From Cells to Crochet: A Biomedical Engineer’s Microbial Artistry
In this episode of the "World We Want" podcast, Márcia Balisciano interviews Dr. Ana Maria Porras, Assistant Prof of Biomedical Engineering, Crochet Artist, and Science Communicator. They discuss how biomedical engineering is helping develop better treatment strategies for tropical disorders, which have historically received very little attention.
Ana Maria Porras
Dr. Ana Maria Porras is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida and serves as an IF/THEN Ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is well-known for creating crochet versions of microorganisms to reach a larger audience, particularly children in her native Colombia. She was named a UF International Center Global Fellow in 2021, a Cornell Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019-2022, and an American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow, 2015-2016. She co-founded the LatinX in Biomedical Engineering (LatinXinBME) community with Brian Aguado, a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego. Additionally, Porras has received the Society for Biomaterials Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award 2024, which recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions to the biomaterials field, mainly promoting anti-racism and fostering diversity in the STEM disciplines, especially in biomaterials. She has also been honored with the Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2024.
Dr. Porras has authored academic papers on the human microbiome, tissue engineering, biomaterials, global health, and infectious diseases. She intends to use her engineering expertise to create more complex models in the lab, bridging the gap between cells in a petri dish and animal models to test hypotheses and better understand tropical diseases through biomaterial-based approaches.
