Creative BioMart 2025 Scholarship Winner Announcement

We're excited to share the outcome of this year's Creative BioMart Scholarship Program! Our mission has always been to support young scientists who are shaping the future of biomedical research, and the 2025 cycle brought in an inspiring collection of applicants whose passion made the selection process both rewarding and wonderfully difficult. After careful review, we're proud to introduce this year's standout recipient.

Meet the 2025 Scholarship Recipient: Ignacio Montoya

We are thrilled to congratulate Ignacio Montoya, the recipient of this year's $1,000 Creative BioMart Scholarship!

Ignacio's story, dedication, and scientific vision stood out immediately. His work sits at the intersection of innovation and deeply personal motivation, and we're honored to support his academic and research journey.

About Ignacio

Ignacio is a research scientist in neurorehabilitation, as well as a wounded Air Force veteran living with paralysis from a complete spinal cord injury. His lived experience fuels his work every day—he studies neuroplasticity, neuromodulation, and rehabilitation strategies not only from a researcher's perspective, but also through the lens of someone actively applying these principles in his own recovery. In his words, he's "living the science" he studies.

To learn more and hear directly from Ignacio, visit the "Past Winners" tab.

To All Applicants

Thank you to everyone who applied this year. Your ideas, stories, and aspirations made this program truly meaningful. We're continually inspired by the next generation of innovators, and we encourage you to stay bold, stay curious, and keep applying your genius toward the discoveries that push science forward.

— The Creative BioMart Team

Contact Information

Stay tuned for our 2026 Scholarship Program! If you have any questions, please contact us at .

Ignacio Montoya

Georgia Institute of Technology

Creative BioMart 2025 Scholarship Winner

"Hi, my name is Ignacio Montoya. I am very honored to be named the recipient of the 2025 Creative BioMart Scholarship. Thank you so much for this recognition, it means a great deal to me, both personally and professionally.

The Personal "Why" A little about me: I am a research scientist in neurorehabilitation, and I am also a wounded Air Force veteran living with paralysis from a complete spinal cord injury.

My lived experience is exactly what drives my scientific work. Every single day, I study neuroplasticity, neuromodulation, and rehabilitation techniques that I don't just analyze in a lab, but that I actively apply to my own daily recovery and training. I am living the science I research.

The Research & Goals I am currently pursuing my PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. My work focuses on reimagining the future of neurorehabilitation, specifically looking at how we can use technology like self-balancing exoskeletons paired with noninvasive spinal stimulation to trigger neuroplasticity in chronic injuries.

My goal is to help transform the standard of care, expand what we believe is possible after paralysis, and contribute to therapeutic technologies that are accessible to everyone who needs them.

Gratitude & Closing This scholarship is vital to making that path possible. It eases the financial burden of graduate education and allows me to dedicate my full focus to research, discovery, and service.

I am sincerely grateful for Creative BioMart's belief in my work, my mission, and the future I hope to help build. Thank you again for this incredible honor. I look forward to keeping you updated on my progress."

Krrisha Patel

University Of Pennsylvania

Creative BioMart 2024 Scholarship Winner

"Hello, I'm Krrisha Patel, and I'm truly honored to be a recipient of the 2024 Creative BioMart Scholarship. Thank you so much to everyone at Creative BioMart for this incredible support—it brings me one step closer to turning my dreams into reality.

Pursuing bioengineering and finance has always been my passion. I'm inspired by the possibility of merging science, technology, and business to create real, impactful solutions. Whether it's advancing prosthetic technology to improve quality of life, exploring bio-oil innovations for sustainable energy, or working toward accessible healthcare tools, I'm driven by a vision of meaningful change. This scholarship doesn't just provide financial support; it empowers me to keep pushing forward with bold ideas and meaningful projects.

I'm immensely grateful to my family, friends, and mentors for always encouraging me, and I want to recognize all the applicants who are equally committed to making a difference in their fields. Creative BioMart, your generosity means the world. By investing in students like me, you're enabling the future leaders, researchers, and innovators of tomorrow, and I'm incredibly thankful for that.

Thank you once again for this honor, and for believing in my journey. I can't wait to see where it takes me!"