Marian Hettiaratchi

Marian Hettiaratchi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Oregon’s Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. She holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Her research focuses on developing affinity-based biomaterials for precise protein delivery in regenerative medicine, combining expertise in chemical and biomedical engineering with computational modeling. Key areas include bone repair, neuroinflammatory regulation, and stem cell secretome harnessing.

Education:

• B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering with Biomedical Specialization, University of Calgary
• Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto (Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry)

Research Interests:

Dr. Hettiaratchi’s work integrates protein engineering, polymer chemistry, and computational modeling to design biomaterials that control protein delivery for tissue repair. Current projects include affinity-based delivery systems for bone regeneration, bio-transport modeling, and immunomodulatory strategies for spinal cord injury recovery. Her lab explores applications in bone repair, muscle regeneration, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Article Trends:

Recent publications emphasize engineered affibodies for affinity-controlled protein delivery, hyaluronic acid-based scaffolds for muscle repair, and computational optimization of hydrogels. These studies highlight advancements in biomaterial design, therapeutic enzyme stabilization, and in vivo applications.

Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2023)
• Collaborative funding from NIH, NSF, Department of Defense, and Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance

Advising & Grants:

Dr. Hettiaratchi mentors over 15 graduate and undergraduate students, emphasizing diversity and inclusion in STEM. Her lab has secured grants totaling millions, supporting innovations in biomaterials and protein delivery. Projects include NSF-funded research on stem cell secretome harnessing and NIH-funded studies on neuroinflammatory modulation.

Labs & Teams:

The Hettiaratchi Lab at the Knight Campus collaborates with OHSU and industry partners. It focuses on translating biomaterial innovations into clinical applications, with ongoing projects in bone regeneration, neural repair, and biocompatible scaffold development.