Our Team
Sarah Nick, PhD | Technical Advisor
Sarah has over six years of academic research experience in both independent and collaborative projects as a bioengineer. Her technical expertise spans biomaterials, microbiology, and computational protein design, with an emphasis on medical devices and challenges specific to healthcare.
Sarah has experience collaborating with researchers and physicians across broad scientific disciplines, particularly specializing in novel therapeutic approaches to address the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria. As a graduate student, she was awarded a training grant by the Institute of Translational Health Sciences to develop a functionalized gauze for the controlled release of peptides at a wound site. This work resulted in a first author publication, national and international conference presentations, and the filing of a patent application.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University and a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington. Her graduate research focused on the use of biomaterials to prevent the formation of clinical bacterial biofilms by inhibiting amyloid formation with computationally designed peptides. She also investigated these peptides in the context of Alzheimer’s disease, with potential implications for the elucidation of disease mechanisms.
Outside of work, Sarah is an avid skier and runner, and recently completed a 5-month thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.
EDUCATION
BS Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University
PhD, Bioengineering, University of Washington
PUBLICATIONS
Co-author, Layer-by-layer functionalized gauze with designed α-sheet peptides inhibits E. coli and S. aureus biofilm formation, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A 2025, 113(3):e37879.
Co-author, Designed de novo α-sheet peptides destabilize bacterial biofilms and increase the susceptibility of E. coli and S. aureus to antibiotics, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024, 25(13):7024.
Co-author, De novo-designed transmembrane proteins bind and regulate a cytokine receptor, Nature Chemical Biology, 2024 20(6):751-760.
Co-author, Oral azithromycin use and the recovery of lung function from pulmonary exacerbations treated with intravenous tobramycin or colistimethate in adults with cystic fibrosis, Annals of the American Thoracic Society 2019, 16(7):853-860.