A Biomedical Engineer’s Journey to Tackling Neglected Tropical Diseases

Join the ASME DC Section in recognition of World Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Day for a compelling talk with Dr. Becky Byler, biomedical engineer and epidemiologist.

Dr. Byler will walk us through her career pathway and explore the critical role engineers play in advancing NTD research. Her work sits at the intersection of biomedical engineering, public health, and global health equity, highlighting how engineering innovation can drive meaningful impact for underserved populations.

Topics will include:

· Biocompatible materials and nanotechnology

· 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering

· Patient-specific modeling

· Drug delivery systems

· Applications across the skin, heart, female reproductive system, and liver

· Case studies spanning Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and shistosomiasis

About Dr. Becky Byler
Dr. Becky Byler is a biomedical engineer and epidemiologist whose interdisciplinary research focuses on parasitic infections endemic to the Global South and its diaspora. She is a passionate research mentor and advocate for multilingual communication, inclusive science, and international policy engagement.

Currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Byler develops 3D bioprinted tissue models to mechanistically study neglected heart diseases, including Chagas disease. Her laboratory work is closely paired with clinical collaboration and community engagement; most recently, she co-founded the Chagas Disease Alliance at Yale (CDAY).

Her doctoral dissertation on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis received Yale University’s John Addison Porter Prize, one of the institution’s highest academic honors. Dr. Byler holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, an M.P.H. from the Yale School of Public Health, and a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Her research—funded by the Whitaker Foundation, NIH Fogarty International Center, NIBIB, NCATS, NHLBI, Tinker Foundation, and P.E.O. Foundation—centers on developing bioengineered tissue models and novel drug delivery platforms to better understand and treat Neglected Tropical Diseases.