The Center For Engineering in Medicine: Research Fellows

		Yevgeny Berdichevsky, Ph.D. UC San Diego, 2006 I am developing a microfabricated platform for the study of neural cell networks, using hippocampal slice cultures. The goal is to gain a better understanding of electrical signaling in healthy neuronal circuits, and to determine the relationship between circuit function and brain disorders.
		Robert Bieganski, Ph.D. MIT, 1997 My main research interest involves understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms for successful cryopreservation of macromolecular systems, including mammalian cells. Spectroscopic, computational, and biophysical techniques are the primary tools I am using to develop superior cryopreservation methods.
		Monica Casali, Ph.D. Politecnica di Milano, 2001 My research is on using retroviral vectors for gene therapy with the aim of dramatically increasing the half-life of these vectors. I am also working on ways to selectively express genes in hepatitis C virus-infected hepatocytes.
		Ming Chen, Ph.D. U Massachusetts (Dartmouth), 2009 My research is to develop skin wound healing technologies that promote faster and better “scarless” healing.
		Nilay Chakraborty, Ph.D. MBA University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2008 My current research focuses on developing new technologies for storage and stabilization of mammalian cells at non-cryogenic temperatures. I am also working on developing ice free cryopreservation techniques for mammalian cells.
		Chihchen Chen, Ph.D. U Washington, 2006 I am working on developing microfluidic devices to study gene expression profiles that are affected by cryopreservation procedures. I also collaborate with Drs. He and Edd on microfluidic devices for cryopreservation.
		Heidi Elmoazzen, Ph.D. U Alberta, 2005 My primary research is in the area of biopreservation with a focus on fertility preservation. I am currently working on developing novel techniques to cryopreserve human oocytes. My other research interests are developing long term storage solutions for other cell types including embryonic stem cells and sperm either by cryopreservation or by preservation in a desiccated state at ambient temperature.
		Marta Fernandez Suarez I am working on the development of a rapid, point-of-care (POC) device to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) in resource-limited settings. The device combines the use of microfluidics for sample preparation and a miniaturized nuclear magnetic resonance for detection. It has been estimated that a POC diagnostic for TB could save 500,000 lives annually.
		Amit Gupta, Ph.D. Purdue U, 2005 I am working on the rapid isolation of non-activated monocytes from whole blood for downstream genomic and proteomic analysis. I am also working on an integrated microfluidics platform with mechanical resonant sensors for the real-time detection of biological entities.
		Yun Seok Heo, Ph.D U Michigan, 2008 I’m interested in developing novel microfluidic systems for the cryopreservation and diagnosis of human oocytes and mammalian cells. My current research also focuses on developing universal tools for preservation of circulating tumor cells in cancer patients.
		Chia-Hsien Hsu, Ph.D. U Washington, 2006 I am developing microfluidic chips to sort circulating tumor cells from peripheral blood. This involves the study of cell-device interactions in microfluidic environments and the development of advanced microfluidic sorting techniques.
		Kevin King, M.S. MIT, 2002 I am interested in transcriptional regulatory networks in the liver. We have developed a platform to nondestructively monitor gene expression dynamics in living cells to investigate regulation of the hepatocyte phenotype during differentiation, proliferation, metabolism, and inflammation.
		Piyush Koria, Ph.D. U Buffalo, SUNY, 2006 My current research involves application of the Living Cell Array system to study cell signaling perturbation in hepatic steatosis. I am also working on the synthesis and in vitro evaluation of genetically engineered nanoparticles as cancer therapeutics.
		Ken Kotz, Ph.D. UC Berkeley, 2002 I am working on a platform for the rapid isolation of human neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes from whole blood. In a related project, I am applying these same basic principles of cell separation to develop diagnostics for tuberculosis.
		Jungwoo Lee, Ph.D U Michigan, 2009 I am developing ex vivo human bone marrow and lymph node tissue model systems combining microfluidics and 3D cell culture matrices. In related projects, I am also working on ways to modulate body’s immune responses utilizing messenchyaml stem cells and engineered microparticles.
		Sunitha Nagrath, Ph.D. Rensselaer Polytech, 2004 I am developing a microdevice to detect circulating tumor cells in cancer patients. Effective detection of cancer cells in the peripheral blood of patients would help revolutionize diagnosis in cancer and related diseases.
		John Oakey Colorado School of Mines, 2003 My research combines microfluidics and biomaterials to generate new high-throughput cell-based assays and diagnostic tools. Currently, I am studying inertial focusing as a route to new applications in flow cytometry and cell sorting.
		Alan Rosenbach, M.D. Technion-Israel Insitute of Technology, 2000 My research is on the body's inflammatory response. I am interested in studying neutrophil behavior and developing a point-of-care microfluidic device for the diagnosis and monitoring of infectious processes. I am also working on microfluidic capture and quantification of lymphocytes.
		Shannon Stott, Ph.D. Georgia Tech., 2006 My research focuses on developing PET-specific applications using microfluidic devices. Specifically, I am interested in using circulating tumor cells isolated from a patient's peripheral blood to develop individualized PET tracer molecules.
		Berk Usta, Ph.D. University of Florida, 2007 I am working on improving and developing cell, tissue and organ preservation technologies. The main goal of this project is to extend the current storage times achievable with traditional chemicals and preservation techniques. I also use microfluidic devices to develop quantitative measures of cell viability after preservation.
		Ian Y. Wong, Ph.D. Stanford University, 2010 My research utilizes a combination of microfluidics and three-dimensional microenvironments to elucidate cell motility mechanisms in human immune response.
		Hongzhi Xu, M.D., Ph.D. U North Carolina, 2005 My research is aimed toward developing strategies for improving liver function in marginal livers, (e.g. fatty livers, non heart beating donor livers), so that they can be reproducibly transplanted.
		Hiroshi Yagi, M.D., Ph.D. Keio University, 1998 My research focusing on developing transplantable liver scaffold using engineering technique. In addition, I am interested in cellular therapy with mesenchymal stem cells and primary hepatocytes for systemic inflammation and liver disease.
		Eric Yang, Ph.D. Rutgers U, 2008 My research interest involves investigating the toxicity effects of hemoglobin in an effort to create an effective hemoglobin based oxygen substitute.

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