cutaneous B cell activity in hidradenitis suppurativa. bioRxiv 2023
Rosalie Sears, PhD
Professor of Molecular and Medical Genetics, School of Medicine
Co-Director, Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, School of Medicine
Krista L. Lake Chair in Cancer Research
Core Member, Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub
Dr. Sears received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Reed College (1986), Portland Oregon. She received her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Vanderbilt University (1993), Nashville Tennessee, and conducted her post-doctoral studies at Duke University in the Genetics Department. Dr. Sears is a full professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics at Oregon Health & Science University. She is Co-Director of the Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care and a senior member in the Knight Cancer Institute. Dr. Sears has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation, as well as several other private foundations. She has received both research and business innovation awards in the areas of cancer biology, therapeutics, and technology advancement.
The Sears lab studies cellular signaling pathways that control tumor cell behavior, with a focus on their convergence on the c-Myc oncoprotein and how this impacts Myc’s expression, activity, and its regulation of cell fate. Myc is constitutively overexpressed in the majority of human tumors and studies have demonstrated that this affects both tumor cell state (proliferation, differentiation, metabolism) as well as cross-talk with the tumor microenvironment affecting immune surveillance and vasculature. Dr. Sears’ work has identified a complex signaling pathway that coordinately post-translationally regulates c-Myc’s DNA binding and transcriptional activity with its turnover via ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and she has demonstrated that c-Myc is post-translationally stabilized with increased activity in the majority of human tumors. The Sears lab has modeled post-translational activation of c-Myc in genetically engineered mice, where they have developed accurate mouse models of human breast and pancreatic cancer. Dr. Sears’ lab is pursuing new therapeutic strategies to target Myc by reversing its post-translational activation. This work has lead to the development of a new small molecule activator of the tumor suppressor phosphatase PP2A. This drug is orally available and has demonstrated dramatic inhibition of tumor growth and significant extension of survival in mouse breast and pancreas cancer models.
Selected publications:
- Deconstructing pancreatic adenocarcinoma by targeting the conductor, MYC. Cancer Discovery 2020
- Modeling Tumor Phenotypes In Vitro with Three-Dimensional Bioprinting. Cell Reports 2019
- Targeting c-MYC by antagonizing PP2A inhibitors in breast cancer. PNAS 2014
Technical Staff
Postdoctoral Fellows
Avathamsa Athirasala, PhD
Avathamsa Athirasala graduated with a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Osmania University, India and completed a Masters program in the same from University of Pennsylvania in 2012. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow in the Bertassoni Lab at Oregon Health and Science University. Her major research interests include mechanobiology of stem cell nuclei, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering.
Avathamsa Athirasala graduated with a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Osmania University, India and completed a Masters program in the same from University of Pennsylvania in 2012. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow in the Bertassoni Lab at Oregon Health and Science University. Her major research interests include mechanobiology of stem cell nuclei, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering.
Mauricio Gonçalves da Costa Sousa, DDS, MS, PhD
Mauricio Gonçalves da Costa Sousa is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Luiz Bertassoni's laboratory at the School of Dentistry. He received his BSE in dentistry in 2014 at the Catholic University of Brasilia, a Master’s in health sciences in 2017 at the University of Brasilia, and a Ph.D. in Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology at Catholic University of Brasilia. His graduate research focused on developing a new antibiofilm and immunomodulatory nanofibrous scaffold loaded with host defense peptides to regenerate the dental pulp tissue. His major interests include single cell printing, immunomodulation, host defense peptides, oral biology, cellular communication, organs on a chip and wound healing.
Mauricio Gonçalves da Costa Sousa is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Luiz Bertassoni's laboratory at the School of Dentistry. He received his BSE in dentistry in 2014 at the Catholic University of Brasilia, a Master’s in health sciences in 2017 at the University of Brasilia, and a Ph.D. in Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology at Catholic University of Brasilia. His graduate research focused on developing a new antibiofilm and immunomodulatory nanofibrous scaffold loaded with host defense peptides to regenerate the dental pulp tissue. His major interests include single cell printing, immunomodulation, host defense peptides, oral biology, cellular communication, organs on a chip and wound healing.
Senior Research Associates
Abhinay Mishra, PhD
Dr. Abhinay Mishra received his master’s degree in materials science and technology from Banaras Hindu University, India and obtained his PhD degree in materials science and technology from Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi, India. He has worked as a postdoctoral/research fellow in University of Massachusetts Lowell, Nanyang Technology University and Singapore MIT Alliance for Research & Technology, Singapore before joining as a Senior Research Associate. He has been working in the area of synthesis, fabrication and characterization of polymer biomaterials for drug delivery, tissue engineering and biomedical applications. His research interest includes development of biomedical devices, biosensors, bio-printing and 3D printing for industrial applications.
Narendra K. Singh, PhD
Dr. Narendra K. Singh has completed his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU), India and was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea and subsequently at Center for papid prototyping based 3D tissue/ organ printing, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea as Korea Research Fellow. His past research work focused on biomaterials, drug delivery, 3D cell printing technology, organ-on-a-chip for the development of in vitro disease models and drug toxicology advancement, proteomics analysis of dECM bioinks. In particular, his current research interests include single cell bioprinting of in vitro 3D functional organ/ tissue models, microfluidic, organ-on-a-chip, biomaterials, tissue engineering.
Graduate Students
Haylie Helms, MS
Haylie Helms is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering and International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) fellow. Her research is focused on recreating tumors, with single cell spatial precision, to study cell-cell communication effects in the early tumor microenvironment. By systematically manipulating the cellular composition and arrangement of the tumor microenvironment we hope to uncover the fundamental biology of tumor initiation and progression. Prior to starting the PhD program, Haylie managed the 3D Bioprinting Core Facility at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, served as the Panoskaltsis-Mortari lab manager, taught a graduate level 3D Bioprinting course, and led several independent research projects. She holds a bachelors in Biology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a masters in Human Anatomy from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Haylie Helms is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering and International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) fellow. Her research is focused on recreating tumors, with single cell spatial precision, to study cell-cell communication effects in the early tumor microenvironment. By systematically manipulating the cellular composition and arrangement of the tumor microenvironment we hope to uncover the fundamental biology of tumor initiation and progression. Prior to starting the PhD program, Haylie managed the 3D Bioprinting Core Facility at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, served as the Panoskaltsis-Mortari lab manager, taught a graduate level 3D Bioprinting course, and led several independent research projects. She holds a bachelors in Biology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a masters in Human Anatomy from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Sofia Vignolo, BSc
Sofia Vignolo received her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Miami in 2018. Following graduation, she worked for two years as a research data manager at Boston Children's Hospital in the Precision Vaccines Program. In 2020, she joined the Medical Scientist Training Program at Oregon Health & Science University. She is currently in the PhD portion of the dual MD-PhD degree in the biomedical engineering graduate program. Her research interests are in craniofacial surgery and engineering, specifically bone regeneration.
Sofia Vignolo received her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Miami in 2018. Following graduation, she worked for two years as a research data manager at Boston Children's Hospital in the Precision Vaccines Program. In 2020, she joined the Medical Scientist Training Program at Oregon Health & Science University. She is currently in the PhD portion of the dual MD-PhD degree in the biomedical engineering graduate program. Her research interests are in craniofacial surgery and engineering, specifically bone regeneration.
Senior Research Assistants
Anissa Bartolome, MS
Anissa Bartolome graduated with a M.S. in Biology emphasized in Biotechnology from New Mexico State University in 2016. She has five years of clinical experience working as a chairside dental assistant. In 2018, she joined OHSU School of Dentistry's Division of Biomaterials and Biomechanics to study the mechanical properties of dental composite resins and other dental materials. She is currently a senior research assistant in the Bertassoni lab. Her research interests include the production of novel biomaterials, product testing, and product commercialization.
Anissa Bartolome graduated with a M.S. in Biology emphasized in Biotechnology from New Mexico State University in 2016. She has five years of clinical experience working as a chairside dental assistant. In 2018, she joined OHSU School of Dentistry's Division of Biomaterials and Biomechanics to study the mechanical properties of dental composite resins and other dental materials. She is currently a senior research assistant in the Bertassoni lab. Her research interests include the production of novel biomaterials, product testing, and product commercialization.
Anthony Tahayeri, BSc
Anthony Tahayeri graduated with a B.S. in Biological Engineering from Oregon State University. He is currently a senior research assistant in the Bertassoni lab located at Oregon Health Science University. His research interests include the development of manufacturing processes for biomaterial production and the development of biomedical devices as well as biomaterials.
Anthony Tahayeri graduated with a B.S. in Biological Engineering from Oregon State University. He is currently a senior research assistant in the Bertassoni lab located at Oregon Health Science University. His research interests include the development of manufacturing processes for biomaterial production and the development of biomedical devices as well as biomaterials.
Visiting Scholars
Alice Corrêa Silva-Sousa, DDS
Alice Corrêa Silva-Sousa obtained her DDS degree in the School of Dentistry of University of Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Brazil. Her main area of expertise in Clinical Dentistry is Endodontics. She is currently PhD student with an emphasis in Endodontics by the School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto from the University of São Paulo (FORP-USP), with a research internship in the Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry, University of Nebraska Medical Center - College of Dentistry (Lincoln, NE, USA). Her main previous research activities include subjects such protocols for preparation and filling of root canals, micro CT, endodontic materials, restoration of endodontically treated teeth and genetic associations with persistent periapical lesions. She joined the Bertassoni Lab at the Oregon Health and Science University in March 2023, as a visiting scholar. Her major research interests include organs-on-a-chip, tissue engineering, macrophages and biomaterials.
Alice Corrêa Silva-Sousa obtained her DDS degree in the School of Dentistry of University of Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Brazil. Her main area of expertise in Clinical Dentistry is Endodontics. She is currently PhD student with an emphasis in Endodontics by the School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto from the University of São Paulo (FORP-USP), with a research internship in the Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry, University of Nebraska Medical Center - College of Dentistry (Lincoln, NE, USA). Her main previous research activities include subjects such protocols for preparation and filling of root canals, micro CT, endodontic materials, restoration of endodontically treated teeth and genetic associations with persistent periapical lesions. She joined the Bertassoni Lab at the Oregon Health and Science University in March 2023, as a visiting scholar. Her major research interests include organs-on-a-chip, tissue engineering, macrophages and biomaterials.
May Anny Alves Fraga, DDS, MSc
May Anny Alves Fraga obtained her DDS in Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil at 2017, and Master’s degree in Dental Materials at Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Brazil. Currently, she is a current PhD student in Dental Materials at Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Brazil. She worked on the development of biomaterials to increase the longevity of dental restorations. Where, developed bio-interactive and polymerization shrinkage stress-reducing materials. She joined the Bertassoni Lab at the Oregon Health and Science University in March 2023, as a visiting scholar. Her major research interests include tissue engineering, wound healing, tissue regeneration and biomaterials.
May Anny Alves Fraga obtained her DDS in Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil at 2017, and Master’s degree in Dental Materials at Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Brazil. Currently, she is a current PhD student in Dental Materials at Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Brazil. She worked on the development of biomaterials to increase the longevity of dental restorations. Where, developed bio-interactive and polymerization shrinkage stress-reducing materials. She joined the Bertassoni Lab at the Oregon Health and Science University in March 2023, as a visiting scholar. Her major research interests include tissue engineering, wound healing, tissue regeneration and biomaterials.
