The Humans of the Wyss (HOW) series features members of the Wyss community discussing their work, the influences that shape them as professionals, and their collaborations at the Wyss Institute and beyond.
Hani Sallum is always tinkering, whether he’s creating an eight-foot-tall robot costume to show off at a convention or designing a carbon dioxide-powered seawater collection system to diagnose problems with ocean health. During his nearly fifteen years at the Wyss, Hani has played a part in many cross-disciplinary projects with the potential to impact healthcare and the environment. Learn more about Hani and his work in this month’s Humans of the Wyss.
What does your job entail?
I am a Senior Engineer, and I primarily design prototypes for various teams at the Wyss. Part of my job is also being on call when necessary, so if anyone at the Wyss needs engineering advice or expertise, they can ask me for help.
What projects are you working on?
The CRISPR Oceans project is developing a direct method of testing seawater for various issues related to ocean health. I built a working demo of a carbon dioxide-powered seawater collection and filtration system as well as a lab-based version, which the scientists are using.
I also develop tools for researchers’ work on other projects. For example, I’m helping the eRapid team by building electrochemical sensor (ECS) chip readers. eRapid is a fouling-resistant, affinity-based platform that enables cheap, simultaneous sensing of multiple biomarkers. The chips are small glass slides that contain one or more of these sensors. The chip readers are a convenient way to electronically connect with the sensors on these small chips to perform electrochemical analysis for biomarker detection.
I’m also building a field-deployable version of the Killbox, which is a portable device that captures, concentrates and kills pathogens, like E. coli,from a biological sample, then quickly generates a vaccine from that sample to prevent septic shock.
In addition to my work with project teams, I help manage and operate the MakerSpace to support many teams with their electromechanical prototyping needs. I do many big and small things as necessary.
There are a lot of times I’m coming in on the ground floor of something revolutionary, and there are little problems I can help solve.
What real-world problem does your work solve?
The game-changing part of the CRISPR Oceans technology is that it can test for things like red tide or Vibrio bacteria with a smaller seawater sample than current methods, and the results come back in a few hours instead of three to four days. The test can be performed on-site, even on a boat, instead of requiring that liters of water be sent to a testing facility. This will help people understand what is happening in a particular part of the ocean and improve preparedness for these ocean health problems.
What is one of your favorite projects you’ve worked on at the Wyss in the past?
I first started at the Wyss fourteen or fifteen years ago. Originally, I was hired as an electromechanical engineer on the Anticipatory Medical Device platform, which has evolved into the Living Cellular Device platform we have today.
I worked on a project called IOTA, or isolated orthosis for thumb actuation. Boston Children’s Hospital came to us with an unmet need – orthotic rehab and therapy equipment were largely sized for adults, and it was challenging for kids to use them. I designed and built an entire automated orthotic system. I did the mechanical design, had the machine shop make the parts, and did all of the programming and design of the embedded electronics that drove it. It was challenging, because the technology involved interfacing with the human body, a child’s hand, no less, but I loved engaging in every aspect of this small system. Since it was the first project I worked on at the Wyss that was from scratch like that, it will always be special to me.
What inspired you to get into this field?
When I first started college, I planned on being a physics major. Then, during my freshman year, I went back to my old high school and helped out with the science team that I had been involved in. I realized I enjoyed building things and getting to see the physical end product of what I worked on. That cemented my desire to go into engineering.
Since then, the industries I worked in, primarily custom automation and defense contracting, involved a lot of “build it and break it” prototype development. That shaped the way I think as an engineer, pushing me towards the initial aspects of a design as opposed to mass production.
What continues to motivate you?
My job before the Wyss was for a defense contractor so I couldn’t share a lot of what I did. Hardly anyone would experience whatever development I worked on. I love that I can share what I’m doing at the Wyss with others, and it’s evident that my work may very well impact many people’s everyday lives.
Each time I share what I do, I get excited all over again.
What excites you the most about your work?
The fact that there’s always something different. When I describe my job to people, I often tell them that a scientist can approach me and say, “Can you make this?” and I’ll reply, “I don’t know. I guess I’ll try.” I’m constantly running into new problems and finding new solutions, so it’s always fresh.
What are some of the challenges that you face?
Often it’s learning enough about the science behind what I’m working on to properly address the problem I’m presented with. I have to familiarize myself with the requirements for solving each issue and how my ideas will impact the entire experiment and the technology our researchers are trying to develop.
Why did you want to work at the Wyss?
My work for the defense contractor had gotten stale. I wanted a job where I could take pride in my work and share what I was doing. Another engineer I knew who was working at the Wyss at the time told me they were looking for more engineers. As I learned more about the Institute, it seemed very goal-oriented, and I liked that people were encouraged to cross disciplines to make an advancement happen. That’s inherent in my job as an electromechanical engineer. Having that collaboration built into the organization has made it an interesting and fruitful place to work.
Having that collaboration built into the organization has made it an interesting and fruitful place to work.
What is unique about the Wyss and how has that impacted your work?
There are a lot of times I’m coming in on the ground floor of something revolutionary, and there are little problems I can help solve. Sometimes I’m creating one tool in a chain of tools used in a laboratory. For example, with the eRapid project, I’m not designing or using the ECM sensor chips, but I’m making the researchers’ lives easier by creating a reader for the chips. It’s satisfying to be a small part of that process while also being part of a large project like the CRISPR Oceans one. The variety of projects is something I haven’t seen anywhere else.
What’s something unique or fun about you that someone wouldn’t know from your resume?
I go to a lot of regional burn festivals, smaller versions of Burning Man. I also go to many sci-fi conventions. I recently returned from about four days in the Mojave Desert at a Mad Max-themed event. As part of these events, I’ve competed in several costume competitions, once as an eight-foot-tall robot.
1/6 Hani enjoys sharing his creative pursuits at the Wyss' Halloween celebrations. Here he's dressed as a Wasteland Warrior for the 2023 Costume Contest. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University 
2/6 In his free time, Hani enjoys going to festivals like Burning Man. Here, he's dressed in costume in the Black Rock Desert. Credit: Hani Sallum 
3/6 Hani created this costume for Arisia, a convention for fans of science fiction and fantasy. Credit: Hani Sallum 
4/6 Hani used his engineering skills to create this monocle. Credit: Hani Sallum 
5/6 Hani enjoys sharing his creative pursuits at the Wyss' Halloween celebrations. Here, he's dressed as Spock from Star Trek. Credit: Hani Sallum 
6/6 Hani dressed up as a Wasteland Warrior, and incorporated some Wyss swag into his costume, for an event in the Mojave Desert. Credit: Hani Sallum
What do you like to do outside of work?
I do a lot of tinkering and building at home. A lot of times, that takes the form of costuming and prop work for burn or sci-fi events, and occasionally I attempt to make some sort of art installation or sculpture. It’s a way of sharing what I enjoy in a different way than work.
If you had to choose an entirely different career path, what would it be?
Probably something in the movie industry, like a costume designer, prop maker, or set designer.
What does it feel like to be working on cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to have a real and significant impact on people’s lives and society?
It makes me feel very proud to work on these projects at the Wyss. My job is so unique, and when I get to explain it, people understand what I’m talking about and are often amazed by the variety of things I’ve worked on during my time here. Each time I share what I do, I get excited all over again.