Vivian Saavedra
Chemical engineering
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Graduation date: Spring 2028
Additional details: Honors student
FURI | Spring 2026
Enhancing Protein Biomanufacturing Using Virus-Derived Signal Peptide Sequences
Biologics have become front-line therapeutics for many diseases, but prohibitively high prices due to upstream and downstream mammalian biomanufacturing costs limit general accessibility. Increasing reactor yield during biologics manufacturing can reduce the costs of biologics and increase availability for global economies. This project investigates the efficacy of N-terminal signal peptide strategies that viruses have developed over millions of years of co-evolution to deploy virulence cargo in order to enhance recombinant protein yields. This approach will enhance biomanufacturing pipelines, leading to higher yields, lower costs of healthcare, and improved access for next-generation therapeutics.
Mentor: Jordan Yaron
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