2026 Siebel Scholars: Advancing Human Health Through Engineering

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• Katherine Connor- [email protected]

Published Date

Rayyan Gorashi

Rayyan Gorashi is a Ph.D. candidate advised by Prof. Brian Aguado in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. She seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms driving sex differences in the progression of heart disease using biomaterial-based in vitro models. Gorashi has received several accolades throughout her graduate studies, including election to the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, ARCS scholarship, NIH F31 predoctoral fellowship, and NIH R00 diversity supplement fellowship. Outside of research, Gorashi fuels her passion for outreach and mentorship through the Bioengineering Graduate Society and Pathways to STEM Scholars (PATHS) program. Ultimately, she hopes to continue to encourage the next generation of bioengineers to pursue their passions and bring new innovations to our society.

Anthony Omole

Anthony Omole is a Ph.D. candidate in Prof. Nicole Steinmetz' lab in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. His research is at the interface of virus nanotechnology for applications in cancer immunotherapy and sustainable agriculture. He has contributed to 10+ peer-reviewed articles. Omole is a recipient of the Merkin Fellowship to the Institut für Molekulare Biotechnologie at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. He is also a recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan University Center of Exemplary Mentoring Fellowship. His contribution to research is complemented by his outreach efforts through student mentorship at high school, community college, and public university levels. Within the Chemical and Nano Engineering department, he has served as the president of the Graduate Society for NanoEngineers. Omole plans to pursue a career as an academic professor with the intent to continue scientific research and mentorship.

Tom Park

Tom Park is a Ph.D. candidate in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. He is advancing wearable ultrasound technologies for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of deep-tissue hemodynamics. His research in Prof. Sheng Xu's lab addresses unmet needs in cardiovascular, neurocriticalcare, and has been featured in leading journals such as Nature and Nature Biomedical Engineering. Bridging engineering and global health, he leads interdisciplinary efforts to expand diagnostic access in diverse clinical settings. Park has mentored more than 10 students across engineering disciplines and has been recognized for his leadership and academic excellence with awards including the Rita L. Atkinson Graduate Fellowship, MOGAM-KASBP Scholarship, Arthur and Janice Boni Entrepreneurial Fellowship, and first place in the NSF National Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Challenge. Committed to translational science and impact-driven innovation, Park aims to advance healthcare equity through technology.

Keivan Rahmani

Keivan Rahmani is a Ph.D. candidate in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. He is advised by Prof. Zeinab Jahed. He is also an M.S. student in computer science at UC San Diego. His interdisciplinary research integrates AI, nanoelectronics, and electrophysiology to develop "intelligent in-cell electrophysiology," enabling reconstruction of intracellular action potentials from non-invasive extracellular recordings in cardiomyocytes and neurons. He has authored 10 peer-reviewed publications, including a first- author paper in Nature Communications and a co-authored paper in Nature Nanotechnology, and has a pending patent. Committed to leadership and outreach, Rahmani has mentored over 50 graduate and undergraduate students. He has received multiple honors, including a $50,000 Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind Innovative Research Grant and a Best Poster nomination at the Materials Research Society Meeting. Ultimately, Rahmani aims to build a comprehensive, AI-driven pipeline - from drug selection to patient monitoring - to deliver proactive, physiology-guided therapies that advance personalized cardiac care.

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