Nivetha Gunaseelan is a biomedical scientist and doctoral candidate at Pennsylvania State University, specializing in ultrasmall K-edge nanoparticles for early detection of traumatic diseases at the molecular level. As an American Heart Association predoctoral fellow, she has built several international collaborations to advance brain-injury detection and her work was recognized by European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine for translating novel nanomaterials into clinical probes. As a woman in STEM, Nivetha is also passionate about utilizing her research to advance women’s health. In 2024, she received the inaugural Dr. Barry Bercu Biomedical University Inventor Prize for inventing ‘EndoMark’ for early diagnosis of endometriosis.

Ketan Dighe is a biomedical scientist and doctoral candidate at Pennsylvania State University who specializes in point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platforms leveraging advanced nanomaterials. His cross-sector experience spanning academic research and industry collaborations has produced innovations ranging from rapid COVID-19 assays to next-generation diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Honored by the National Academy of Inventors, Ketan’s work advances accessible healthcare, particularly in women’s health, translating plasmonic and nanoscale materials into clinically significant tools. Central to his research is a translational approach: designing and refining technologies to close the gap from laboratory discovery to bedside care, accelerating patient access globally.