2025–2026 NHLCC Scholar: Elliot Widd

Elliot Widd

PhD
University of California, San Diego

Elliot Widd is a third-year PhD student studying bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego, with a strong dedication to advancing transfusion medicine and research career education. Mentored by Dr. Pedro Cabrales, his research integrates in vitro and in vivo models to study hemodynamics in exchange transfusions and hemorrhage resuscitation. His doctoral thesis focuses on novel strategies to characterize and mitigate accumulated toxicity and degradation in stored whole blood, seeking translational solutions to longstanding clinical challenges.

Elliot is a member of the NHLBI Graduate Training Program at UC San Diego, where he is supported by a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute T32 Graduate Research Training Grant focused on research and technology development in cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary health and disease. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Michigan, Elliot completed his undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering at Wayne State University, where he was selected in the first cohort of NIH Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Scholars at Wayne State. This formative experience provided scholarship support and research mentorship with the mission of broadening participation in biomedical research among underrepresented minorities. He currently serves on the MARC Advisory Board at Wayne State.

Elliot’s passion for community engagement and educational equity is reflected in his leadership. In addition to his work with MARC, he has curated and taught career education seminars in Southern California with Latino-serving school district partners, a Latino-serving community health organization, and the UCSD bioengineering graduate society. Through these roles, he has developed and delivered outreach and mentorship initiatives designed to empower underrepresented students and inspire the next generation of researchers.

Elliot is deeply committed to fostering diversity, innovation, and opportunity in biomedical research through his dedicated scientific work and mentorship.