Graduate Students
Our First Years:
Meet our first year students after Boot-camp where they learned about graduate life and tools for success from their senior peers.
Our first year PhD. students are cycling through labs to find what interests them most. They will choose which lab to enter in the next semester.
Omar
Banda
Matriculated: Fall 2014
Program: PhD
Research Area: Biofunctional materials and cellular engineering
Research Adviser: John Slater
Previous Degrees: BS Cell Biology and Biochemistry from Rice University
Honors & Awards: 2015 IGERT Fellow
Email: obanda@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Jamie Benson
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Cartilage biomechanics and tribology
Research Adviser: David Burris and Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: BE in Biomedical Engineering, CUNY City College of New York
Honors & Awards: 2017 Chair’s Fellowship
Email: jmbenson@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 333 Spencer Laboratory
Ellen Bloom
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Mechanics of fiber-reinforced tissues and tendinopathy
Research Adviser: Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: BBmE in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota
Honors & Awards: 2017 Robert W. Gore Fellowship, 2017 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: etbloom@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 160 (office)/148 (lab) DuPont
Ali Bozorgnezhad
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD (Mechanical Engineering)
Research Area: Multiphase Flow, Microfluidics, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
Research Adviser: Dr. Jason Gleghorn, Dr. David Burris (ME)
Previous Degrees: M.S. Mechanical Engineering, K.N.Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Email: abn@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Tech Park, 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Andrew Brown
Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD
Research Area: Applying droplet microfluidics to biological systems
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: BS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Lebanon Valley College
Email: brownaj@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Zheng Cao
Matriculated: Spring 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Engineering Biomaterials and 3D Tissue model to Study Cardiomyopathy
Research Adviser: Elise Corbin
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology; M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston
Email: caozheng@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park, 9 Innovation Way
Meg
an Dang
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Research Area: Targeted nanomedicine for cancer therapy
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: BS Bioengineering, University of Maryland
Honors and Awards: Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship 2017
Email: mndang@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Tech Park, 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Peyton Delgorio
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: MR Elastography for Brain and Muscle Biomechanics
Adviser: Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Email: delgorio@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Room 125
Michael Donzanti
Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD: Biomedical Engineering
Research Area: Microfluidics, Organ-on-a-Chip Devices
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering
Honors & Awards: 2018 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship, 2018 Gore Biomedical Engineering Graduate Fellowship
Email: mdonz@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Cindy Farino
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Microfluidics and biomaterials
Research Adviser: John Slater
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University
Email: cjfarino@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park -5 Innovation Way
Margot Farnham
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Articular Cartilage Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, minor in Mathematics from Bucknell University, PA
Honors & Awards: 2016 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: mfarnham@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Andria Farrens
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Motor learning, functional MRI, MR compatible robotics
Research Adviser: Fabrizio Sergi
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering, Minor Biomedical Engineering
Honors & Awards: 2016 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship; 2013 Harold Robert Grant Memorial Prize; 2013 Robert A and Denzil M Kepner Scholarship
Email: afarrens@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave., Suite 124
Elahe Ganji
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD (Mechanical Engineering)
Research Area: Overuse Biomechanics, Musculoskeletal Tissue Mechanics
Research Adviser: Dr. Megan Killian
Previous Degrees: B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
Email: elaganji@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Rachel Gilbert
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: Regenerative Medicine/Mechanics of Development
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: B.S. Cornell University – Major: Biological Engineering Minor: Biomedical Engineering M. Eng. Cornell University – Biomedical Engineering
Honors & Awards: 2015 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention 2015 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship 2015 Gore Fellow 2016 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Email: rgilbert@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Jeongmin Hwang
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Biomaterials, Gene/drug delivery, Regenerative medicine
Research Adviser: Kristi Kiick and Millicent Sullivan
Previous Degrees: BS in Chemistry, University of Utah; MS in Bioengineering , University of Utah
Honors & Awards: 212 Mack Thomas Rozelle Scholarship, 2017 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: jmhwang@udel.edu
Location Office: 253 Colburn Lab (Office)
Location Office/Lab: 243, 256, 260 Colburn Lab and 227 Dupont Hall (Lab)
N’Dea Irvin-Choy
Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD
Research Area: Drug Delivery
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Rowan University
Honors & Awards: Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship 2018, UD; University of Delaware Graduate Scholar, 2019, UD
Email: irvinchn@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park, 5 Innovation Way
Aditya Jagarapu
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: HIV Modeling
Research Adviser: Ryan Zurakowski
Previous Degrees: Bachelor of Technology, Chemical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India Masters of Engineering, Chemical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Ohio
Email: srihari@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Patricia Johnson
Matriculated:Fall 2013
Program: PhD
Research Area: N/A
Research Adviser: N/A
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biochemistry from Michigan Technological University, M.S. in Business Administration from Texas A&M University, Emphasis: Systems Engineering
Email: pjohns@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: N/A
Keely Keller
Matriculated: Spring 2014
Program: PhD
Research Area: Microfluidics and biomaterials
Research Adviser: John Slater
Previous Degrees: BS in Bioengineering and MS in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University
Honors & Awards: 2015 Laird Fellowship
Email: kheintz@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Meghan Kupratis
Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD
Research Area: Articular cartilage biomechanics and biotransport
Research Adviser: Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: B.S. Biomedical Engineering from Boston University
Email: kupratis@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Connor Leek
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Megan Killian
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering
Email: connorle@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park, 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Ryan Locke
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Tendon-to-bone interface
Research Adviser: Megan Killian
Previous Degrees: B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
Email: rlocke@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way
Benjamin Luo
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Elucidating intracellular trafficking of nanoparticles
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: BS, Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley
Email: bluo@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way Suite 200
Ryan
McDonough
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: Cartilage Mechanotransduction Engineering
Research Adviser: Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: Honors B.S. in Computer Engineering with minor in Biomedical Engineering – University of Delware
Email: ryanmcd@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Robert McGrath
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Wearable robotics
Research Adviser: Fabrizio Sergi
Previous Degrees: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware
Email: rmcgrath@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 124
Grace Mcilvain
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Pediatric Magnetic Resonance Elastography
Research Adviser: Curtis L Johnson
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware; Masters of Business Administration, University of Delaware; Masters of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
Email: gmcilvai@udel.edu
Location: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave,Office Suite 201
Kyle Meadows
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: MRI and biomechanics of fibrous soft tissues
Research Adviser: Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University
Honors & Awards: 2018 IBBM Fellow
Email: meadowkd@udel.edu
Location Office: 160 DuPont Hall
Location Lab: 148 DuPont Hall
Catherine Millar-Haskell
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Tissue Engineering
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: Biomedical Engineering, M.S., B.S.
Email: cmillarh@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way
Daniel Minahan
Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area: Regenerative Medicine, Translational Medicine
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University
Honors & Awards: 2017 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship, 2017 Gore Biomedical Engineering Graduate Fellowship
Email: dminahan@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Saurabh Modi
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: HIV Modeling
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: BS & MS in Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute Tech-Bombay
Email: saurmodi@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Evans Hall
Harrah Newman
Matriculated: Summer 2018
Program: PhD: Biomedical Engineering
Research Area: Spine Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: BS Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester
Email: harrah@udel.edu
Location: Dupont 160
Ashutosh Parajuli
Matriculated: Fall 2012
Program: PhD
Research Area: Mechanotransduction in bone
Research Adviser: Liyun Wang
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University, UT.
Honors & Awards: 1st place prize for podium presentation at 2015 CBER Biomechanics Research Symposium, 2012 Gore Fellowship
Email: parajuli@udel.edu
Location: 206 Spencer Lab
Babak N. Safa
Matriculated: Fall 2014
Program: PhD, Mechanical Engineering
Research Area: Tissue damage mechanics and inelasticity
Research Advisers: Professors Dawn Elliott and Michael Santare (ME)
Previous Degrees: B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2014
Email: safa@udel.edu
Location: 160 Dupont Hall
Mackenzie Scully
Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD
Research Area: Biomimetic nanotechnology for cancer therapy
Research Adviser: Dr. Emily Day
Previous Degrees:B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Biomaterials and Tissues Concentration, University of Miami
Honors & Awards: 2018 Gore Biomedical Engineering Graduate Fellowship, 2018 Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award from the Biomedical Engineering Department
Email: mkscully@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Jasmine Shirazi
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: 3D Organotypic Models
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University MS in Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University
Honors & Awards: 2016 IGERT Fellow
Email: jshirazi@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Daniel Smith
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: MR Elastography of Anisotropic Tissue
Research Adviser: Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: BS Mechanical Engineering, Minor Biomechanical Engineering from University of Delaware
Email: drsmitty@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 125
John Sperduto
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Metastatic Cancer, Microfluidics, in vitro Disease Models, Organ-on-a-Chip Devices
Research Adviser: John H. Slater
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering, The College of New Jersey
Honors & Awards: 2017 IGERT Fellow, 2016 Gore Fellowship, 2016 Chair’s Fellowship
Email: jsperdu@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Wade Stewart
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD: Biomedical Engineering
Research Area: Mechanical regulation of induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes for in vitro disease models of cardiovascular disease and corresponding regenerative therapies.
Research Adviser: Dr. Elise Corbin
Previous Degrees: M.S. Biomedical Engineering University of Delaware, BSE in Biomedical Engineering and Minor in Polymer Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
Honors & Awards: 2018 Best Biomedical Engineering Graduate Teaching Assistant
Email: wadegs@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 9 Innovation Way Rm 276; Lab: 9 Innovation Way Rm 286
Ryan Taitano
Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD
Research Area: Biomaterials and microfluidics for vascular dementia research
Research Adviser: John Slater
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
Email: rtaitano@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Nicholas Trompeter
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: Cytomechanics and regenerative medicine
Research Adviser: Randall Duncan
Previous Degrees: Bachelor of Science, Penn State University, Biology
Email: ntromp@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park, 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Danielle Valcourt
Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area: Nanomedicine for cancer therapy
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Biomolecular Engineering concentration, University of Notre Dame
Honors & Awards: 2016 George W. Laird Merit Fellow, 2015 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: dvalcour@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200
Andrea Zonnino
Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD: Biomedical Engineering
Research Area: MRI-compatible robotics
Research Adviser: Fabrizio Sergi
Previous Degrees: MSc Biomedical Engineering, Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma; BSc Industrial Engineering, Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma
Honors & Awards: University Dissertation Fellowship
Email: zonni@udel.edu
Location: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave., Suite 124
“You can’t build a strong team with five people who all think the same way.”
Ashutosh Khandha