Principal Investigator
DR. NUTTADA PANPRADIST
HELLO!
I’m Dr. Nuttada Panpradist, and I’m an Assistant Professor (Health Disparities) of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. I was born in Thailand, and my journey into science has been shaped by a desire to create real-world impact, especially in places where access to healthcare is limited.
My lab currently develops point-of-care diagnostics for infectious diseases like HIV, TB, and sepsis, while also expanding applications in women’s health and One Health. We blend molecular engineering, synthetic biology, and digital tools to build diagnostic technologies that are affordable, portable, and practical for use in both clinical and community settings.
Back in grad school, I realized that “Panda” was basically a mashup of my name PANpradist, nuttaDA and the nickname just stuck. Since then, I’ve fully embraced it.
At UT Austin, I lead a young, globally connected PANDA Lab, which stands for People-centered Approaches to Novel Diagnostics for All Lab. Our team members have backgrounds in molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, public health, and industry. We’re working locally here in Austin, but our projects and our partnerships span the world. Because to make meaningful change, we need solutions that reach far beyond the lab.
COURSES I AM TEACHING
Fall 2025 | BME 335. Engineering Probability and Statistics.
Maymester 2026 | BME 320. International Perspectives on Biomedical Engineering Design
Spring 2026 | New Elective. Point-of-Care Molecular Diagnostics: Transforming Healthcare Access in Rural and Global Settings
Hear my name
Photo credit: UT Faculty Development Program , August 2024
Photo credit: Joshua Kleinstreuer BME, January 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
37
Publications
since 2014
65
Invited talks
since 2012
34
Awards, honors, & recognitions
since 2015
6
Collaborating nations since 2019
39
Research mentees /
advisees since
2014
PRIOR TO UT AUSTIN
I was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington, working across the Department of Global Health, Bioengineering, and Computer Science. Internationally, I held academic and research positions with the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Chiang Mai University, and Kasetsart University in Thailand.
​I am the recipient of several early-career awards and fellowships, including those from the UW/Fred Hutch CFAR, SEATRAC, Thrasher Research Fund, UW ITHS, UW Population Health Initiative, Momental Foundation (Mistletoe Fellow), and Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies. I also launched the UW–Thailand–Dx Circle program to foster capacity building in diagnostics and technology transfer in Southeast Asia.
Photo credit: LUCENT International Collaboration, Chiang Mai University 2023
FEATURED INTERVIEW ARTICLES
2022 | Profile article by UW Bioengineering
New Ph.D. grad Nuttada Panpradist ready for next challenge: faculty position​
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2017 | Profile article by UW College of Engineering
Global research impact: BioE grad student seeks to develop instrument-free diagnostic device to detect HIV infection and drug resistance​​
2017 | Profile article by UW School of Public Health
First bioengineering student who completed the certificate in Global Health for women, adolescent, and children
Photo credit: FOX 13 news
EDUCATION & TRAINING​​
PhD. Bioengineering (University of Washington)
(Lutz lab)
​
Cert. Global Integrated Health for Women, Adolescents, and Children (University of Washington)
​
Pre-doctoral Research Visiting Scholar
(Stanford University, Einav/Quake labs)
Cert. Nanotech (North Seattle College)
​
Cert. Pharmacy Tech (Pima Medical Institute)
​
B. Eng. Petrochemical and Polymeric Materials (Silpakorn University)
Photo credit: King 5 news
2022 UW GRADUATE SCHOOL GONGALONEIER
2022 UW BIOENGINEERING DOCTORAL SPEAKER
I was selected as the banner carrier to represent the UW graduate school. This position is called gonfalonier. I led the procession of the PhDs from different departments into the stadium during the commencement.
I represented the 2022 Ph.D. student cohort at the departmental commencement. I gave a speech, sharing my reflections on my journey to bioengineering and the lessons learned.Subtitles both in English and Thai are available.
TEAM STRUCTURE & MENTORSHIP APPROACH
​
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Panpradist leads the PANDA Lab by shaping the research vision, securing funding, fostering collaborations, and mentoring all lab members. She ensures projects align with the lab’s mission of advancing accessible diagnostics through innovative, interdisciplinary approaches.​
Post-PhD Fellows: Postdoctoral researchers drive independent and collaborative projects, contribute to grant writing and publications, and mentor junior researchers. They bring specialized expertise and help push the technical and translational boundaries of the lab's diagnostic innovations.​
Graduate Students: Graduate students lead key research efforts, develop novel diagnostic technologies, and engage in interdisciplinary training. They are encouraged to shape their own research direction while contributing to shared lab goals and collaborative publications.
Undergraduate Researchers: Undergraduate students support ongoing projects through experiments, prototyping, and data analysis. They gain hands-on research experience and are mentored by graduate students and postdocs to grow their technical and scientific skills.
MENTORSHIP PHILOSOPHY
There is no one-size-fits-all model in this lab. We take time to understand each person’s unique trajectory, strengths, and professional and personal interests. Whether you have a clear goal or are still figuring it out, the PANDA Lab is a space to build the bridge toward where you want to go or help you realize what paths may or may not be a good fit. We view mentorship as a two-way process grounded in mutual trust, open communication, and continual growth.
