Jessica Oakes
Associate Professor,
Bioengineering
Contact
- j.oakes@northeastern.edu
- 360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Office
- 229 ISEC
- 617.373.7080
Research Focus
Myself and my research team are passionate about uncovering cell and molecular mediated changes in respiratory function following exposure to environmental pollutants through state-of-the-art computational and experimental models. We are also interested in direct therapeutic delivery to the lungs.
Education
- 2013 University of California, San Diego, PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- 2008 Rochester Institute of Technology, MS in Mechanical Engineering
Research Overview
Myself and my research team are passionate about uncovering cell and molecular mediated changes in respiratory function following exposure to environmental pollutants through state-of-the-art computational and experimental models. We are also interested in direct therapeutic delivery to the lungs.
Selected Research Projects
- Cardiopulmonary Outcomes of Dual Cigarette and E-cigarette Use in Animal Models of Chronic Exposure
- – co-Principal Investigator, National Institute of Health
- Cardiopulmonary Risk Assessment from Smoke Exposure at the Wildland Urban Interface
- – co-Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
- Coupling MRI with Modeling to Assess Treatment Feasibility in Asthma
- – Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
- Health Consequences Following Firefighter Exposure to Wildland Fire Smoke
- – Principal Investigator, Department of Homeland Security, Federal
- Emergency Management Agency, Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program Pulmonary Health Consequences Following E-Cigarette Exposure
- – Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
Research Centers and Institutes
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- Héctor Millán Cotto+, Yasmeen M. Farra, Alex Sorenson+, Chiara Bellini, Jessica M. Oakes*. Longitudinal Electronic Cigarette Exposures Impair Respiratory Structure and Function in the Female Apoe-/- Mouse Model. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaf084
- Jessica M. Oakes*. The Utility of Hybrid In Silico Models of Airflow and Aerosol Dosimetry in the Lung. Journal of Biomechanics. 2024, 128: 112126.
- Victoria A. Williams, Luke R. Perreault, Nicholas A. Micovic, Charbel T. Yazbeck, Jessica M. Oakes*, Chiara Bellini. Impact of Wildfires on Cardiovascular Health. Circulation Research. 2024, 134: 1061-1082.
- Jacqueline Matz+, Mireia Perera Gonzalez+, Peter Niedbalski, Hannah Kim+, Michael Gollner, Chiara Bellini, Jessica M. Oakes*. Assessment of Left Lung Remodeling with Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Murine Model Following Exposure to Douglas Fir Smoke. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. 2024: 146: 071010.
- Meagan Morgan, Jacqueline Matz+, Yasmeen Farra, Alexandra Vergara-Anglim, Chiara Bellini, Jessica M. Oakes*, Sandra J. Shefelbine. E-cigarette and wildfire smoke exposure effect on bone biomechanical properties in murine models. Journal of Biomechanics. 23:162:111879. 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111879
- Jessica M. Oakes*, Israel Amirav, Josué Sznitman. Pediatric inhalation therapy and the aerodynamic rationale for age-based aerosol sizes. Expert Opinion in Drug Delivery. 20: 1037-1040. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425247.2023.2209314
May 27, 2025
Oakes Receives ISAM 2025 Young Investigator Award
BioE Associate Professor Jessica Oakes received the International Society for Aerosols in Medicine (ISAM) 2025 Young Investigator Award. This award recognizes a scientist under 40 who has made significant contributions to the field of aerosols in medicine.
Jan 24, 2025
Researchers Warn of Damaging Effects of Smoke From California Fires
Bioengineering Associate Professors Chiara Bellini and Jessica Oakes highlight the dangerous health effects of inhaling wildfire smoke. Their research provides insight into the risks the California wildfires pose for people’s respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Oct 28, 2024
Best Poster Presentation Award at Fourth Aerosol Dosimetry Meeting
Charbel Yazbeck, PhD’28, bioengineering, advised by BioE Associate Professor Jessica Oakes, was awarded the best student poster presentation at the Fourth Aerosol Dosimetry Meeting, for his poster titled “Modeling and Evaluating the Pulmonary Impacts of a Wildland Firefighting Career Through Equivalent Murine Exposure.”
Jun 03, 2024
Oakes Recognized by ASME in Top 25 Early Career Professionals
American Society of Mechanical Engineers recognized BioE Associate Professor Jessica Oakes on the Watch List of top 25 early career professionals. Her ASME magazine profile highlighted her work “What Happens When We Inhale Things?” with applications from wildfire smoke to e-cigarettes.
Aug 07, 2023
Young Scholars Program for Local High School Students Finishes Strong
High school seniors engage in diverse engineering research during Northeastern’s Young Scholars Program, mentored by COE faculty and students.
Jul 05, 2023
$3.8M NIH Award on the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Effects of E-cigarettes and Cigarettes
BioE Associate Professors Chiara Bellini and Jessica Oakes received a $3.8 million NIH grant for “Cardiopulmonary Outcomes of Dual Cigarette and E-cigarette Use in Animal Models of Chronic Exposure.”
Jan 25, 2023
Spring 2023 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Spring 2023 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Dec 20, 2022
Oakes Receives ASME 2023 Y.C. Fung Early Career Award
BioE Assistant Professor Jessica Oakes was selected as the 2023 Y.C. Fung Early Career Award Medalist for outstanding work in respiratory mechanics that has significantly advanced the understanding of asthma, smoking, and inhalable drug delivery, and for strong advocacy in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Feb 23, 2022
$3.4M NIH ONES Award to Study the Impact of Wildfire Smoke on Human Health
BioE Assistant Professors Jessica Oakes and Chiara Bellini were awarded a 5-year, $3.4M NIH grant for “Cardiopulmonary Risk Assessment from Smoke Exposure at the Wildland Urban Interface.”
Jan 30, 2020
Translating the ‘Mastermind’ Concept from Business to Academia
Assistant Professors Danielle Levac (Bouvé), Emily Zimmerman (Bouvé), Kristen Allison (Bouvé), Abigail Koppes (ChE), Sarah Ostadabbas (ECE), Jessica Oakes (BioE), and Associate Professor Eno Ebong (ChE) were awarded a 2020 ADVANCE Mutual Mentoring Advancement Program (M2AP) Grant for “Translating the ‘Mastermind’ Concept from Business to Academia: Facilitating Peer mentorship among female PIs leading active research labs”.