Biomaterials for Protein Delivery and Tissue Engineering
Harnessing natural affinity interactions for precise protein delivery
Welcome to the Hettiaratchi Lab
We are a new bioengineering research group at the University of Oregon’s Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact.
We are actively recruiting enthusiastic scientists and engineers to join our team!
We welcome new lab members from all backgrounds and recruit through a variety of science and engineering graduate and undergraduate programs at the University of Oregon.
Our Approach
We combine expertise in chemical and biomedical engineering to design biomaterials to control protein delivery to injured tissues.
Directed Evolution for Protein Delivery
Cell-Instructive Biomaterials for Bone Repair
Predictive Bio-transport Modeling
Funding Sources
We are grateful for funding from the Collins Medical Trust, OHSU Medical Research Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance.
Featured Publications
- J Dorogin, JM Townsend, MH Hettiaratchi (2021). Biomaterials for protein delivery for complex tissue healing responses. Biomaterials Science.
- MH Hettiaratchi, L Krishnan, T Rouse, C Chou, TC McDevitt, RE Guldberg (2020). Heparin-mediated delivery of bone morphogenetic protein-2 improves spatial localization of bone formation. Science Advances.
- MH Hettiaratchi,* MJ O'Meara,* TR O'Meara, CJ Teal, AJ Pickering, N Letko-Khait, MS Shoichet (2020). Reengineering biocatalysts: Computational redesign of chondroitinase ABC improves efficacy and stability. Science Advances.
- MH Hettiaratchi, T Miller, JS Temenoff, RE Guldberg, TC McDevitt (2014). Heparin microparticle effects on presentation and bioactivity of bone morphogenetic protein-2. Biomaterials.
September 2021
Dr. Hettiaratchi wins a Faculty Research Mentor Award from the Center for Undergraduate Research & Engagement. Thanks to our undergrad researchers for the nomination!
We welcome new bioengineering graduate student Yan Pacheco and new undergraduate researchers Simon Oh and Lily Mozipo!
July 2021
The Knight Campus receives a second $500 million gift from Phil and Penny Knight! See more details and the video of the official announcement here.
June 2021
Congratulations to John O’Hara-Smith for being awarded a T32 fellowship through the Molecular Biology and Biophysics Training Program!
We welcome Veronica Spaulding (Chemistry) and John O’Hara-Smith (Biology) as the newest graduate students in the Hettiaratchi Lab!
Congratulations to Henry Hochstatter for winning a UO SPUR summer fellowship!
Ireland Johnson is featured on the Knight Campus website as a Maybelle Clark Macdonald Scholar!
March 2021
The Hettiaratchi lab receives a Medical Research Foundation New Investigator Award to develop angiogenic biomaterials!
Congratulations to Hons Rajabzadeh for winning an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Mini-grant!
January 2021
The Hettiaratchi lab is officially 1 year old!
We published our first review paper, led by graduate student Jonathan Dorogin, in the 2021 Emerging Investigators issue of Biomaterials Science.