Ryan Koppes
Associate Professor,
Chemical Engineering
Affiliated Faculty,
Bioengineering
Center Member,
Cross-College Magnetics Center
Office
- 339 Mugar
- 617.373.8547
Lab
- 111 Mugar
- 617.373.8161
Research Focus
Neural interface technology, tissue engineering, and musculoskeletal biomechanics
About
Joined the Chemical Engineering Department in Fall 2015.
Education
- PhD (2013) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Biomedical Engineering
- MS (2010) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Biomedical Engineering, area of concentration: Muscle Tissue Engineering
- BS (2008) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Biomedical Engineering, area of concentration: Biomaterials
Honors & Awards
- 2025 COE Faculty Fellow
- NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators
- Gilda Barbino Excellence in Mentoring Award
Professional Affiliations
- American Society for Mechanical Engineers
- Biophysical Society
- Biomedical Engineering Society
- Materials Research Society
Research Overview
Neural interface technology, tissue engineering, and musculoskeletal biomechanics
Laboratory for Neuromodulation and Neuromuscular Repair
We study the physical bridge between cells and electronics to improve nerve gap and prosthetic technologies. We’re also interested in neuron interactions with the heart to help relieve the healthcare burden of heart failure. Located in Boston, our group is able to join with other top universities to collaborate on ground breaking research.
Selected Research Projects
- Engineered Probiotics for Closed-Loop Control of Disease-Associated Gut Metabolites in Gut-On-Chip Models
- – co-Principal Investigator, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
- Bioengineer Long-lasting 3D Neurovascular Microphysiological System to Model Chronic Inflammation-mediated Neurodegeneration
- – co-Principal Investigator, NASA
- Engineering multifaceted 3D human organ platforms for toxicity testing
- – Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
- Novel Transparent, Ultra-soft Neuroelectrode Arrays Based on Nanomeshing Conventional Electrode Materials
- – Co-Principal Investigator, NIH
- Bioengineer Autonomic Neurovascular System to Explore the Innervation of Vascular Grafts
- – Principal Investigator, American Heart Association
- Engineering A Humanized Gut-Enteric-Axis
- – Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- Bindas, Adam J., Kulkarni, Subhash, Koppes, Ryan A., Koppes, Abigail N. (2021). Parkinson’s Disease and the Gut: Models of an Emerging Relationship. Acta Biomaterialia, . 10.1016/J.ACTBIO.2021.03.071
- Diaz Vera, David, Soucy, Jonathan R., Lee, Audrey, Koppes, Ryan A., Koppes, Abigail N. (2021). Light irradiation of peripheral nerve cells: Wavelength impacts primary sensory neuron outgrowth in vitro. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 215,112105. 10.1016/J.JPHOTOBIOL.2020.112105
- Ventre, Daniel M., Cluff, Avery, Gagnon, Christian, Diaz Vera, David, Koppes, Ryan A., Koppes, Abigail N. (2021). The effects of low intensity focused ultrasonic stimulation on dorsal root ganglion neurons and Schwann cells in vitro. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 99(1),374-391. 10.1002/JNR.24700
- S. Hosic, W. Lake, E. Stas, R.A. Koppes, D.T. Breault, S.K. Murthy, A.N. Koppes, Cholinergic Activation of Primary Human Derived Intestinal Epithelium does not Ameliorate TNF-? Induced Injury, Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, 2020
- T. Torregrosa, S. Webster, C. Aghaizu, J. Soucy, C. Bertucci, L. Plant, A.N. Koppes, R.A. Koppes Cryopreservation and Functional Analysis of Cardiac Autonomic Neurons, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 341, 2020, 108724
- J. Snyder, C. Wang, A.Q. Zhang, Y. Li, J. Luchan, S. Hosic, R. Koppes, R.L. Carrier, A. Koppes, Materials and Microenvironments for Engineering the Intestinal Epithelium, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 48, 2020, 1916–1940
- S. Hosic, A. Bindas, M. Puzan, W. Lake, J. Soucy, F. Zhou, R.A. Koppes, D. Breault, S. Murthy, A.N. Koppes Rapid Prototyping of Multilayer Micro Physiological Systems, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 2020
- K. Nichols, R. Koppes, A. Koppes, Recent Advancements in Micro Physiological Systems for Neural Development and Disease, Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering, 14, 2020, 42-51
- A.R. Spencer, E.S. Sani, J.R. Soucy, C.C. Corbet, A. Primebetova, R.A. Koppes, N. Annabi Bioprinting of a Cell-Laden Conductive Hydrogel Composite, ACS Applied Material Interfaces, 11(34), 2019, 30518-30533
- J.R. Soucy, A.J. Bindas, A.N. Koppes, R.A. Koppes Instrumented Micro Physiological Systems for Real- Time Measurement and Manipulation of Cellular Electrochemical Processes, iScience, 21, 2019, 521-548
Jun 10, 2025
PhD Spotlight: Justin Hayes, PhD’25, Chemical Engineering
Justin Hayes, PhD’25, chemical engineering, focuses on understanding how gut microbial metabolism impacts human health. He is an inventor on the pending patent and founder and CEO of Concordance Therapeutics Inc. He was awarded the Northeastern University chapter of the National Academy of Inventors Student Innovation Impact Award.
May 12, 2025
Northeastern’s Boston Campus Hosts Inaugural Magnetics Workshop
The Inaugural NU Cross-College Magnetics Center Workshop, hosted at Northeastern’s Boston campus on May 7, 2025, brought together dozens of participants from the university’s Boston, Burlington, and Portland campuses.
Apr 07, 2025
ChE Student Receives 2025 Hodgkinson Award
Madeline Szoo, E’25, chemical engineering and biochemistry, is the recipient of a Harold D. Hodgkinson Achievement Award for 2025, one of the highest honors a senior can receive.
Mar 31, 2025
ChE PhD Student Recognized at BioEl 2025 Conference
Bryan Schellberg, PhD’25, chemical engineering, placed third in the student-talks category at the BioEl 2025 conference in Austria for his presentation “In-Situ Monitoring of Cellular Function On-Chip via Automated, Non-Invasive Luminescence Sensing.”
Mar 03, 2025
ChE PhD Student Receives 2025 AHA Predoctoral Fellowship
Selina Banerjee, PhD’26, chemical engineering, was awarded an American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship for her project “Investigating the Influence of Innervation on Arterialization Using a Humanized Neurovascular Organ Chip.” She is advised by ChE Associate Professor Ryan Koppes.
Feb 28, 2025
Research, Co-ops, and AlChE Leadership Lead to PhD
From extracurriculars to industry, academic, and clinical research, Dominic Pizzarella, E’25, chemical engineering, optimized opportunities at Northeastern. He is the recipient of the 2023-2024 Donald F. & Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Feb 07, 2025
Spring 2025 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several COE, COS, and Khoury students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Spring 2025 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Jan 30, 2025
Faculty and Staff Awards 2025
Faculty and staff were recognized at the 27th Annual College of Engineering Faculty and Staff Awards for their exceptional service and dedication in support of students, the COE community, and the university during the 2024-2025 academic year.
Dec 10, 2024
Making the Most of Research Opportunities
Madeline Szoo, E’25, chemical engineering and biochemistry, earned numerous accolades, including the Harold D. Hodgkinson Achievement Award for 2025, one of the highest honors a senior can receive, and an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Nov 15, 2024
Northeastern Nominates 6 COE Students for Prestigious Knight-Hennessy Scholarship
Alex Bender, E’20, MS’20, Matthew Coughlin, E’25, Maya De Los Santos, E’25, Jose Meza Llamosas, E’25, Dominic Pizzarella, E’25, and Daniel Sneyers Pont, E’21, MS’21, were six of eight nominated by Northeastern for the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, which develops a community of future global leaders to address complex challenges through collaboration and innovation.