Click here for full version of my CV (PDF file).

EDUCATION

Cornell University (Ithaca, NY USA)

B.S., Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, May 2001 (Magna Cum Laude)

Minor in Materials Science and Engineering

University of Cambridge (Cambridge, United Kingdom)

M. Phil., Biotechnology (Biological Sciences), Oct. 2002 (Advisor: Electra Gizeli)

University of California at Berkeley (Berkeley, CA USA)

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Aug. 2007 (Advisors: David Schaffer/Kevin Healy)

Minor in Neuroscience

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research / M.I.T. (Cambridge, MA USA)

Postdoctoral Fellow, Sept. 2007 - current (Advisor: Rudolf Jaenisch)

Harvard University, J.F.K. School of Government (Cambridge, MA USA)

Science, Technology and Society Fellow, Sept. 2009 - current (Advisor: Sheila Jasanoff)

RESEARCH POSITIONS

2007-current

Jaenisch Group, Whitehead Institute / M.I.T.

2009-current

Science, Technology and Society Fellow, Harvard University

2002-2007

Schaffer & Healy Groups, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Depts., U.C. Berkeley. 

Designed synthetic polymeric materials to control stem cell behavior.

2001-2002

Electra Gizeli Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Biological Sciences Dept., Univ. of Cambridge.

Developed, modeled, and conducted experiments on acoustic biosensors.

1998-2001

Shefford Baker Group, Materials Science Dept., Cornell Univ.

Investigated mechanical behavior of metal thin films.

1999

Summer Research Intern, Catalyst Research & Development Dept., Mobil Chemical, Edison, NJ.

Tested polyethylene polymerization mechanisms with various catalysts.

AWARDS

2009-2014      

Society in Science: Branco Weiss Fellow

2009

Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual Postdoctoral National Research Service (F32) Award (declined)

2008

Whitehead Educational Award

2006

First Place in Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy White Paper Competition

2006

Outstanding poster presentation at Bay Area Neuroscience Gathering, San Francisco, CA

2005-2007

Graduate Research & Education in Adaptive bioTechnology (GREAT) Training Grant Recipient

2005

Graduate Student Award from Materials Research Society (Silver)

2001-2005

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (deferred for 2002-05)

2003

Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship Finalist

2001-2002

Winston Churchill Scholarship

2001

J. William Fulbright Graduate Student Award for United Kingdom (declined)

2000

Barry F. Goldwater Scholarship

1999-2000

Undergraduate Materials Research Initiative Award from Materials Research Society

1999 & 2000

BP Amoco Research Prize

1998-2000

Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship

SELECTED OTHER POSITIONS

2010

Hinxton Group member, Executive Committee - “Proprietary Challenges in Stem Cell Research”

2008

Participant in the European Science & Society Summer School -

Deconstructing and Reconstructing Life: From Classification to Design

2008

Steering Committee for “Institutional Landscape in Stem Cell Research: Problems & Solutions”

workshop at UC Berkeley on 6th February, 2008

2005-

Member, International Society for Stem Cell Research

2003-2007

Member, American Institute of Chemical Engineers

2003-2006

Member, Materials Research Society

2002-2003

Member, American Chemical Society

2000-2001

Academic Assistant, Biological Eng. Dept., Cornell Univ.

Helped edit Biological and Bioenvironmental Heat and Mass Transfer by A.K. Datta. Marcel Dekker, Inc., (2002).

2000

Process Engineering Intern, Technical Dept., ExxonMobil Refining Co.

Worked at a refinery on the delayed coker process unit.

PUBLICATIONS

Link

PATENTS

Saha K., Mei Y., Bogatyrev S.R., Anderson D.G., Jaenisch R., Langer R.S., Alexander M., Davies M., Yang J., Kastrup C.J., and Urquhart A. “Substrates and Methods for Culturing Stem Cells.” U.S. Patent Application 61/171,175 (pending).

Healy K.E., Irwin E.F., Pollock J.F., Schaffer D.V., Saha K., Li Y., and Wall S. “Controlling Stem Cell Destiny with Tunable, Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (sIPNs).” U.S. Patent Application 60/666,734 (pending).

Healy K.E., S. Wall, and Saha K. Polypeptide-Polymer Conjugates and Methods of Use Thereof” U.S. Patent Application 61/040,556 (pending).

SELECTED ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Saha K. (2011) Invited. “Engineering pluripotent stem cells using new models and biomaterials.” Biomedical Engineering Seminar, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI; NIH Stem Cell Symposium, Bethesda, MD; Institute of Bioengineering Seminar, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Bioengineering Seminar, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Biology Seminar, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.

Saha K., Hanna J., Pando B., van Oudenaarden A., and R. Jaenisch (2011) “Modeling epigenetic reprogramming of mammalian cells.” International Conference on Biomolecular Engineering, San Francisco, CA.

Saha K., Mei Y., Langer R.S., Jaenisch R., and D.G. Anderson (2010) “Combinatorial Development of Synthetic Polymeric Substrates for Clonal Growth of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.” Annual Meeting of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Salt Lake City, UT.

Saha K., Hanna J., Pando B., van Oudenaarden A., and R. Jaenisch (2010) “Direct Reprogramming as a Random Drift in Cell State.” Annual Meeting of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Salt Lake City, UT.

Saha K. (2010) “Opening Stem Cell Research and Development: A Policy Proposal for the Management of Data, Intellectual Property, and Ethics.” Annual Meeting of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Salt Lake City, UT.

Saha K. (2010) Invited. “Direct reprogramming of mammalian cells to pluripotent states.” Singapore Stem Cell Consortium, Institute of Medical Biology, Biopolis. Singapore.

Saha K. (2010) Invited. “Constructing and deconstructing diseases in a dish for translational medicine.” National University of Singapore; Science, Technology & Society cluster. Singapore.

Saha K., Mei Y., Langer R.S., Jaenisch R., and D.G. Anderson (2010) “Combinatorial Development of Synthetic Polymeric Substrates for Clonal Growth of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.” Annual Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society, Austin, TX.

Saha K., Hanna J., Pando B., van Oudenaarden A., and R. Jaenisch (2010) “Direct Reprogramming as a Random Drift in Cell State.” Annual Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society, Austin, TX.

Saha K. (2010) Invited. “Induced pluripotent stem cells as a source of tissue for transplantation.” Swiss Transplantation Society 2010 Congress. Interlaken, Switzerland.

Saha K. (2009) “Direct cell reprogramming is a stochastic process amenable to acceleration.” Reprogramming Cell Fate: Basic Biology and Medical Perspectives. IFOM-IEO Campus, Milan, Italy

Saha K. (2009) Invited. “Constructing and deconstructing diseases in a dish.” Science, Technology and Society Circle. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

Saha K., and Winickoff D.E. (2008) “Opening Life Science Research and Development: Integrative Management of Data, IP and Ethics in Stem Cells.” Seventh Annual Meeting of the Science and Democracy Network, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

Saha K., Graff G., and Winickoff D.E. (2007) Invited. “A proposal for navigating the technical, intellectual property, and ethical domains of a complex and controversial field.” Stanford Program on Stem Cells in Society Lecture Series, Palo Alto, CA.

Saha K., Healy K.E., and Schaffer D.V. (2006) "Highly tunable synthetic hydrogels for neural stem cell control." Annual Meeting of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, San Fran., CA.

Saha K. and D.V. Schaffer (2006) "Signal dynamics in Sonic hedgehog tissue patterning." Annual Meeting of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, San Francisco, CA.

Saha K., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2006) “Tunable interfacial hydrogels for control of neural stem cell fate." American Vacuum Society 53rd International Symposium, San Francisco, CA.

Saha K. and D.V. Schaffer (2006) Invited. “Signal dynamics in Sonic hedgehog tissue patterning." British Society for Developmental Biology Autumn Meeting, Dundee, Scotland.

Saha K. and D.V. Schaffer (2006) "Biomimetic hydrogels for stem cell control." Invitrogen Internal Seminar, Carlsbad, CA.

Saha K., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2005) "Bioactive hydrogels for control of stem cell function." Materials Research Society Spring Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Saha K., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2005) "Bioactive hydrogels for control of stem cell function." American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

Saha K., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2004) "Bioactive hydrogels for control of stem cell function." Annual Meeting of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Austin, TX.

Saha K., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2004) "Bioactive hydrogels for control of stem cell function." 7th World Congress of Biomaterials, Sydney, Australia.

Saha K. and E. Gizeli (2002) "Probing the viscoelasticity of protein layers with acoustic waveguide devices." 202nd Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Saha K. and S. Baker (2000) "Effects of adhesion and stacking fault energy on the thermomechanical behavior of thin copper films passivated with metal nitrides."  Cornell Undergrad. Research Board Forum.

SELECTED POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Saha K., Hanna J., Pando B., van Oudenaarden A., and Jaenisch R. (2010) "Quantitative models and landscapes of reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotency." International Society for Stem Cell Research Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Saha K., Hanna J., Pando B., van Zon J., Lengner C., Creyghton M., van Oudenaarden A., and Jaenisch R. (2010) "Distinct modes of accelerating the stochastic process of direct reprogramming." Keystone Symposia, Keystone, CO.

Saha K., Mei Y., Bogatyrev S.R., Yang J., Kalcioglu Z.I., Cho S.W., Mitalipova M., Pyzocha N., van Vliet K., Davies M.C., Alexander M.R., Langer R., Anderson D.G., Jaenisch R. (2009) "High Throughput Development of Biomaterials for Clonal Growth of Human Embryonic Stem Cells." International Society for Stem Cell Research Annual Meeting, Barcelona, Spain.

Saha K., Graff G., and Winickoff D.E. (2008) “An Interdisciplinary Public Consortium for Stem Cell Research.” Stem Cell Summit, Boston, MA. This poster has also been presented by my coauthors at other venues: 2008 Association of University Technology Managers Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, and 2008 Gordon Research Conference on Science and Technology Policy, Big Sky, MT.

Saha K., Miller L., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2006) "Synthetic hydrogels for stem cell control." International Society for Stem Cell Research Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada.

Saha K., Miller L., Schaffer D.V., and Healy K.E. (2006) " Synthetic hydrogels for stem cell control." U.C. Berkeley Stem Cell Retreat, Asilomar, CA.

Saha K., Irwin E.F., Kozhukh J., Healy K.E., and Schaffer D.V. (2006) “Synthetic hydrogels for neural stem cell control.” Bay Area Neuroscience Gathering, San Francisco, CA.

Saha K., Irwin E.F., Kozhukh J., Healy K.E., and Schaffer D.V. (2005) “Synthetic hydrogels for stem cell control.” Biocompatibility Gordon Research Conference, New Hampshire.

Saha K. and E. Gizeli (2002) "Probing the viscoelasticity of biological layers with acoustic waveguide devices." Seventh World Congress of Biosensors - Biosensors 2002, Kyoto, Japan.

Saha K., Shu J., and Baker S. (2001) "Interfacial control of plasticity in silver thin films." Sixth International Workshop on Stress-Induced Phenomena in Metallizations, Ithaca, NY.

SELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCE / OUTREACH

2011

Lecturer for Harvard Business School reunion event, “Biotech Revolution Comes to Cambridge”

2011

Advisory committee member for ethics education website of the Canadian Stem Cell Network

2008-2010

Whitehead Partner in Whitehead's Partnership for Science Education program

2005

Graduate Student Instructor, ChemE. Mass Transfer & Separations Course, U.C. Berkeley

2004

Graduate Student Instructor, ChemE. Reactor Kinetics Course, U.C. Berkeley

2002-2003

Bear Trax: Youth tennis coach

2002-2003

Foreign Student Conversation Partner, UC Berkeley International House

2000-2001

Encourage Youth Educate Society (EYES) Team Leader / Coordinator

2000

Youth basketball coach

SELECTED COLLABORATORS

Alexander van Oudenaarden (Physics), Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ryan C. Hayward (Polymer Science), University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Martyn Davies (Pharmacy), University of Nottingham (U.K.)

Morgan Alexander (Pharmacy), University of Nottingham (U.K.)

Sach Mukherjee (Statistics), University of Warwick (U.K.)

David E. Winickoff (Bioethics), University of California, Berkeley

Gregory D. Graff (Economics/Entrepreneurship), Colorado State University

J. Benjamin Hurlbut (Science Technology and Society), Arizona State University

Postdoctoral Advisors

Rudolf Jaenisch (Biology), Whitehead Institute & Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Daniel G. Anderson (Chemical Engineering), Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Robert Langer (Chemical Engineering), Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sheila Jasanoff (Public Policy), Harvard University

Graduate Advisors

David V. Schaffer (Chemical Engineering), University of California, Berkeley

Kevin E. Healy (Materials Science/Bioengineering), University of California, Berkeley

Electra Gizeli (Biotechnology), University of Crete (formerly at University of Cambridge)