Erica D. Pratt
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pratted.bsky.social
Erica D. Pratt
@pratted.bsky.social
1.6K followers 750 following 340 posts
Asst Prof @BostonU BME | Noninvasive biomarkers for cancer monitoring | https://ericaprattlab.com | @prattlab.bsky.social
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pratted.bsky.social
Announcing such a major change to NSF GRFP this late in the cycle is incredibly cruel. 2nd yr students (mine included) have been working so hard on their proposals despite ongoing uncertainty. They are driven and passionate about being outstanding scientists and helping those coming up behind them.
This means individuals in the following statuses at the time of application are eligible: Undergraduate in the final (senior) year of a bachelor’s degree program Bachelor’s degree-holder with NO enrollment in a graduate degree program (non-degree graduate coursework allowed) Individual enrolled in a joint bachelor’s-master’s degree program with at least three undergraduate years completed First-year graduate student in their first graduate degree program with less than one academic year completed in the degree program (according to institution’s academic calendar) Individuals enrolled in joint bachelor’s-master’s degree programs are considered graduate students. For GRFP, joint bachelor’s-master’s degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded. Not be a current NSF employee. Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements will be returned without review as being ineligible for a fellowship.
September 26, 2025 at 5:46 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Pulled out some old sketchbooks for inspiration and instead ended up fully intimidated by doodles drawn by 15-year-old me! She would be *disgusted* with my work now😆😆😆.
Open sketchbook displaying two pencil drawings of two female models.
August 17, 2025 at 8:17 PM
pratted.bsky.social
We're recruiting a lab technician to assist with our ongoing liquid biopsy projects. Please encourage those with relevant experience to apply. Feel free to contact me with questions! tinyurl.com/prattlabtech
Screenshot of tech job description and responsibilities. Link to full ad is in post.
August 4, 2025 at 5:52 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Well done!
July 21, 2025 at 10:37 PM
pratted.bsky.social
The BME Faculty Jobs List is back for 2025-2026! Our goal is to support early-career faculty candidates with a centralized & open-access database. Please share & contribute! #FacultySearch #BME #BMEJobsList

Add a job: forms.gle/bwEzwHAEehBj...
Jobs list: ericaprattlab.com/bme_jobs_list/
Header of Pratt Laboratory website showing a colorful word cloud with terms like "computational," "biomaterials," "medical," and "systems," above the text "Tenure Track Faculty Positions in Biomedical Engineering." *alt-text generated using OpenAI GPT-4.1 mini*
July 18, 2025 at 7:01 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Back on my bullshit
Loaf of dark chocolate cherry sourdough cut in half with a smaller slice in the foreground.
June 1, 2025 at 7:43 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Colin then tackled amplicon recovery. He compared reported droplet disruption methods and developed a new thermal protocol combining key features from each. His method achieved the highest DNA recovery of all tested strategies. (5/8)
A two-panel scientific figure comparing four methods of droplet demulsification for recovering DNA after droplet preamplification. Panel A (workflow schematic): The top portion outlines a three-step overview of the experimental process: Preparation of the reaction mix with primers, dNTPs, KRAS WT/G12D template, and buffer control. Nine cycles of thermal cycling for preamplification. Droplet destabilization to recover DNA. The lower portion compares four demulsification methods: Chemical (gray): Chloroform is added, followed by vortexing, centrifugation, and purification. Physical (orange): Droplets are disrupted using a spin column with purification. Thermalᵃ (blue): Droplets are frozen in liquid nitrogen (LN₂) for 1 minute, then purified. Thermalᵇ (magenta, new method): A new protocol introduced in this study. Droplets are mixed with TE buffer, vortexed, centrifuged, frozen with LN₂ for 1 minute, thawed, and the cycle is repeated before purification. Each method was tested using synthetic samples in biological triplicates (n = 8 per group). Panel B (box plot): Box plots showing DNA recovery (%) for each demulsification method across 24 replicates (n = 24). The Thermalᵇ method shows the highest median recovery (~68%) with less variability. Chemical and Physical methods show moderate recovery (~50%), while Thermalᵃ shows the lowest. Statistical comparisons above the plot indicate significance levels: p < 0.01 to p < 0.0001 across groups.
May 23, 2025 at 7:26 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Extracted amplicons can be quantified by either ddPCR or NGS. However, popular commercial ddPCR chemistries are not designed for this type of workflow. Colin figured out a way to reappropriate existing ddPCR reagents to stably emulsify high-fidelity buffers for automated droplet generation. (3/8)
A multi-panel scientific figure demonstrating the optimization of droplet preamplification reactions using ddPCR Buffer Control. Panel A (top schematic): A five-step schematic overview of the experimental workflow: Preparation of the preamplification master mix with high-fidelity polymerase, primers, dNTPs, and a KRAS WT/G12D template. Stabilization by adding varying volumes (0–7 µL) of ddPCR Buffer Control. Droplet generation using oil-based emulsification. Preamplification (9 cycles), followed by purification. Analysis using ddPCR. Panel B (tube images): Photographs of PCR tubes before and after thermal cycling, showing increasing droplet stability with higher volumes of Buffer Control (0 to 7 µL). After thermal cycling, emulsions with low buffer appear coalesced, while those with ≥2 µL maintain discrete droplets. Panel C (dot plot): Graph showing preamplification efficiency (%) versus µL of Buffer Control (1.5 to 4.5 µL). Efficiency increases with Buffer Control volume, peaking at 4 µL. Statistical significance is indicated between groups (*p < 0.05 to ****p < 0.0001). Panel D (ddPCR 2D plots): Two 2D cluster plots from ddPCR analysis showing droplet fluorescence (FAM vs. VIC) for 1.5 µL (left) and 4 µL (right) Buffer Control conditions. The 4 µL condition shows significantly more amplified copies of both KRAS G12D (blue) and KRAS WT (red), with higher separation and cluster integrity. Panel E (scatter plot): Linear correlation plot comparing preamplified G12D vs. G12WT copy number across samples. The trend line (R² = 0.997) and slope near 1 indicate no significant amplification bias between alleles.
May 23, 2025 at 7:23 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Rain or shine, @prattlab.bsky.social will always be enthusiastic participants for #PanCANPurpleStride! It is a privilege to honor patients, families, and caregivers. The mission of advancing pancreatic cancer research is more important than ever. Thank you @pancan.bsky.social and PanCAN Boston!
Pratt Lab members pose while wearing matching PurpleStride t-shirts. The backdrop overhead states "Taking Steps to End Pancreatic Cancer."
April 26, 2025 at 6:16 PM
pratted.bsky.social
*Cackles ominously*
A glass jar containing sourdough starter sitting under a microwave light.
April 21, 2025 at 5:44 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Loki's cousin as well!
White long-haired cat with grey markings around the ears
February 23, 2025 at 10:15 PM
pratted.bsky.social
These Yolink temp/moisture sensors have been such a great way to calm my #NewPI anxiety. And it's interesting to compare data and see if the extra $$ was worth it! Highly recommend (if IT allows it).
Screenshot from app showing 2x3 panel with temperature readings for various pieces of equipment.
January 11, 2025 at 7:32 PM
pratted.bsky.social
January 11, 2025 at 5:02 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Our 3rd Annual Floor Holiday party approaches! I am looking forward to the White Elephant shenanigans 🐘!
Various gift wrapped items piled in, on, and around a cardboard box labeled "6th Floor Holiday Party White Elephant Gifts." The box label features a line drawing of a white elephant wearing a red Santa hat.
December 17, 2024 at 5:09 PM
pratted.bsky.social
What better way to end the first rotation than a lab cleanup followed by bubble tea? Much laughter and cool data was had over the last two months.
Pratt Lab members + rotation students at a milk tea store
November 16, 2024 at 6:59 PM
pratted.bsky.social
And it's a wrap! #BMES2024 was such a blast, in no small part due to my amazing co-Track Chair, Madeleine Oudin! What a wonderful opportunity to work with a trailblazing scientist & great human being. A big thank you to our session chairs and speakers. You made it easy to put on an amazing program!
Erica and Madeleine high five behind large block letters that spell out BMES
October 27, 2024 at 12:08 AM
pratted.bsky.social
Happy to see #PrattLab has arrived to GRC Bioanalytical Sensors! This is their first ~*PI-free*~ conference outing. If you're around please say hello and stop by their posters! @GordonConf #GRC
Pratt Laboratory members at Salve Regina University entrance gate.
June 24, 2024 at 5:09 PM
pratted.bsky.social
The BME Faculty Jobs List is back for another cycle! Our goal is to support early-career faculty candidates with a centralized & open-access database. Please share & contribute! #FacultySearch #BME #BMEJobsList
 
Add a job: forms.gle/HPzAKkS1x44t...
Jobs list: ericaprattlab.com/bme_jobs_list/
Splash page for BME Tenure Track Jobs List
June 21, 2024 at 1:36 PM
pratted.bsky.social
The second Pratt Lab candidate takes the floor! Congratulations to Maren on an excellent presentation and prospectus defense. Very proud!
Maren and Erica smiling together. A green textured wall is in the background. Maren celebrating by ringing the lab gong.
May 30, 2024 at 8:12 PM
pratted.bsky.social
The first Pratt Lab PhD candidate has entered the building! Congratulations to Colin on successfully passing his prospectus defense 🎉🎉🎉. Very proud!
Colin celebrates after ringing the lab gong Colin and Erica smiling at a brewery
May 13, 2024 at 8:12 PM
pratted.bsky.social
So excited that I got to run this choose-your-own-adventure ethics case study for my design class today. It was so much fun and got some great conversations going!

Ty to the creators for an amazing exercise and generously sharing their materials. Read more here: monolith.asee.org/public/confe...
A jar of marbles, playing cards, large foam dice, and fake coins next to instruction cards for an ethics case study.
April 18, 2024 at 11:20 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Very excited to co-chair the Cancer Technologies Track with
@madeleineoudin.bsky.social for #BMES2024! We have made adjustments to the sub-tracks to reflect innovations in the field. Please volunteer as an abstract reviewer & submit your exciting research!
Sub-tracks: Novel strategies in cancer detection, diagnosis, and prognosis Cancer immunoengineering, immunomodulation & immunotherapy Cancer drug delivery & nanotechnology Computational modeling of cancer & systems biology Cancer mechanobiology Engineered cancer models for in vitro studies Tumor microenvironment Cancer migration and metastasis Circulating biomarkers: CTCs, extracellular vesicles and DNA Other/Non-specified
April 3, 2024 at 3:53 PM
pratted.bsky.social
I need to watch more tv, because I don't know who half these characters are! Also the female version of my archetype is clearly underrepresented in the media🤣!
Quiz result showing 81% match with Elliot Alderson (Mr. Robot) Top results from match list: 1. Ellior Alderson (Mr. Robot): 81% 2. Ray Ploshansky (Girls): 79% 3. Jonathan Byers (Stranger Things): 79% 4. Will Graham (Hannibal): 78% 5. Allison Reynolds (The Breakfast Club): 78% 6. Liz Lemon (30 Rock): 78% 7. Connor Deslauriers (Degrassi: The Next Generation): 78% 8. Tycho Brahe (Penny Arcade): 78% 9. Viktor (Arcane): 78% 10. Toby Ziegler (The West Wing): 77%
March 28, 2024 at 1:27 PM
pratted.bsky.social
January 10, 2024 at 9:48 PM
pratted.bsky.social
Calendly's year-end summary is a depressing confirmation that forking out for a subscription was an excellent idea🤣. And this is not even counting my recurring 1:1s with trainees! I was truly *not* ready for how much of #NewPI life is meeting palooza.
Screenshot showing 166 meetings booked over the course of a year using Calendly (appointment scheduling software).
December 27, 2023 at 11:45 PM