John Elizarraras

Biomedical Engineering, Rice University 

John Elizarraras is from Boise, Idaho, and graduated from Rice University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering. During his undergraduate studies, he worked with researchers at Texas Children’s Hospital on neuroblastoma treatment and contributed to the development of biomedical devices, including a neonatal CPAP device and a baby pulse monitor. At Rice, he also served in several leadership roles at Martel College, including coordinating orientation for incoming students and co-founding the First-Generation and Low-Income Student Group. In recognition of his contributions to the Martel community, he received the Maria Byrne Award.

After graduating, John worked as a Bioinformatics Programmer in the Bing Zhang Lab at Baylor College of Medicine, where he developed computational tools for biomedical research. His work resulted in publications in journals including Nature Cancer and Nucleic Acids Research, as well as presentations at scientific conferences.

John chose the EnMed program because he believes there is a need for clinicians who understand the engineering process and can bridge the gap between engineering and medicine. He hopes that this perspective will allow him to develop novel, practical solutions that are grounded in the realities of clinical care and can have a faster impact on patients. At EnMed, he looks forward to combining his background in bioengineering, programming, and biomedical research with his medical education to develop solutions that meaningfully improve patient care.

In his free time, John enjoys programming, playing board games, and playing volleyball.