Our Team
Welcome to the Hettiaratchi Lab!
Dr. Marian Hettiaratchi
Principal Investigator
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto
Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University
B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering with Biomedical Specialization, University of Calgary
Marian Hettiaratchi joined the Knight Campus at the University of Oregon as an assistant professor in January 2020. She also holds an affiliate appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Oregon Health & Science University. Marian’s doctoral research focused on developing heparin-based microparticles for growth factor delivery to repair large bone defects. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto under the direction of Dr. Molly Shoichet where she combined techniques in protein engineering and polymer chemistry to stabilize and control the delivery of proteins for central nervous system repair. In her spare time, Marian enjoys running and biking along the Willamette River and drinking Oregon wines.
Jonathan Dorogin
Graduate Research Assistant
B.ASc. in Nanotechnology Engineering, Waterloo University
M.ASc. in Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University
Hi! I’m Jonathan Dorogin. I’m a PhD student in the joint Biomedical Engineering program between University of Oregon and Oregon State University, working under the supervision of Dr. Marian Hettiaratchi. Prior to joining the Knight Campus and Dr. Hettiaratchi’s lab, I did a master’s in Biomedical Engineering in Dr. Todd Hoare’s lab at McMaster University, focusing on ultrasound triggered drug delivery for cancer applications which was spun out into a startup called Pharmasonica. I’ve also worked in industry and helped to develop a bio-lubricant for people suffering from osteoarthritis. In my spare time, I like to stay active by playing basketball, ultimate frisbee, and doing pilates. I also like to paint and cook. I’m a big Toronto Raptors fan, and enjoy watching cooking shows and cartoons.
John O'Hara-Smith
Graduate Research Assistant
B.A. (Honors) in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Californa, Berkeley
Stanley David and Lucille Borgen Adamson Memorial Scholar (2020)
I grew up in Hollister, California, which has lots of cows and no beaches, despite the highly popular facade associated with the town’s name. I studied Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley from 2016-2019, where I started a work-study job in Dr. Craig Miller’s lab in 2016. With Dr. Miller, I would go on to research the molecular bases of tooth development and regeneration in three-spine stickleback fishes. Working with sticklebacks lead me to fall in love more deeply with biology, and would also lead me to graduate studies at the University of Oregon to enrich my scientific skillset. Now joining Marian Hettiaratchi’s lab at the Knight Campus, I plan to leverage my background in biology to understand how to generate better biomaterials. In my spare time, I’m an avid basketball fan, enjoy hiking through the forests of Oregon, and enjoy collecting trading cards.
Veronica Spaulding
Graduate Research Assistant
M.S. in Chemistry, University of Wyoming
B.S. in Chemistry, University of Wyoming
Dean's First Year Merit Award (2020)
My name is Veronica Spaulding, and I am a soon to be second-year graduate student in the OIM chemistry program. I enjoy material synthesis and characterization with an interest in engineering biomaterials. I’m originally from North Fork, CA a small town nestled in the mountains. Anywhere out in nature feels like home and I love being in Eugene! My hobbies include rock climbing and river rafting, though pretty much anything outdoors excites me.
Henry Hochstatter
Undergraduate Research Assistant
UO Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Fellowship (2021)
B.S. in Human Physiology with a Minor in Biochemistry
Expected Graduation: June 2022
Ireland Johnson
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholar (2021)
Peter O'Day Biology Fellowship (2020)
B.S. in Biology with Minors in Chemistry and Spanish
Expected Graduation: June 2022
Hossein Rajabzadeh
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Mini-Grant Recipient (2021)
B.S. in Biochemistry
Expected Graduation: June 2021
My name is Hons Rajabzadeh and I am a senior Biochemistry major. After graduation, I hope to pursue a Master’s degree in biochemistry. I’m originally from Tehran, Iran, but also consider Eugene to be my hometown since I have been here for awhile. In my spare time, I enjoy building my own board games and bikes.
Lab Alumni
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Branden Henry - Undergraduate Research Assistant (2020-2021)
Ethan Kimmett - Graduate Rotation Student (Spring 2021)
Andres Guerrero - Graduate Rotation Student (Winter 2021)
Wyatt Parks - Graduate Rotation Student (Winter 2021)
Dillon Willis - Graduate Rotation Student (Spring 2020)
Dr. Jakob Townsend - Postdoctoral Scholar (2020)