Chemistry

Dr. Wassana Yantasee is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Founder & CEO of PDX Pharmaceuticals. She received her PhD in Chemical Engineering and her MBA in 2001 from Oregon State University. From 2001 to 2009, she worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where she earned accelerated promotions to Level 4 (out of 6). She then joined the BME Department at OHSU as an Oregon Nanomedicine Signature Researcher. Dr. Yantasee has received numerous honors, including the Ronald L. Brodzinski Early Career Scientific Achievement Award from PNNL and the Council of Outstanding Early Career Engineer Award from OSU, and two corporate philanthropy awards. She was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors OHSU Chapter and as a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. She has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers and has served on over 40 scientific review panels for federal grant programs.

Dr. Boniface Fokwa is a Professor of Chemistry, a position held since 2021, following a progressive academic career marked by excellence in research, teaching, and leadership. Prior to this role, Dr. Boniface Fokwa served as an Associate Professor of Chemistry from 2018 to 2021 and as an Assistant Professor from 2015 to 2018.