Adama Sesay on fixing issues with sensors and microsystems

If you had requested Adama Sesay as a baby what she wished to be when she grew up, the reply would have been a physician, an architect, and a firefighter. Now a Senior Engineer specializing in sensors and microsystems, chances are you’ll suppose she’s gone in a very totally different path, however by following the passions that led her to these concepts – science, design, and saving lives – she’s discovered a profession she loves. At the Wyss, Adama is a member of the Advanced Technology Team and works on a variety of initiatives that span from sensor-integrated Organ Chips to make medicine safer to an enzyme that converts sugar to fiber to make meals more healthy, whereas concurrently main the Women’s Health Catalyst. Learn extra about Adama and her work on this month’s Humans of the Wyss.

What initiatives are you concerned with?

I specialise in biosensing, microfluidics, and microsystems, and my initiatives span over fairly a various space. The first challenge I’ve been managing is a BARDA challenge, which is a federally funded challenge taking a look at integrating sensors to measure biomarkers like cytokines, from a lymph node tissue mannequin, or a lymphoid follicle (LF) Chip. In this challenge, I’ve principally focused on the instrumentation aspect, offering the precise {hardware} (which is a kind of sensor-integrated cartridge) and retrofitting it right into a business Organ Chip system.

Adama Sesay, Senior Engineer II. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Then I’ve one other challenge the place we’re creating an enzyme-encapsulated particle that reduces sugar in meals as soon as it’s consumed, changing it to dietary fiber. Basically, this could be a “smart food” ingredient, the place the enzyme is simply activated when you devour it. That method, the meals tastes the identical, however the precise quantity of sugar your physique metabolizes is decrease.

I’m engaged on a 3rd challenge the place we’re creating and microfabricating a microfluidic Blood Clotting Chip to review clotting time for sufferers which have mesothelioma, a most cancers attributable to publicity to asbestos. We’re collaborating with Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital.

What are biosensors, microfluidics, and microsystems?

A biosensor is a tool that mixes a organic element with a sensor transducer and may measure a organic or chemical response by producing indicators to point the focus of the analyte, or element of curiosity, within the monitored pattern. Microfluidics refers to a system that has small channels that may transfer and ship low volumes of fluid. The idea is that fabrication-wise, a microfluidic channel is something that has dimensions within the micrometer vary. The benefit of microfluidics is which you can ship very low volumes to totally different areas and manipulate these flows a traditional instance is a an Organ Chip. A microsystem machine on this context takes it a bit additional and is the mixing of sensors, microfluidics, and utility. The three are a carefully built-in package deal.

What real-world issues do these initiatives handle?

With the BARDA challenge, we will use the LF Chips to watch the immune system’s response to various kinds of medicine. We can use affected person samples to get time resolved knowledge in regards to the irritation response. In addition to serving to display medicine for security, this might assist us decide which therapies can be utilized on immuno-compromised sufferers or what a vaccine response will probably be in a sure inhabitants.

This illustration demonstrates the construction of the LF Chip that Adama is engaged on. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

The sugar fiber challenge will assist handle America’s ever-growing issues with weight problems and diabetes. Despite these points, there’s a large meals trade right here that depends on refined sugars, particularly excessive fructose corn syrup. In addition to these different points, excessive fructose diets contribute to metabolic syndrome. Plus, the American food plan is low in fiber. We began this challenge taking a look at the way to make meals extra satisfying whereas additionally being accountable. Our enzyme encapsulation will hopefully handle diabetes and metabolic syndrome, whereas growing fiber, which can make folks’s intestine microbiomes more healthy.

We hope to make use of the Blood Clotting Chip to grasp the clotting time and the thrombosis elements of mesothelioma. It will also be used as a diagnostic software. Understanding a affected person’s blood clotting issue is important after they go into surgical procedure, even past these affected by this illness. This grew to become much more obvious to me just lately when my father wanted to have emergency surgical procedure, however they needed to wait till he could possibly be off blood thinners for a time period. If we may use this as a diagnostic check, surgeons would know when a affected person’s clotting issue was such that they have been prepared for surgical procedure.

What is your particular position on the group?

I’m a Senior Engineer right here and a part of the Advanced Technology Team, I lead the biosensing, microfluidics, and microsystems effort on the Wyss. I’m additionally liable for the microfabrication room and efforts, and work carefully with Pawan Jolly, who’s the lead on sensors. That entails however isn’t restricted to analysis challenge administration, writing funding proposals, mentorship, and overseeing relationships with inner and exterior collaborator.

How are you serving to to advance ladies’s well being on the Wyss?

One of my greatest pursuits in the meanwhile is to construct up the Women’s Health Catalyst. In a spot just like the Wyss that’s taking a look at unmet wants, it’s pure that we’ve numerous initiatives already in our pipeline devoted to ladies’s well being as a result of therapeutics and diagnostics particularly geared toward ladies’s well being points are one of many greatest unmet scientific wants on the planet. All this work is being carried out inside our current Focus Areas. Many of our researchers are extremely devoted to growing our data and discovering real-world options.

Adama and the opposite audio system on the Wyss’ occasion celebrating Women on the Intersection of Science and Art on International Women’s Day. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

So, proper now we’re aiming to coalesce all these initiatives to carry collectively our sensible scientists, clinicians, and know-how groups to advance analysis and make medicine and gadgets to assist folks. We intention to have the ability to spotlight these initiatives to draw exterior collaborators to work with our Wyss know-how translation engine, and at some point turn into a world-class beacon the place folks wish to come and actually make advances in ladies’s well being.

How are you serving to to bridge the hole between academia and trade on the Wyss?

I’ve a various group of researchers on my group together with biologists, biotechnologists, biomedical engineers, and mechanical engineers who have a look at challenges very in another way, whereas I have a look at the economic want and see how we will translate the science into one thing to handle the gaps. I feel what it boils right down to is facilitating the communication between scientists and engineers on the analysis aspect and translating that acquired data into know-how, companies, and merchandise on the enterprise and industrial sides.

“I think what it boils down to is facilitating the communication between scientists and engineers on the research side and translating that acquired knowledge into know-how, services, and products on the business and industrial sides.”

– Adama Sesay

For instance, if I’m designing a diagnostic machine, I’ll hearken to the scientists about how the elemental biology works of their system and use my expertise in sensor growth, microsystems, and creating point-of-care gadgets to talk to extra virtually minded engineers about the way to construct the machine, discovering a typical language between the 2. Then, we have to talk why this machine is beneficial to a enterprise viewers with a purpose to efficiently commercialize it.

What introduced you to the Wyss?

I wished to be in a spot that was busy doing what I had been doing for some time in Europe, which is translational science. The first place on my want record was the Wyss Institute. I cherished the work occurring right here; the organs-on-chips and the translational nature of the place. It’s fairly distinctive in its construction. So, I received in contact with folks working right here, particularly in Donald Ingber’s lab, and I used to be fortunate that there was a place open after I utilized.

Members of Don Ingber’s lab, together with Adama, on the Wyss Retreat in 2022. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

How has your earlier work expertise formed your method to your work right now?

Starting with my grasp’s and Ph.D., a lot of my work has targeted on know-how switch. It’s formed my method to work as a result of it has taught me to speak to totally different folks, carry numerous viewpoints and expertise collectively, actually hearken to the place the issues are, and discover options. I feel typically, particularly earlier in your profession, it’s simple to suppose that your thought is sensible, however on the finish of the day, it is perhaps a terrific know-how that’s exhausting to translate right into a product. I’ve realized that it’s essential to take your ego out of it, hear, and discover one of the best ways ahead, even when it isn’t your method. Having a essential mass of latest data round you means you’ll at all times be on the forefront; you simply must be open to attempting new issues and making the sum of the elements higher than the person items.

What is your greatest piece of recommendation for an educational scientist trying to translate their know-how?

“Maintain a level of curiosity and wonder. Be prepared to keep on improving and learning.”

– Adama Sesay

Maintain a degree of curiosity and surprise. Be ready to maintain on bettering and studying. Don’t be discouraged for those who get knocked again, as a result of even when your first method doesn’t work, it’s since you undergo that and also you’re keen to get again up once more that you’ll succeed.

What impressed you to get into this subject?

If you had requested me what I wished to be after I was a child, I might at all times say a physician, an architect, or a firefighter. A health care provider as a result of I actually favored science and I didn’t know there was the rest on the market aside from that. My dad and mom have been within the medical subject, so I assumed that was it. An architect as a result of I favored artwork, and I really like buildings. I assumed structure was the sensible option to apply that. I used to be unaware there was a career known as an engineer. And a firefighter as a result of I take pleasure in being energetic and I assumed they have been so heroic. I simply admired them.

I noticed in a short time that none of these issues have been precisely for me, however I adopted the passions that led me to these concepts – science, design, and saving lives – and by doing what I really like I discovered my option to a profession in translational analysis targeted on sensors and microsystems. If you actually take pleasure in what you do, it doesn’t really feel like a job.

What continues to encourage you?

Making a distinction and dealing with a terrific group in an incredible work surroundings. I feel that understanding that the folks I’m working alongside are actually having an impression, even when they’re not on my challenge immediately, could be very inspiring. It makes me really feel that I’m part of one thing that may trigger optimistic change in my lifetime.

“I think that knowing that the people I’m working alongside are truly having an impact, even if they’re not on my project directly, is very inspiring. It makes me feel that I’m a part of something that can cause positive change in my lifetime.”

– Adama Sesay

When not on the Wyss, how do you wish to spend your time?

I like curler skating. I began enjoying my clarinet once more, which I used to do after I was an adolescent, and that’s given me lots of pleasure. I additionally like watching movies. My favourite latest movies have been Everything, Everywhere, All at Once and The Woman King. Everything, Everywhere, All at Once manages to be mild whereas additionally touching some fairly thought-provoking ideas. I really like the varieties of movies which you can spend time speaking about. The Woman King, whereas it has confronted some criticism for being inaccurate, opens a dialogue about African historical past on a world stage between people whom audiences within the west have by no means identified and even puzzled about it. Although a few of these discussions is perhaps uncomfortable, at the very least individuals are starting to have them. Again, I like a movie that begins a dialog.

What’s one thing distinctive about you that somebody wouldn’t know out of your resume?

My mom suffered from Alzheimer’s illness, and it lastly took her this previous Christmas. In her reminiscence, my sister and I are working in the direction of constructing a wise metropolis in her village in Sierra Leone. To do that, we’re elevating consciousness and funding to construct an agricultural college for girls and empower them to reap crops based mostly on new know-how that’s sustainable and acceptable for the land, provided that it’s a wildlife sanctuary space, and create companies from farming. Hopefully, by subsequent 12 months we will begin engaged on the curriculum for the varsity. We’re placing lots of work into this, however we predict it’s a good way to honor our mom’s legacy and allow ladies to get out of poverty and turn into future entrepreneurs.

What does it really feel wish to be working in the direction of translating cutting-edge know-how that has the potential to have an actual and important impression on folks’s lives and society?

It feels nice to be a part of such a dynamic surroundings. I feel as an engineer and a know-how switch specialist, it’s the most effective of all worlds. I’m fortunate sufficient to have labored at some distinctive institutes in some wonderful nations, however the Wyss is sort of particular in that we’ve a essential mass of world-class, high-impact initiatives ripe for translation. I’m in my fifth 12 months now and it’s been a terrific experience to this point. I’m wanting ahead to what comes subsequent.