Sony, in partnership with the academic journal Nature, has recently presented the 2025 Sony Women in Technology Award to two women professors at American institutions: Kiana Aran of the University of California, San Diego and Amanda Randles of Duke University in North Carolina. Both women will receive $250,000 to fund their research into developing new biomedical technologies.
Kiana Aran, associate professor of bioengineering in the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, was recognized for her mid-career achievements in the development of bioelectronics for multi-omics studies, targeted drug delivery, and aging research. In her research, she integrates CRISPR with electronic chips to enhance genotyping and gene editing. The CRISP-chip she developed uses biocompatible and energy-efficient materials, providing a sustainable alternative to other technologies.
A faculty member since 2023, Dr. Aran holds a joint appointment with the UC San Diego School of Medicine. She also serves as director of the university’s Center for Technologies in Healthy Aging. Prior to her current role, she spent six years as a faculty member with the School of Applied Life Sciences at Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, California. Outside of academia, she is the founder of two San Diego-based biotechnology companies. Her work has led to 32 issued or pending patents.
Dr. Aran holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the City University of New York and a Ph.D. in biomedical and bioengineering from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Amanda Randles, the Alfred Winborne and Victoria Stover Mordecai Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, was honored for her mid-career accomplishments in biomedical simulation and high-performance computing research. Her work focuses on developing new computational tools that can provide insight into the localization and development of human diseases ranging from atherosclerosis to cancer. Her lab has successfully created simulations of virtual humans that are matched to a specific patient. These “digital twins” can serve as a non-invasive method for determining personalized treatment plans.
At Duke, Dr. Randles holds appointments in the departments of biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science, and computer science. She is also a member of the Duke Cancer Institute.
Dr. Randles is an alumna of Duke, where she double-majored in physics and computer science. She holds a master’s degree in computer science and a Ph.D. in applied physics from Harvard University.