Haylie Helms, M.S.

  • Graduate Student, Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, School of Medicine
  • Graduate Student, CEDAR, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, School of Medicine
  • International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED), OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, School of Medicine

Biography

Haylie Helms is a fourth year PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering and International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) fellow. Under the mentorship of Dr. Luiz Bertassoni, she is developing methods to fabricate early cancer in vitro models that match the cellular spatial arrangement of patient biopsies. Combining single-cell bioprinting, live-cell imaging, spatial transcriptomics, and computational techniques, she aims to systematically manipulate engineered tumors to complement clinical sample analysis and identify interception targets.  

Prior to starting the PhD program, Haylie managed the 3D Bioprinting Core Facility at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, served as the Panoskaltsis-Mortari lab manager, taught a graduate level 3D Bioprinting course, and led several independent research projects. She holds a bachelors in Biology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a masters in Human Anatomy from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Education and training

  • Degrees

    • B.A., 2017, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
    • M.S., 2019, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus

Memberships and associations:

  • American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 2023 - Present
  • International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED), 2022 - Present
  • Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), 2023-2024
  • Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), 2023 - 2024
  • International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), 2021 - 2023

Areas of interest

  • Tumor Microenvironment Spatial Biology
  • Tissue Engineering / Precision Biofabrication
  • Technology Development
  • Single-Cell Bioprinting

Additional information

Honors and awards

  • • OHSU Excellence in Research Award Recipient, Flame Awards 2025
  • • Selected Participant & Travel Award Recipient, National Cancer Policy Forum - Cancer Engineering Workshop, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2025
  • • Skills Exchange and Career Development Award, University of Cambridge Early Cancer Institute, Cancer Research United Kingdom (CRUK) 2024
  • • OHSU Excellence in Research Award Finalist, Flame Awards 2024
  • • Invited Speaker, The 5th Annual Australian Bioprinting Workshop for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine 2023
  • • Best Poster, Oregon Bioengineering Symposium 2023
  • • Best Poster Presentation, Oregon Bioengineering Symposium 2022
  • • Best Poster Presentation, OHSU BME Department Science Retreat 2022
  • • Best PhD Student Poster Presentation, OHSU School of Dentistry Research Day 2023
  • • International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) PhD Fellowship, 2022-2026
  • • Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Scholar, 2021-2024
  • • T90, NIDCR, Portland Oral Health Research Training Program, 2021-2022
  • • Douglas Strain Fellowship, 2021

Publications

Selected publications

  • Multiplex Single-Cell Bioprinting for Engineering of Heterogeneous Tissue Constructs with Subcellular Spatial Resolution. Helms HR, Oyama KA, Ware JP, Ibsen SD, Bertassoni LE. bioRxiv.  2024. DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.57849
  • Opportunities and Challenges to Engineer 3D Models of Tumor-Adaptive Immune Interactions. Visalakshan RM, Lowrey MK, Sousa MGC, Helms HR, Samiea A, Schutt CE, Moreau JM, Bertassoni LE. Frontiers in Immunology. 2023. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1162905
  • Extracellular Matrix Microparticles Improve GelMA Bioink Resolution for 3D Bioprinting at Ambient Temperature. Galliger Z, Vogt CD, Helms HR, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering. 2022. DOI: 10.1002/mame.202200196
  • Decellularization Strategies for Regenerating Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Tissues. Tan YH*, Helms HR*, Nakayama KH. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 2022; 10:831300. *Co-first author
  • An Experimental Study of the Recovery of Injured Porcine Lungs with Prolonged Normothermic Cellular Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Following Donation after Circulatory Death. Spratt JR, Mattison LM, Iaizzo PA, Brown RZ, Helms H, Iles T, Howard BT, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Loor G. Transplant International. 2017; 30:932-944.
  • In Vitro Analysis of RBC-Mediated Lung Injury in Prolonged Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion. Spratt JR, Loor G, Mattison L, Meyer C, Ehrhardt M, Helms H, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. 2017; 36 S311.
  • Prolonged EVLP using OCS Lung: Cellular and Acellular Perfusates. Loor G, Howard BT, Spratt JR, Mattison LM, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Iles TL, Meyer CM, Helms HR, Price A, Iaizzo PA. Transplantation. 2017; 101:2303-2311.

Publications