Inspired by geneticists working to sequence the human genome, Felipe Quiroz found his path in bioengineering as a bridge to genetic engineering. Now an assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at Georgia Tech and Emory University, he studies a family of molecules called intrinsically disordered proteins, which play critical roles in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

In his lab, Quiroz engineers the invisible through proteins, cells, and genes to understand what is fundamentally happening inside the cell. The five-year-old lab, soon to celebrate its first cohort of graduates, brings together bioengineers, neuroscientists, chemists, and biologists working at the intersection of disciplines. His work is about impact today and for generations to come, driven by a motivation to build bridges between fields, ideas, and people. Guided by a high-risk, high-reward mentality, Quiroz’s research opens countless potential paths, advancing his field, defining new ones, and inspiring the next generation to develop the technologies of tomorrow.

Quiroz was recently featured on BME's Holy Shift! Podcast, where he revealed how his lab engineers the invisible — proteins, cells, and genes — to understand and treat diseases like Alzheimer’s. 

Listen to the full episode here >>