Lab Alumni
Alumni – Post-Docs
Chris Bertucci: 2019 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Alumni – Graduate Students
Kyla Nichols: Chemical Engineering, PhD 2024
Currently at: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Post Doc)
Project: Modeling Enteric Nervous System Interactions with Surrounding Cell Types and Metabolites
Jessica Snyder: Bioengineering, PhD 2023
Currently at: Javelin Biotech
Project: Bioengineering the Intestinal Niche on a Chip: Investigating Signal Transmission Between the Epithelium and Enteric Neurons
Adam Bindas: Chemical Engineering, PhD 2022
Currently at: Xellar Biosystems (Scientist)
Project: Microphysiological Systems to Investigate Parkinson’s Disease and Elucidate Gut-Brain Axis Biology
Ben Carter: Bioengineering, MS 2022
Currently at: Pioneering Medicines (Associate Researcher)
Project: Effects of Inflammation on Lewy Body Formation in Parkinson’s Disease
Erika Wheeler: Bioengineering, MS 2022
Currently at: University of California, Davis (PhD Student)
Project: Characterization of sex-based differences in irritable bowel syndrome and irritable bowel disease
Joyce Song: Bioengineering, MS 2021
Currently at: Abiomed (Test Engineer II)
Kirstie Belanger: Chemical Engineering, MS 2021
Currently at: Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (Scientist)
Project: Modeling cardiac innervation on chip
David Diaz Vera: Chemical Engineering, PhD 2020
Currently at: Sanofi (Scientist)
Project: A study of primary sensory neurons and Schwann cells sensitivity to visible light irradiation in vitro, and feasibility of a light inducible system in Schwann cells for neurite outgrowth enhancement in vitro
Tess Torregrosa: Chemical Engineering, PhD 2020
Currently at: Sanofi (Scientist, Gene Therapy)
Project: Mechanisms to Investigate the Nervous System: Genetic Engineering with Adeno-Associated Viruses
Caroline Mills: Chemical Engineering, MS 2020
Currently at: Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (R&D Engineer II)
Project: Using magnetic and topographical cues to influence the growth of neuron extensions
Sanjin Hosic: Chemical Engineering, PhD 2019
Currently at: Bluebird Bio (Scientist)
Project: Harnessing Patient-Derived Organoids and Microfluidics to Investigate Cholinergic Regulation of the Epithelial Barrier
Marissa Puzan: Chemical Engineering, PhD 2019
Currently at: Pfizer (Senior Scientist)
Project: Development of an Innervated, Tissue Engineered Model of the GI Tract
Dan Ventre: Bioengineering, PhD 2019
Currently at: Seven Bridges Genomics (Technical Writer)
Project: Investigating the Mechanisms of Ultrasonic and Electrical Neuromodulation
Joshua Scaralia: Chemical Engineering, MS 2016
Currently at: Azzur Group (Technical Services Engineer)
Project: Decellularized retina ECM hydrogels for increased cellular migration and integration
Megha Kamath: Pharmaceutical Sciences, MS 2015
Currently at: National Institute of Health (Biology Research Assistant)
Project: Small intestinal models for drug delivery and tissue engineering
Alumni – Undergraduate Students
Rithika Raj Kumar Pradeep: Bioengineering, BS 2023
Jack Gelinas: Chemical Engineering, BS 2022
Sean Flannery: Chemical Engineering, BS 2022
Currently at: Blueprint Medicines (Formulations Contractor I)
Beth DiBiase: Chemical Engineering & Biochemistry, BS 2021
Currently at: Northwestern University (PhD Student, ChemE)
Bridie Eckel: Chemical Engineering, BS 2021
Currently at: Drexel University (PhD Candidate, Neuroscience)
Caroline Ghio: Chemical Engineering, BS 2021
Currently at: Johns Hopkins University (PhD Candidate, BioE)
Mary Lou Nadeau: Chemical Engineering, BS 2021
Currently at: Aerodyne Industries LLC (Chemical Engineer II)
Nicole Marco: Chemical Engineering, BS 2021
Currently at: Circe (Fermentation Engineer)
Ryan Svendsen: Chemical Engineering, BS 2021
Currently at: Lockheed Martin (Senior Research Engineer)
Taylor Lynch: Bioengineering, BS 2021
Audrey Lee: Chemical Engineering, BS 2020
Avery Cluff: Bioengineering, BS 2020
Meron Wonderad: Chemical Engineering, BS 2020
Will Lake: Chemical Engineering, BS 2020
Alon Duval: Chemical Engineering, BS 2019
Brooke Wojeski: Chemical Engineering, BS 2019
Minhal Ahmed: Chemical Engineering, BS 2019
Currently at: Harvard Medical School (MD Candidate)
Nicholas Phelan: Chemical Engineering, BS 2019
David Urick: Chemical Engineering, BS 2018
Mina Iskarous: Chemical Engineering, BS 2018
William Cisneros: Chemical Engineering, BS 2018
Yang Lin: Chemical Engineering, BS 2018
Emily Ashbolt: Medical Physics, BS 2017
Rachel Shapiro: Chemical Engineering, BS 2017
Currently at: Johns Hopkins University (PhD Candidate, ChemE)
Dr. Koppes Wins R21 Trailblazer Award!
Congratulations to Dr. Abby Koppes and Dr. Ryan Koppes for winning an NIH Trailblazer Research Grant for early career PIs for their project developing a body-chip for a humanized gut-enteric axis (hGEA). More information can be found here!
BMES 2017!
Six members of ABNEL presented at the annual Biomedical Engineering Society conference in Phoenix, Arizona! Congrats to Daniel Ventre, Sanjin Hosic, Tess Torregrosa, David Diaz, Minhal Ahmed, and Marissa Puzan for their successful presentations. Check out some photos of the group at BMES and their trip to the Grand Canyon here!