Ether Dharmesh
Ether Dharmesh

Ether Dharmesh

MD/PhD student, Immunology Graduate Group
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Applying engineering approaches at the molecular and cellular level to develop tools for studying human biology and disease.

Ether Dharmesh is an MD/PhD student in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, with a background in biomedical engineering and research experience spanning biomaterials, drug delivery, and immunology. As a physician-scientist in training, her goal is to connect technology development with fundamental biomedical discovery and translate those insights into new therapeutic approaches.

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Research

Engineering at the molecular and cellular level

PhD studentHaj Dezfulian lab · Penn · 2026 – now

Melanoma antigen discovery and γδ TCR platform development

PhD student in the Haj Dezfulian laboratory, applying engineering platforms to antigen discovery in melanoma and developing a platform for studying γδ T cell receptors.

Schematic: PEG pre-reaction, nanosilicate complex formation, aqueous two-phase separation, and the resulting 10-micron microsphere suspension.
Front. Biomater. Sci. 2023 · CC BY
Co-first authorZustiak lab · Saint Louis University · 2020–2024

Microspheres that decide when their cargo leaves

Nanosilicates added to PEG hydrogel microspheres slow small-molecule release; aqueous two-phase separation keeps the particles injectable. Two further projects: super-lubricious microgels for knee osteoarthritis, and radiopaque microspheres for prostate embolization.

Frontiers in Biomaterials Science, 2023

Fluorescence and merged micrographs of hydrogel capsules with a green fluorescent magnetic core and a red magnetic shell.
Microsyst. Nanoeng. 2024 · CC BY
2nd authorRevzin lab · Mayo Clinic · 2022

Magnetic capsules that hold living cells

Human stem-cell spheroids encapsulated with magnetic nanoparticles by microfluidics — cells you can sustain, then move and retrieve with a magnet. For targeted regeneration and cryopreservation.

Microsystems & Nanoengineering, 2024

Summer 2023Tsourkas lab · Penn Radiation Oncology

Getting immunotherapy to reach the tumor

PEG-PCL micelles carrying a VEGFR inhibitor, tested for whether normalizing tumor vasculature first changes the response to subsequent anti-CTLA-4 treatment. The project that connected delivery materials to immunotherapy.

Publications

Seven peer-reviewed papers

Google Scholar
  1. 2026 Dupilumab response in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis across racial and ethnic groups Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 94(4):1247–1249
  2. 2025 Protein structure and bioactivity upon adsorption and desorption from nanosilicate sustained release delivery devices Nanoscale · 17:13477–13488 2nd author
  3. 2025 Super-lubricous polyethylene glycol hydrogel microspheres for use in knee osteoarthritis treatments npj Biomedical Innovations · 2:11 2nd author
  4. 2024 Designing magnetic microcapsules for cultivation and differentiation of stem cell spheroids Microsystems & Nanoengineering · 10:127 2nd author
  5. 2023 Nanosilicate-hydrogel microspheres formed by aqueous two-phase separation for sustained release of small molecules Frontiers in Biomaterials Science · 2:1157554 co-first author
  6. 2023 Function of hepatocyte spheroids in bioactive microcapsules is enhanced by endogenous and exogenous hepatocyte growth factor Bioactive Materials · 28:183–195
  7. 2022 Silicate clay-hydrogel nanoscale composites for sustained delivery of small molecules ACS Applied Nano Materials · 5(12):18940–18954
Recognition

Presenting the work

Ether Dharmesh standing beside her research poster on radiopaque barium sulfate PEG hydrogel microspheres at the ASBMB undergraduate poster competition.
ASBMB Annual Undergraduate Poster Competition — radiopaque barium sulfate PEG microspheres for prostate embolization. Photo: ASBMB Today.
  • 2024First place, Chemical BiologyASBMB 28th Undergraduate Poster Competition · 6 of 295
  • 2023Dr. Stephen W. Tuttle AwardBest SUPERS retreat presentation, Penn Radiation Oncology
  • 2023First place, undergraduate posterSLU Institute for Drug and Biotherapeutic Innovation
  • 2023Honorable mentionASBMB 27th Undergraduate Poster Competition · 24 of 288
  • 2022Oral spotlight presentationExperimental Biology Annual Meeting
  • 2022First place, SURF Tank pitch competitionMayo Clinic life-sciences entrepreneurial competition
  • 2022Honorable mentionASBMB 26th Undergraduate Poster Competition · 24 of 230
Experience

Training and leadership

  1. 2020 – 2024
    Saint Louis University
    BS Biomedical Engineering · Zustiak lab
  2. Summer 2022
    Mayo Clinic
    SURF fellow · Revzin lab
  3. Summer 2023
    Penn Radiation Oncology
    SUPERS fellow · Tsourkas lab
  4. 2024 –
    Penn MD/PhD
    Medical Scientist Training Program · independent study, Mitchell lab · rotation, Wherry lab
  5. 2026 – now
    Haj Dezfulian lab
    PhD student · systems immunology and biomolecular engineering
  • 2023 – 24President, MEDLaunchSLU biomedical incubator — six startups, executive board, Launch and Demo Day
  • 2022 – 23President, ASBMB SLU chapterExecutive board of seven, 40+ members; vice president 2023–24
  • 2022 – 23Team leader, MEDLaunchTwo-device automated epinephrine injector for anaphylaxis; $1,200 award
  • 2024Consultant, Penn Biotech GroupCommercialization strategy for a drug in development
Contact

Get in touch

Glad to talk about biomaterials, immunology, or MD/PhD training.