Engineering Graduate Students Awarded Siebel Scholarship

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Five University of California San Diego graduate students applying engineering principles to solve medical challenges have been selected as 2025 Siebel Scholars. The Siebel Scholars program recognizes the most talented students in the world’s leading graduate schools of business, computer science, bioengineering and energy science. The students are selected based on outstanding academic performance and leadership, and each receive a $35,000 award toward their final year of study.

This year’s UC San Diego Siebel Scholars, all from the Jacobs School of Engineering, are developing nanoscale bioelectronic devices for advanced sensing and targeted delivery; developing methods to explore ancestral genome diversity and its impact on human traits; leveraging cell membrane coating technology to engineer therapeutic formulations against cancer; developing new patient-tailored immunoregulatory therapies for autoimmune arthritis flares; and delivering drug-loaded nanoparticles to inhibit lung metastasis progression.

The Siebel Scholars are all part of the Institute of Engineering in Medicine, which brings together researchers from UC San Diego’s Schools of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, and the Jacobs School of Engineering to translate creative ideas into clinical medicine and novel products that will transform patient care and well-being.

The 2025 UC San Diego Siebel Scholars are:

Helyaneh Ziaei Jam: Jam is a computer science and engineering Ph.D. candidate advised by Professor Melissa Gymrek. Her research focuses on developing methods to explore ancestral genome diversity and its impact on human traits. Jam is passionate about empowering students from underrepresented communities, and actively collaborates with research groups based in Africa through various research projects, mentorship, and organizing workshops. She also served as a graduate mentor for GradWIC, an organization dedicated to empowering women in computer science. After completing graduate school, her goal is to pursue a career in academia to contribute to more inclusive and equitable healthcare practices through multi-ancestry research and mentorship, fostering the next generation of diverse scientists.

Wade Johnson: Johnson is a nanoengineering Ph.D. candidate co-advised by Nisarg Shah, a professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, and Dr. Nunzio Bottini, formerly a professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. Johnson’s research focuses on developing new patient-tailored immunoregulatory therapies for autoimmune arthritis flares, which are experienced by a large fraction of patients on immunosuppressive medications. He aims to develop a new approach that can treat autoimmune disease without compromising a patient’s ability to fight off infection. For his work, Johnson has received awards including an NIH T32/F31 NRSA Fellowships and an ARCS scholarship. In addition to research, Johnson enjoys mentoring and fostering the success of undergraduate students. Several of his mentees have received research fellowships and commenced Ph.D. and M.D/Ph.D. programs. Johnson is interested in developing biomedical technologies that can have a broad impact in patients with autoimmunity, and looks forward to a post-graduate career in biotechnology entrepreneurship.

Nishta Krishnan: Krishnan is a nanoengineering Ph.D. candidate advised by Professor Liangfang Zhang. Her research leverages cell membrane coating technology to engineer therapeutic formulations against cancer. Using genetic engineering, Krishnan is developing the next generation of cellular nanoparticles with finely tunable properties that hold significant promise in revolutionizing cancer treatment. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed publications and is a recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and the ARCS Scholar Award. As President of the Jacobs Graduate Student Council, she has spearheaded initiatives to enhance graduate student welfare, including mental health workshops and industry mentorship programs. In addition to her leadership, she is deeply committed to mentoring junior graduate and undergraduate students in the lab and actively participates in mentorship programs like JUMP and GradAMP.

Zhengxing Li: Li is a materials science and engineering Ph.D. candidate advised by Professor Joseph Wang in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering. Li is developing a biohybrid microrobot platform for in vivo biomedical applications, focused on regulating colonic cytokine levels and epithelial barriers in inflammatory bowel disease, and actively delivering drug-loaded nanoparticles to inhibit lung metastasis progression. Li’s collaborative efforts have been crucial to his success, resulting in 13 published articles and six manuscripts under review in prestigious journals like Nature Materials. Additionally, Li, as an independent peer reviewer, has completed more than 10 reviews in the top journals, and actively participated in the international conferences like MRS, ACS, and Pittcon to share his insights and gather new knowledge. A dedicated mentor, Li is committed to guiding junior students towards their own research success, demonstrating his leadership and dedication to scientific advancement.

Ali Sarikhani: Sarikhani is a nanoengineering Ph.D. candidate advised by Professor Zeinab Jahed. His research specializes in the engineering of nanoscale bioelectronic devices for advanced sensing and targeted delivery. Sarikhani’s work has demonstrated the ability of nanoscale materials to induce transient nuclear envelope openings, a discovery with significant implications for nanoelectronics and intra-nuclear delivery platforms. His research has earned wide recognition, resulting in the publication of over 10 scientific papers, with several additional manuscripts under review. In addition to research, Sarikhani has a strong commitment to outreach, and has mentored more than 10 graduate and undergraduate students in the Nanoengineering, Bioengineering, and Chemical Engineering departments. In addition to the Siebel Scholarship, Sarikhani has also received the Merkin Fellowship, MRSEC-funded SEED trainee, Kavli Fellowship, Shah Fellowship, and support from the Iranian Scholarship Foundation. Sarikhani is passionate about bridging the gap between engineering and medicine, aiming to leverage his expertise in both strategic consulting and entrepreneurial ventures within the biotechnology and healthcare sectors.