The Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering reached a major academic milestone this month with the defense of three doctoral dissertations, reflecting the sustained growth of its research community and the development of highly skilled professionals. This event marks the beginning of a particularly significant year for the Institute, which expects to graduate more students than in previous years.
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The presentations were given by students Aransa Griñen, Rocío Artigas, and Karla Morales, who presented the results of years of research in various areas of biological and medical engineering to their respective committees.
Aransa Griñen 's research focused on one of today's most pressing environmental issues: plastic pollution. Her thesis addressed the computational redesign of an enzyme capable of degrading polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most widely used plastics worldwide. Using artificial intelligence tools applied to protein design, she succeeded in developing variants that perform better at more moderate temperatures, opening up new possibilities for more efficient and sustainable enzymatic recycling processes that contribute to a circular economy for plastics.
For her part, Rocío Artigas focused her research on understanding how adverse childhood experiences can leave lasting marks on brain neurochemistry. Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, she studied brain metabolites associated with these experiences, identifying potential biomarkers that could facilitate the early detection of risks to mental and physical health. In addition, her work incorporated methodological advances that improve the accuracy of this neuroimaging technique, thereby strengthening future clinical research in this field.
In addition to these outstanding presentations, Karla Morales successfully defended her thesis, presenting her research to her evaluation committee and contributing to this significant moment for the Institute.
These three defenses reflect the IIBM’s commitment to generating cutting-edge knowledge and training researchers capable of providing solutions to complex challenges in fields as diverse as sustainability, health, and technological development.
This milestone also marks the beginning of a particularly significant year for the Institute, which expects to reach a record number of graduates, thereby consolidating the growth of its advanced training programs and the impact of its research both nationally and internationally.
