Abstract

Insulin-producing beta cells are crucial for maintaining blood glucose homeostasis. However, inflammatory processes unique to chronic pancreatitis and type 1 diabetes can damage and ultimately destroy these vital cells, resulting in blood glucose dysregulation. By leveraging the convergence of biology, immunology, and materials science—including nanotechnology—physiological trigger-responsive polymeric biomaterials can be developed to precisely modulate inflammatory responses. This seminar will explore how rationally designed biomaterials can halt destructive processes and establish anti-inflammatory niches that support the sustained viability and function of native or transplanted beta cells, addressing pressing clinical challenges.

Biography

Dr. Jacqueline Burke received her BS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2017 and her MS/PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University in 2022. Following her graduate studies, Dr. Burke pursued entrepreneurial ventures alongside Research Assistant Professor appointments, first in Pharmacology at the University of Illinois Chicago and now in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University.

She was invited to pitch at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for Science2Startup 2023, an exhibition of the top 10 up-and-coming scientist-entrepreneurs from the world’s leading research institutions. Alongside founders Professor Jeffrey Hubbell and Professor Evan Scott, she started AbbVie Ventures-funded SNC Therapeutics, Inc., a startup company focused on therapeutic delivery, where she currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer.

At Northwestern, Dr. Burke leads the Tolerance Lab, which focuses on leveraging foundational principles in biomaterials and immunoengineering to develop translational solutions for type 1 diabetes and transplantation rejection. The lab also emphasizes cultivating the next generation of conscientious biomedical engineers.

Dr. Burke’s contributions have been recognized with the Diversifying Diabetes Research Talent in Academia Award (2023) from BreakthroughT1D (formerly JDRF) and the Accelerator Award (2023) from the Chicago Biomedical Consortium. Her interdisciplinary approach combines biomaterials, nanotechnology, and immunology to drive innovative therapies while fostering inclusivity and excellence in biomedical engineering.