The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is one of the most complex and sophisticated systems in the body. To balance its nutrient absorption function with immune tolerance, the GI tract requires a specialized structure, organization, and communication among a diverse array of cell types, a significant immune presence (comprising approximately 70% of the body’s immune system by weight), and a partially autonomous nervous system known as the enteric nervous system. Dysfunction in various aspects of GI homeostasis can lead to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Current treatment options have limited success in achieving lasting clinical remission or preventing potential intestinal fibrosis. Moreover, existing disease models often fail to predict drug efficacy and safety, highlighting the need for more translational options. Organ-on-chip in vitro models have demonstrated their potential as valuable tools for understanding cellular activity, replicating physiological conditions, and providing more translational results to clinical outcomes than traditional methods. Unfortunately, limitations related to cost and throughput hinder the widespread utilization of these platforms in drug screening paradigms. Tonya’s work focuses on developing a cost-effective multiplexed organ-on-chip system that models epithelial-immune-enteric nervous system interactions during inflammation.

Tonya joined LNNR & ABNEL in Fall 2023 as an Interdisciplinary Engineering PhD student with Merck. Her prior research has focused on cellular and molecular assay development for immunological disease indications. Prior to her graduate studies, Tonya completed her bachelor’s degree at Northeastern University and a master’s degree at Harvard Extension School. Her master’s research, conducted at Merck under the supervision of Dr. Denise Manfra, was titled “Reverse Translation and Extension of Human Tyk2 Biology to a Murine Model.” Throughout her career, Tonya has worked at Boston Children’s Hospital in the Nephrology Department/Transplantation Research Center, EMD Serono in the Immuno-Oncology department, and currently at Merck under Dr. Elisabeth Vollmann in the Discovery Immunology department.

M.A. Biotechnology
Harvard University – Harvard Extension School ’19
Cambridge, MA

B.S. Biology
Northeastern University ’08
Boston, MA

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