The Dean’s Prize for Excellence in Research Award for life science, physical science, and engineering students is awarded for outstanding livestreamed presentations of faculty-mentored research at the Undergraduate Research & Creativity Showcase that took place from May 19th – May 23rd, 2025. Congratulations to 2 of our very own Bioengineering students: Saskia Vaillancourt and Murtadha Al Msari.
Saskia Vaillancourt
Research Title: High Resolution Spatial Transcriptomics profiling of Neuroinflammation induced by Tick-Borne Powassan viral infection
Abstract: Powassan virus (POWV), an emerging tick-borne flavivirus, causes meningoencephalitis with 10-15% of cases exhibiting severe disease and lifelong neurological disabilities. Therefore, our goal is to understand the neuroinflammation and repair mechanisms by utilizing high-resolution spatial transcriptomics technology. 4 week-old C57BL/6 wild-type animals were infected with lineage II POWV [Deer tick virus (DTV)]. At 5 DPI onwards, infected animals exhibited high limb weakness and paralysis, with death manifesting by 7 DPI. Animal brains were subjected to a Visium Spatial Gene Expression assay. The analysis revealed a total of 2,961 and 3,858 spatial spots mapped under the tissue for mock and infected samples, respectively. The median gene counts per expression spot were 4,439 for mock tissue and 4,221 for infected tissue. Using a stringent differential Log2 ratio of the gene expression profile, the gene signatures were grouped into distinct clusters and spatially mapped to the sectioned tissue anatomy. In the infected brain, clusters 1, 9, and 12 exhibited inflammation and innate immune gene activation suggestive of zones with viral-mediated injury. These clusters were anatomically corresponding to the meningeal vasculatures, lateral ventricles, and choroid plexus, suggesting areas of active viral infection and possible route of entry into the CNS. Further spatial analysis of the uninfected adjacent cortex region of the infected animal reveals a regenerative host response with an up regulation of genes in the Wnt signaling without inflammation. These results reveal a high resolution visualization of virus-mediated neuroinflammation in the vasculature, and repair signals from the adjacent cortex. Further studies are needed to understand these regenerative and repair mechanisms, which can be useful for developing therapeutics to target long-term sequelae and consequences due to POWV infection.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vaithi Arumugaswami, DVM, PhD (Professor at the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology in the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles)
Q&A 1: What was your experience like participating in URW?
I’m very grateful to have had the experience to participate in Undergraduate Research Week! The need for scientific communication has never been greater, and I don’t take for granted the unique opportunity I was given to share the incredible science that I’ve had the privilege of contributing to in the lab, and to hear the amazing work that other undergraduates are pushing in their respective labs.
Q&A 2: How did you prepare for your URW presentation?
To prepare for my URW presentation I followed the general process of: reviewing literature from past research on the topic, compiling the findings across the duration of the project and summarizing them, and assembling the information in presentation format. It was vital to practice my oral presentation on various audiences, as I had the goal of making the information we spent so long acquiring understandable and accessible to audiences of different backgrounds.
Q&A 3: What is your advice to undergraduate students who would like to participate in URW in the future?
The advice that I would give is to be curious always, and commit yourself to the pursuit of knowledge! Practice communicating clearly and at multiple levels; the comprehension of your research by your audience holds a lot of weight!
Murtadha Al Msari
Research title: Soft, Strain-Insensitive Biosensors for Real-Time In Vivo Monitoring of H₂O₂ and pH Dynamics
Abstract: Monitoring dynamic biochemical signals in the body is essential for managing conditions like neurodegeneration, brain injury, and chronic inflammation. However, most bioelectrodes fail in soft, moving tissue due to mechanical strain, electrochemical instability, and limited biocompatibility. To address this, a soft, strain-insensitive biosensor was developed for real-time in vivo monitoring of hydrogen peroxide and pH, key markers of oxidative stress and tissue health. Iridium oxide (IrOx) was used as the sensing material due to its ability to undergo fast, reversible redox reactions with hydrogen ions—ideal for biochemical sensing and electrical stimulation. Because IrOx is brittle, a layered architectural design was engineered to couple strain-induced cracked films with a strain-isolated out-of-plane conductive pathway and in-plane nanowire networks. This architecture eliminates strain effects on device performance, preserving electrochemical performance under 40% tensile strain. The device was validated by amperometry, voltammetry, and potentiometry, all of which demonstrated strain-insensitive electrochemical responses. When implanted in vivo, the device adhered conformably to the tissue and captured stable real-time biochemical changes in response to physiological cues. Future work will integrate the device with a wireless module to enable free-movement measurements. This platform offers a step toward continuous, real-time sensing in soft, moving tissue—critical for advancing personalized and responsive medicine.
Name of faculty mentor: Dr. Sam Emaminejad
Q&A 1: What was your experience like participating in URW?
Participating in Undergraduate Research Week was honestly one of the highlights of my time at UCLA. The team was so helpful—from giving feedback on my abstract to making sure everything ran smoothly, even with the event being online. It felt really meaningful to have my work recognized, and winning the Dean’s Prize was something I never expected but deeply appreciated. More than anything, URW made me feel like the effort I put into my research truly mattered.
Q&A 2: How did you prepare for your URW presentation?
To prepare for my URW presentation, I had a lot of help and support. My faculty mentor, Professor Sam Emaminejad, and my PhD mentor, Mohammadreza, gave thoughtful feedback that helped me see where I could push my work further. They challenged me to think more clearly about how I presented my results. The URW resources were also super helpful—especially in improving the structure and visuals of my slides. It made the whole process feel more guided and less overwhelming.
Q&A 3: What is your advice to undergraduate students who would like to participate in URW in the future?
My advice to undergraduate students thinking about participating in URW is: absolutely go for it. Don’t wait until you feel like your project is “perfect”—sharing your work is part of the learning process. Reach out to your mentors early and be open to feedback; their guidance can really elevate your presentation. Also, take advantage of the URW resources—they’re there to support you. Most importantly, enjoy the chance to celebrate what you’ve worked hard on and connect with others who are just as curious and passionate.