Debra Auguste
Professor,
Chemical Engineering
Contact
- d.auguste@northeastern.edu
- 335 ISEC
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Office
- 327 ISEC
- 617.373.6243
Lab
- 360 ISEC
Research Focus
Bioresponsive drug delivery; cell and tissue engineering; tissue architecture; targeted therapeutics; breast cancer
About
Joined the Chemical Engineering Department in Fall 2016.
Education
- 2005 PhD in Chemical Engineering, Princeton University
- 1999 SB in Chemical Engineering, MIT
Honors & Awards
- 2022 Outstanding Faculty Service Award
- 2020 American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Fellow
- 2018 Biomedical Engineering Society Fellow
- 2012 Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE)
- 2012 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
- 2011 NSF CAREER Award
- 2010 Participant, National Academy of Engineering, Frontiers of Engineering Meeting
- 2010 Named 50 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology
- 2009 DARPA Young Faculty Award
- 2007 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program Award
Leadership Positions
- Board of Directors, Biomedical Engineering Society
Professional Affiliations
- American Chemical Society
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- Biomedical Engineering Society
- Materials Research Society
Research Overview
Bioresponsive drug delivery; cell and tissue engineering; tissue architecture; targeted therapeutics; breast cancer
Auguste Lab for Bioresponsive Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering
Our lab engineers solutions to address current challenges in medicine. We design, synthesize, and evaluate new biomaterials that change the way we deliver drugs and cells. These materials exhibit cooperative or heterogeneous features, exemplified in nature.
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- P. Guo, J. Yang, D. Liu, L. Huang, G. Fell, J. Huang, M.A. Moses, D.T. Auguste, Dual Complementary Liposomes Inhibit Triple-Negative Breast Tumor Progression and Metastasis, Science Advances, 5(3), 2019, eaav5010
- D.E. Large, J.R. Soucy, J. Hebert, D.T. Auguste, Advances in Receptor-Mediated, Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery, Advanced Therapeutics, 2018
- P. Guo, D. Liu, K. Subramanyam, B. Wang, J. Yang, J. Huang D.T. Auguste, M.A. Moses, Nanoparticle Elasticity Directs Tumor Uptake, Nature Communications, 9(130), 2018
- D. Liu, D.T. Auguste, Peptide Density Targets and Impedes Triple Negative Breast Cancer Metastasis, Nature Communications, 9, 2018, 2612
- P. Guo, B. Wang, D. Liu, J. Yang, K. Subramanyam, C. McCarthy, J. Hebert, M. Moses, D.T. Auguste, Using Atomic Force Microscopy to Predict Tumor Specificity of ICAM1 Antibody-Directed Nanomedicines, Nano Letters, 18, 2018, 2254-2262
- P. Guo, J. Yang, D. Jia, M.A. Moses, D.T. Auguste, ICAM-1-Targeted, Lcn2 siRNA-Encapsulated Liposomes are Potent Anti-Angiogenic Agents for Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Theranostics, 6, 2016, 1-13
- D. Liu, D.T. Auguste, Cancer Targeted Therapeutics: From Molecules to Drug Delivery Vehicles, Journal of Controlled Release, 219, 2015, 632-643
- B. Wang, P. Guo, D.T. Auguste, Mapping the CXCR4 Receptor on Breast Cancer Cells, Biomaterials, 57, 2015, 161-8
- T.T. Ho, J.O. You, D.T. Auguste, siRNA Delivery Impedes the Temporal Expression of Cytokine-Activated VCAM1 on Endothelial Cells, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2015, 1-8
Feb 04, 2025
Auguste and Hung’s Research Featured on Cover of Langmuir
ChE Professor Debra Auguste and Associate Professor Francisco Hung’s research on “Effects of Lipid Headgroups on the Mechanical Properties and In Vitro Cellular Internalization of Liposomes” was featured as a supplementary journal cover of Langmuir.
Dec 10, 2024
ChE Student Makes the Most of Research Opportunities
Madeline Szoo, E’25, chemical engineering and biochemistry, has used research to discover her interests, working in multiple labs during her undergraduate career. Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the Trail Blazer PEAK Experience Award and the Stabile Scholarship from the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi.
Jan 30, 2024
2024 Goldwater Scholarship Nominees
Maya De Los Santos, electrical and computer engineering, Kaitlyn Ramesh, bioengineering, and Madeline Szoo, chemical engineering and biochemistry, were nominated for the 2024 Barry Goldwater Scholarship—a highly competitive, merit-based award for outstanding students in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering who are interested in pursuing careers in research.
Sep 21, 2023
NASA Receives Decadal Survey on Biological, Physical Sciences Research
ChE Professor Debra Auguste participated in a NASA Decadal panel that was featured in Science, Space.com, WMFE Orlando/NPR, Gizmodo, Space News, Space Policy Online, Aviation Week, Tech Times, Trill Magazine, […]
Feb 16, 2023
2023 Goldwater Scholarship Nominees
Siddharth Simon, E’24, computer engineering and computer science, and Madeline Szoo, E’25, chemical engineering and biochemistry, were nominated for the 2023 Barry Goldwater Scholarship.
Sep 16, 2022
New Techniques of Treating Breast Cancer
ChE Professor Debra Auguste is developing a new targeted approach to treating triple-negative breast cancer–a form of the disease more prevalent in younger women, with a higher rate of mortality among African American women. By using ultra-deformable liposomes, drugs intended to combat the cancer can be applied to the source with more accuracy, increasing their effectiveness.
May 18, 2022
Summer 2022 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Summer 2022 PEAK Experiences Awards from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Apr 15, 2022
Faculty and Staff Awards 2022
Congratulations to all the winners of the faculty and staff awards, and to everyone for their hard work and dedication during the 2021-2022 academic school year.
Oct 12, 2021
Fall 2021 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Fall 2021 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Apr 20, 2021
FY22 TIER 1 Award Recipients
Congratulations to the 17 COE faculty and affiliates who were recipients of FY22 TIER 1 Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grants for 11 different projects.