Fellowships

Priscilla Williams, Ph.D. Candidate in Professor Silva’s Lab, has been selected as recipient of an American Heart Summer 2014 Predoctoral Fellowship. Priscilla’s research aims to design a biomaterial system to recruit circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to ischemic tissue after intravenous injection for therapeutic angiogenesis. This greater understanding of human EPC homing and angiogenesis will help elucidate the mechanisms responsible for ischemic vascular diseases.

Jenna Harvestine, a 1st year BME PhD Student in Professor Leach’s Laboratory, has been selected as a recipient of a 2015 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship.  The NDSEG Fellowship will provide Jenna with 3 years of funding to pursue research in biomaterials and bone tissue engineering.  This work may be of benefit to injured service members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

Kaitlin Murphy, Ph.D. Candidate in Professor Leach’s Lab, has been selected a recipient of a American Heart Summer 2014 Predoctoral Fellowship.  Kaitlin’s research will seek to identify cellular and physical cues to present to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that will improve capillary formation upon transplantation. The results of this study may provide a novel approach to promote blood vessel growth and limb salvage in diabetic patients.

Christopher Chapman, Ph.D. student in Biomedical Engineering, has been selected to receive a 2014 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Currently Chris’s research focuses on an advanced material, nanoporous gold, due to its high surface area-to-volume ratio, ease of surface modification, tunable surface morphology, and electrical conductivity. In order to rapidly screen for the optimal material morphologies and surface chemistries that enhance biological response and electrophysiological performance, he is engineering a micro-chip-based high-throughput electrode testing platform.

Molly Townsend, Ph.D. Student in Biomedical Engineering, was awarded the 2013 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.  Molly’s research, under the mentorship of Professor Sarigul-Klijn in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, will focus on the Effects of Space Flight on the Spine.  For more information, please see the following abstract for the project.

Keywords: gravitational physiology, lumbar spine, compression fracture, bone loss