Marissa Ruehle Imken
About Marissa Ruehle Imken
Marissa Ruehle Imken is a Senior Process Engineer III at Kite Pharma, specializing in T cell therapy unit operations. She holds a PhD in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from Emory University and has extensive experience in cell expansion and primary cell therapeutics.
Current Role at Kite Pharma
Marissa Ruehle Imken serves as a Senior Process Engineer III at Kite Pharma, a position she has held since 2022. In this role, she is involved in the development and optimization of processes related to T cell therapy. Her responsibilities include overseeing unit operations and ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of therapeutic production.
Education and Expertise
Marissa Ruehle Imken earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, completing her studies from 2010 to 2014. She furthered her education by obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, where she studied from 2014 to 2019. Her academic background provides her with a strong foundation in cell expansion and primary cell therapeutics.
Professional Experience
Prior to her current role, Marissa worked at Atara Biotherapeutics as a Senior Scientist in Cell Therapy Process Development from 2019 to 2022. She also gained experience as a Graduate Research Assistant at Georgia Institute of Technology for five years, where she conducted research in bioengineering. Earlier in her career, she served as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at The University of Texas at Austin and completed internships at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Research Focus and Contributions
Marissa's PhD research concentrated on developing, characterizing, and testing primary cell therapeutics in pre-clinical model systems. This work has contributed to advancements in the understanding and application of cell-based therapies. She possesses hands-on experience in end-to-end T cell therapy unit operations, which enhances her contributions to the field.