Krista Habing’s journey into biomedical engineering began with a fascination sparked in a high school biology class. An experiment with planaria flatworms—capable of regenerating into two separate organisms when cut—ignited her curiosity about regenerative medicine. Today, as she nears the completion of her PhD at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Krista’s research is poised to make a real-world impact in the field of muscle regeneration.
Originally from Champaign, Illinois, Krista grew up in an academic environment. Both parents worked as administrators at the University of Illinois, though Krista is the first in her family to pursue a scientific research career. After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois, Krista moved to Portland to begin her PhD in Biomedical Engineering at OHSU at the age of 22. Now, nearly five years later, she is preparing to defend her thesis in October and graduate in December.
Krista’s research focuses on muscle regeneration, an area with important applications in multiple fields of medicine. Whether helping patients recover from severe injuries or addressing the challenges of age-related muscle deterioration, Krista’s work could potentially transform patient outcomes. As she finalizes experiments working with mouse models in the lab, she also explores how factors like age and gender influence tissue regeneration. One of the key practical implications of her findings relates to organ donation: younger patients often receive tissue from older donors, raising key questions about the effectiveness of transplantation therapies. As for her motivation to pursue this “scientific journey,” Krista says, "I want to move these discoveries forward outside the lab."
Looking ahead, Krista is considering multiple career paths. She is weighing opportunities in industry, where she could contribute to pharmaceutical research, as well as postdoctoral research positions. Another option is to work with a public-private consortium such as the Chicago Biomedical Consortium, which helps translate academic discoveries into commercialized biomedical treatments. However, ongoing funding uncertainties may influence her decision, particularly the current administration's research cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Throughout her PhD journey, Krista has valued the personal and professional growth of stepping outside her comfort zone. Moving from Illinois to Oregon meant building a new support network. She credits her ARCS award with easing the transition and allowing her to live in Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood, close to her OHSU lab. With long hours in the lab—sometimes 60-hour weeks—proximity was essential.
Krista also found support through her relationships with ARCS donors Wally and Bettsy Prebble and the broader ARCS Oregon community. She has particularly enjoyed getting to know fellow ARCS scholars in her department and counts Hilary Le, another ARCS scholar alum and ARCS Oregon board member, among her close friends.
Krista offers a few words of wisdom for incoming ARCS scholars: “This is a time for both academic and personal growth. Work hard, stay curious, and take the opportunity to connect with those around you.”
As she prepares for the next chapter, one thing is clear: Krista’s passion for science extends beyond the lab. “I always like to make things work for the greater good,” she says. With her drive to move biomedical discoveries from research to real-world application, the future of regenerative medicine is in promising hands.
Note: Krista also serves on the board of Women In Science, an organization founded years ago by three ARCS Oregon scholars to empower and advance women in science.
