Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering

Engineering the Future of Medicine

News

A staunch voice in support of science

Jeff Coller, a pioneering RNA biologist and a professor at Johns Hopkins University, has spent the past year vehemently advocating for the lifesaving promise of research in the face of federal cuts.

A vibrant, high-resolution fluorescent microscopy image showing a dense, intricate network of mouse brain cells set against a black background. On the left, sprawling thread-like structures glow in vivid magenta. In the center, a dense cluster of overlapping cells shines brightly in cyan, blending into a web of glowing particles. On the far right, several distinct, star-shaped neurons stand out sharply in brilliant yellow with delicate, long fibers extending outwards. The areas where the cyan, magenta, and yellow cells converge create a multi-colored overlay, visually mapping the complex intersection of dopamine pathways in the brain.

New brain-mapping tool reveals dopamine’s hidden diversity

Using a new molecular barcoding technique called POINTseq, Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers tracked thousands of neural connections to identify 28 distinct types of dopamine neurons in the brain—far more than scientists previously thought.

Lab study reveals patterns of inheritance that defy Mendel’s Laws

A new study reveals that epigenetic marks can be inherited in ways that break the century-long understanding of the rules of inheritance explored and recorded by Gregor Mendel’s work with pea plants.

A close-up, dramatic shot of a Seba's short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata) in mid-flight against a dark, moody blue and black background. The bat is facing the camera with its wings spread wide, revealing the thin, translucent membrane and skeletal structure of its wings. It has brown, fuzzy fur, large pointed ears, and a prominent leaf-shaped nose. Its mouth is slightly open, showing its small teeth and pink tongue, appearing as if it is mid-call or navigating using echolocation. Lighting from above highlights the texture of its fur and the details of its facial features.

Johns Hopkins study overturns long-held assumption about bat vision

For more than 80 years, scientists believed bat eyes were static. Research from the Cullen Lab reveals the first direct evidence of bat eye movement and its critical role in navigation.

News Brief: Natalia Trayanova featured on CNN for digital heart twin breakthrough

The coverage highlights how Trayanova and her team are using virtual, patient-specific heart models to guide life-saving procedures with remarkable precision.

AI blood-based cell-free DNA analyses detect early liver fibrosis and other diseases. Credit: Carolyn Hruban

AI-based liquid biopsy may detect liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and chronic disease signals

New Johns Hopkins research shows an AI-driven liquid biopsy analyzing genome-wide cfDNA fragment patterns can detect early liver fibrosis & cirrhosis and may signal broader chronic disease burden.

Natalia Trayanova

Digital twin hearts deliver 100% success in arrhythmia trial

Novel technology outperforms clinical standard for life-threatening condition.

A scientific diagram showing various grey and multicolored protein structures. Branching chains of colorful geometric shapes representing sugars are attached to the proteins. One specific red sugar molecule is highlighted with a yellow box containing the chemical symbol N3, representing a synthetic tag used for cancer detection.

Cancer’s “sweet tooth” reveals an unexpected clue for tissue repair

Hopkins researchers engineered sugar molecules that reveal hidden tumor markers and unexpectedly enhance the body’s natural healing signals.

A magnifying glass shows a DNA strand amongst colorful rectangles.

What’s in a gene?

More than 20 years after the Human Genome Project was completed, scientists are still working on interpreting more than three billion base pairs of chemical molecules that make up human DNA.

Blue dyed B cells as seen under a microscope.

Johns Hopkins scientists engineer nanoparticles able to seek and destroy diseased immune cells

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have developed a simplified version of biodegradable nanoparticles that can “educate” the immune system to find and destroy disease-causing cells throughout the body.

Winston Timp smiles for the camera.

Winston Timp to lead Multiomics Core in $24M hepatitis B cure effort

Leveraging advanced gene sequencing and proteomics, Timp’s team will map the complex interactions between the virus and the host to drive next-generation treatments.

The Research Buzz: BME’s latest discoveries (March 2026)

Explore the latest research insights from Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering.

A dark background filled with several translucent, spherical capsules. Inside each capsule are dozens of brightly colored, needle-like crystals that glow with iridescent blues, greens, yellows, and oranges, resembling a cluster of miniature nebulas.

February 27, 2026

The new ‘crystalline shield’ that could end the need for daily insulin

Researchers have developed a crystalline ‘armor’ that protects insulin-producing transplants, offering a path to manage diabetes without daily needles or immunosuppressants.

February 19, 2026

News Brief: Vikram Chib breaks down the science of pressure for NPR and National Geographic

Chib explains why some people choke and others excel when the stakes are high—from the Olympics to everyday challenges.

Representation of KLF5 expression patterns

February 18, 2026

Growth of spreading pancreatic cancer fueled by “under-appreciated” epigenetic changes

The KLF5 gene fuels growth spreading pancreatic cancer not by acquiring abnormal changes in the cancer cells' DNA code itself but by altering chemical changes and organization of DNA, or epigenetics.

A digital illustration of a glowing blue polygonal brain centered on a dark background, surrounded by circuit board patterns, binary code, and neural network nodes.

February 13, 2026

The brain’s instant replay: New AI tech aims to map neural activity at true speed

Backed by a $2.7 million NIH grant, Johns Hopkins researchers are building a high-speed imaging system to capture brain signals 50 times faster than current tools—revealing the "hidden" neural processes that drive neurological disorders.

January 22, 2026

Sound waves offer new way to steer blood pressure, Hopkins study finds

New Hopkins research shows focused ultrasound could someday offer a non-invasive, drug-free way to control blood pressure.

Extreme close-up of a camera lens capturing a brilliant, prismatic light flare with rainbow-colored rays radiating from the center.

January 21, 2026

High-speed microscope gives instant look inside living tissue

Developed by Johns Hopkins engineers, the new microscope provides unprecedented, real-time views of living tissue to accelerate patient care and medical research.

January 15, 2026

Three Hopkins BME researchers awarded AHA Fellowships

From developing AI that forecasts cardiac events to engineering "organs-on-a-chip" for complex disease modeling, these researchers are leveraging engineering-driven discovery to transform the future of cardiovascular health and personalized patient care.

Laura Sena, M.D., Ph.D. (left), and Rachel Karchin, Ph.D. (right), Johns Hopkins investigators who collaborated on the prostate cancer resistance study.

December 10, 2025

Uncovering how prostate cancer outsmarts treatment

Using advanced computational genomics, Johns Hopkins investigators discovered how prostate cancer develops resistance to treatment.

Diagram illustrating the flexible 3D microelectrode array (MEA) wrapping around a cardiac organoid to capture electrical signals, connected to a recording system.

December 8, 2025

Flexible 3D electrodes bring mini heart models to life

Research led by Deok-Ho Kim introduces a flexible, shell-like device that captures electrical signals from the heart in 3D.

A portrait of Dr. Annie Kathuria, standing on stage with a red velvet curtain background, wearing a burgundy blazer with black lapels and glasses, smiling while looking to the right.

December 4, 2025

In TEDx Talk, Annie Kathuria envisions a new era of brain repair

Kathuria discusses the next frontier in medicine: the potential to regrow the human brain using modular brain organoids.

December 3, 2025

The Research Buzz: BME’s latest discoveries (Dec 2025)

Explore the latest research insights from Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering.

Abstract vertical illustration of targeting cancer cell made of glowing neon particles.

November 11, 2025

Commentary: mRNA technology has cancer in its sights

'With continued investment in mRNA research, Donald Trump could turn the stalemate against cancer into a decisive breakthrough,' writes Johns Hopkins expert Jeff Coller in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

(From left) Anthony C. Li, Michael C. Waight, Natalia A. Trayanova, and Magdi M. Saba with the 2025 James T. Willerson Award in Clinical Science from the journal Circulation.

November 11, 2025

Heart digital twin research wins James T. Willerson Award in Clinical Science

Personalized digital models provide doctors with a roadmap to precisely target life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

November 3, 2025

3D nerve maps pinpoint the path to precision bone repair

Researchers have achieved unprecedented 3D maps of the complete nerve network inside bone, paving the way for new treatments for fractures and osteoporosis.

A female scientist is working under a hood.

September 30, 2025

Neural basis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder found in brain organoids

Using machine learning, Johns Hopkins researchers identified healthy and unhealthy patterns based on electrical activity.

September 24, 2025

The Research Buzz: BME’s latest discoveries (Sept 2025)

Explore the latest research insights from Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering.

A doctor is looking up at a monitor screen.

September 17, 2025

AI fares better than doctors at predicting deadly complications after surgery

Johns Hopkins researchers create an artificial intelligence model to mine rich, predictive data from routine ECG tests.

September 8, 2025

In extensive sequencing study, scientists find few links between cancer and microbiome

Scientists say a study that sequenced human cancers found far less microbial DNA sequences than earlier studies reported in the same cancer tissue samples.

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