Department of Bioengineering Annual Report 2025-2026
Table of Contents
- Department Head’s Address
- Cancer Center at Illinois’ NCI Designation
- Undergraduate Programs
- Bioengineering at Illinois: Imaging Pioneers
- Department Research
- New Faculty & Staff
- Department Honors
- Alumni Spotlight
- Bioengineering Partners
- Undergraduate Program News
- Graduate Professional Programs
- Graduate Program News
- Support Our Department
Department Head Address
Dear Bioengineering Community,
This past year has been one of change and progress in bioengineering. Our department has added faculty, opened new research space, and continued to expand the frontiers of our discipline.
We were proud to add Professors Andrew Webb, Natsumi Komatsu, and Will Newman to our ranks. All bring unique expertise and will be integral parts of the department as we build to the future. In addition, Mindy Kinney has joined us as Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs and will be an excellent leader for our Bioengineering, Neural Engineering, and CS+ BioE degrees. With record enrollments and research funding, we will be hiring again this fall.
Bioengineering at Illinois continues to lead in research. The department is currently involved in three ARPA-H awards. Professor Stephen Boppart is in the second year of his MarginDx program, developing a robotic surgical assistant to reduce repeat operations in cancer patients. Professor Rohit Bhargava continues work on his tumor modeling system, developing a platform to create and test individualized cancer treatments. Professor Sergei Maslov is part of a project harnessing phages to transform the way we fight harmful bacteria. These projects are just some of the many ambitious ideas that the department hopes to expand on to revolutionize human health.
We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to former Department Head Mark Anastasio. Professor Anastasio led the department for seven years, through times that were tumultuous for the academic world. Through it all, his steady guidance and research-focused philosophy kept us on track and growing. Under his leadership, the department expanded our pool of undergraduates, grew our number of faculty, and increased our national recognition. We thank Professor Anastasio for his hard work and dedication, and wish him all the best in his next chapter.
As we reflect, I want to take this opportunity to thank our community. The support we’ve received from our alumni, faculty, staff, The Grainger College of Engineering and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has enabled us to continue our trajectory of growth. With your support, I know we can continue to innovate, revolutionizing bioengineering and the science of human health.
In this report are a few of the highlights from what has been an outstanding year. Thank you for being a part of Bioengineering at Illinois, and we look forward to connecting with you more in the coming year.
Cancer Center at Illinois Earns Prestigious National Cancer Institute Designation
This past year year, the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) was designated as a Basic Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This national recognition places CCIL among the nation’s most elite cancer research institutions and affirms the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s excellence in merging oncology, engineering, and basic science. “This designation recognizes the unique approach of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to transforming healthcare and is a moment of celebration for our entire community,” said Rohit Bhargava, the Phillip and Ann Sharp Director of the Cancer Center at Illinois and Professor of bioengineering. “It affirms the quality of our research and the unwavering commitment of our members to transform how we understand, detect, and treat cancer.”
$935K
Research expenditures
per tenure-track faculty
$18.3M
Total research expenditures
Top 20
Undergraduate and graduate programs,
as ranked by U.S. News and World Report
Undergraduate Programs
Bioengineering at Illinois is at the forefront of undergraduate education. In a remarkably short time, our department has doubled its undergraduate student population, a testament to our quality and growth. In addition to bioengineering, the department offers two other novel degree programs: our first-in-the-nation Neural Engineering program, and our blended Computer Science + Bioengineering program.
Our First-in-the-Nation Neural Engineering Program
Bioengineering at Illinois strives to lead in undergraduate education. Nothing exemplifies this better than our Neural Engineering degree. Designed to forge the next generation of changemakers, the Neural Engineering degree prepares students to make waves in this emerging field. Our program emphasizes practical experience. Graduates will have experience conducting market research, developing working prototype devices or processes, building effective teamwork and technical communication strategies, and a rich understanding of intellectual property, quality, human factors, FDA regulation, professionalism, and ethics.
Our Innovative Blended Computer Science + Bioengineering Program
From Artificial Intelligence to the big data revolution, computer science is revolutionizing the field of bioengineering. Bioengineering at Illinois prepares our students to be at the forefront with our cutting edge blended Computer Science + Bioengineering Degree Program. With an emphasis on practical training, CS + BIOE graduates will be particularly suited to pursue employment as data scientists, engineers, artificial intelligence specialists and more in the rapidly growing sectors of healthcare information technology and bioinformatics.
Bioengineering at Illinois:
Imaging Pioneers
Imaging has been at the heart of Illinois' mission since before the department's inception. Researchers at Illinois, in the Department of Bioengineering, and across The Grainger College of Engineering have been instrumental in pivotal advancements such as ultrasound and MRI. Paul Lauterbur, a bioengineering affiliate professor, even received a Nobel Prize for his work in MRI. See how our department is continuing the legacy of those pioneers below.
Delivering a MarginDx Prototype: A Look Inside with Stephen Boppart
Two years ago, the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced an up to $33 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) for an end-to-end solution that will drastically improve surgical outcomes for cancer tumor removal. The project, Margin Diagnostics (MarginDx), combines optical imaging technologies with AI screening tools to ensure, in real time, that tumor tissue and cells are completely removed during surgery. Stephen Boppart, a professor of bioengineering and electrical and computer engineering at Illinois and director of IHSI, is the principal investigator for the multi-team project.
Department Research
The Department of Bioengineering continues to push the forefronts of scientific discovery. From cancer vaccines to nanorobotics, our department is on the cutting edge of discovery in emerging fields across the discipline. See some of our most impactful stories below, and visit our website for even more ways Bioengineering at Illinois is shaping the future.
Grainger Engineers Advance Field of Biohybrid Robotics
A team led by bioengineering Professor and Dean of The Grainger College of Engineering Rashid Bashir, with lead author Hyegi Min, has created the first biohybrid robots powered by neurons activating muscle tissue mimicking natural neuromuscular function. By integrating genetically modified neurons, muscle strips, and wireless micro-LEDs, the robots crawled forward and even showed signs of learning, continuing to move after stimulation stopped. The advance extends robot lifespan and opens doors to applications in disease modeling, drug testing, and future autonomous biohybrid machines.
$76K+
Average salary of a 2024 Bioengineering B.S. Graduate
99%
Bioengineering graduates secured first choice destination
569
B.S. students
207
M.S./M.Eng./Ph.D. students
100%
Undergraduate enrollment growth since 2018-2019
57%
Women in undergraduate class
23
Tenure-track faculty
7
Teaching faculty
7
Research faculty
94
Undergraduate degrees awarded in 2023-2024
66
Graduate degrees awarded in 2023-2024
- Bioengineering News
- March 24, 2026
New Faculty and Staff
Bioengineering at Illinois continues to grow. This year, we're proud to add three new faculty members and a new staff member to our team: Andrew Webb, Natsumi Komatsu, Will Newman, and Mindy Kinney. Learn more about these remarkable additions to Bioengineering at Illinois below.
- Bioengineering News
- August 12, 2026
- Bioengineering News
- June 9, 2026
- Bioengineering News
- June 1, 2026
- Bioengineering News
- February 26, 2026
Department Honors
This year, faculty from Bioengineering at Illinois continue to be recognized as leaders in the field. Prestigious societies such as the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the National Academy of Inventors, the Biomedical Engineering Society, and more have continued to elevate and support the important work done at Illinois every day. See more of our department's accolades below.
Five Illinois Bioengineering Faculty Elected to AIMBE College of Fellows
The Department of Bioengineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is proud to announce that five faculty members have been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows. Professors Yang Liu, Viktor Gruev, Mark Cohen, Michael L. Oelze and Cunjiang Yu earned this prestigious recognition and were formally inducted during AIMBE’s annual meeting. “Let’s congratulate our new AIMBE Fellows for their scholarship and impact,” said Professor Shuming Nie, Interim Department Head of Bioengineering.
Alumni Spotlight
Our alumni continue to make an impressive impact across industry and academia. This year, we are proud to highlight Soundarya Sivakumar, Joan Daye, and Joseph Tibbs.
I came to the University of Illinois with a dream of studying Bioengineering. My time at Illinois has been shaped by interdisciplinary learning, meaningful collaborations, and experiences that challenged me to grow both personally and professionally. After graduation, I will be joining Abbott’s Operations Professional Development Program, where I will rotate across different roles and product divisions. I’m eager to apply the skills developed through college in a real-world setting to develop life-changing healthcare technology that is sustainable and accessible.
Soundarya Sivakumar
B.S. 2026
The Bioengineering M.Eng. program at Illinois gave me the technical foundation and confidence to pursue work at the intersection of materials and biology. From hands-on work with my undergrads in senior design to the technical courses in industry practices and medical challenges, I was able to develop skills that translate directly into my future career. I am now joining CoorsTek as an R&D Engineer in Golden, Colorado, where I’ll be working in advanced ceramics and materials development with long-term goals of moving into bioceramics and biomaterials research.
Joan Daye
M.Eng. 2026
I got my PhD in bioengineering, which gave me a grounding in modern biomolecular sensing and microscopy methods. However, I also participated in research on engineering education and received a minor in college teaching. Having the flexibility to pursue my interests allowed me to build a degree that worked in my favor when I applied to teaching faculty positions. I’m happy to say I've been hired as an assistant teaching professor in the First Year Engineering program at Northeastern University, and I'm excited to help train the next generation of engineers!
Joseph Tibbs
Ph.D. 2026
Bioengineering Partners
Interdisciplinary collaboration is central to the mission of the Department of Bioengineering. We deeply value our partnerships with other departments and research units across The Grainger College of Engineering and beyond. Our relationships with the Cancer Center at Illinois and Carle Illinois College of Medicine are especially close. We share faculty, lab space, and a common goal of pushing the boundaries of what is possible in medical science. Learn more about these partner institutions below.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Carle Illinois College of Medicine — the world’s first engineering-based college of medicine — was born from The Grainger College of Engineering. Through its partnership with the Department of Bioengineering, CI MED reimagines medical education by integrating engineering, AI, design thinking, and clinical practice into a problem-solving curriculum.
CI MED advances patient-centered innovation through initiatives that expand access and improve outcomes, including the Translational Oncology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, which uniquely combines cancer, endocrine, and regenerative medicine research to accelerate new cell therapies. The Rural Health Innovation & Rural Engagement (HIRE) Hub is creating a statewide, rural-first platform to unite partnerships, data, innovation, and workforce strategies to improve health in rural Illinois.
CI MED also leads globally through the Global Consortium of Innovation and Engineering in Medicine, now comprising more than 40 institutions across six continents. Its annual Global Summit showcases bold ideas and student-led innovations, with CI MED teams earning top global honors.
Together with Bioengineering, Carle Illinois equips future Physician Innovators to lead with creativity, compassion, and global impact.
Cancer Center at Illinois
Purpose-Driven Science: Illinois Is Leading the Fight Against Cancer
Founded in 2011 on a bold idea, the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) is the world's first engineering-led cancer research center, uniting more than 130 faculty across engineering, computing and AI, veterinary medicine, and the life and physical sciences to transform how cancer is detected, understood, and treated.
In April 2026, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated the CCIL as a Basic Cancer Center, the first such designation granted in nearly 40 years and the only one in Illinois. The recognition affirms 15+ years of sustained investment and opens new opportunities to accelerate the path from laboratory discovery to treatments that help real people. Unlike clinical cancer centers, NCI Basic Cancer Centers drive foundational science that yields innovations such as blood-based cancer detection, AI-powered diagnostic imaging, personalized therapy models, and faster, safer drugs.
Beyond research, the CCIL prepares the next generation of cancer researchers through immersive learning experiences spanning K-12, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and community programs, with more than 250 students participating each year.
This is science built to matter.
Undergraduate Program News
High School Visitation Program Fosters Mentorship and Community
The High School Visitation Program aims to foster a sense of community and encourage students to pursue STEM careers. Sophia Witola Reyes, NSBE President and bioengineering undergraduate, was inspired to participate when she encountered HSV in high school. “Often, students don’t pursue STEM not because they’re incapable, but because they haven’t had the chance to picture themselves in that space yet.”
Mobile Bioengineering Lab Earns GIANT Grant from IDEA Institute
The student-led Mobile Bioengineering Lab, founded by senior Katie Zobus through the Biomedical Engineering Journal Club, has earned a GIANT grant from the Grainger IDEA Institute to expand its K–12 outreach. The program brings hands-on workshops in genetics, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering to middle school classrooms, helping spark early interest in STEM. With new workshops planned for 2025–26 and an additional partner school, the initiative continues to grow, making complex science accessible and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
Graduate Professional Programs
The graduate professional programs in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are preparing the next generation of industry leaders. Offered in-person and online, these fast-paced programs combine hands-on learning, industry engagement, and innovative curriculum with Illinois' world-renowned engineering expertise to prepare graduates to lead advances in bioengineering and healthcare.
Engineering Health. Advancing Careers.
Master of Science in Biomedical Image Computing
Biomedical image computing is a fast-growing, interdisciplinary field focused on the formation and analysis of biomedical images and the development of imaging systems using computational and data-driven methods. With rapid advances in AI and computing, there is increasing demand for professionals skilled in imaging, high-performance computing, and AI. The Master of Science in Biomedical Image Computing, offered in-person and online, provides focused training at this exciting intersection.
Master of Engineering in Bioengineering
Designed for engineers and scientists seeking careers in the health care industry, this one-year professional master’s program prepares students to become industry leaders. The curriculum blends rigorous engineering coursework with foundational business skills. Graduates are driving innovation across health-related industries using a unique combination of bioengineering and business perspectives. With concentrations in Bioinstrumentation and General Bioengineering, the program is offered both in-person and online.
Graduate Program News
Department of Bioengineering Holds Inaugural Graduate Awards Ceremony
The Department of Bioengineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, held its first graduate awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 22nd. The event will be held annually to recognize the extraordinary work its graduate students do every day. Professor Wawrzyniec Dobrucki, Associate Head of Graduate Programs, presided over the event. “A good graduate student is like a four-leaf clover,” said Professor Dobrucki. “Rare, remarkable, and a little bit magical. This ceremony reminded us just how fortunate we are to have so many of them. The graduate student awards are a reflection of everything our program stands for, and I couldn’t be more proud of what our students are achieving.”
Bioengineering Celebrates Spark Award Winners
- Bioengineering News
- February 3, 2026
3
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
Bioengineering
Neural Engineering
CS+BioE
4
GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
PhD in Bioengineering
MS in Bioengineering
MS in Biomedical Image Computing
Master of Engineering in Bioengineering
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