Graduate Students

Omar Banda
Publicity Photos of 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

LaMont Cannon

Matriculated: Fall 2013
Program: PhD
Research Area: HIV modeling
Research Adviser: Ryan Zurakowski
Previous Degrees:BS in Mechanical Engineering and MS in Electrical Engineering from University of Delaware
Honors & Awards: University Graduate Scholars Fellowship
Email: lcannon@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 332 DuPont

Charlotte Chaze

Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Brain tissue mechanics, functional neuroimaging, MRI, MR elastography
Research Adviser: Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: BS Chemistry
Honors & Awards: 2017 UD’s prestigious Laird Fellowship; 2016 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship; 2014 Max Planck Society Fellowship; 2013 Floyd A. Blankenship Memorial Award
Email: cchaze@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus – 540 S. College Ave, Suite 201, Row 4A

Michael David

Matriculated: Fall 2013
Program: PhD
Research Area: Drug Delivery Treatment Strategies for Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis
Research Adviser: Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering (Cell & Tissue Engineering concentration) and minor in Chemical Engineering from University of Rochester
Honors & Awards: 2016 UD Graduate University Fellow Award; 2014 and 2016 UD Biomedical Engineering Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
Email: mdavid@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200

John DeLucca

Matriculated: Fall 2012
Program: PhD
Research Area: Spine Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Delaware with minors in Biomedical Engineering and Math
Honors & Awards:
Email: deluccaj@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 160 (offc)/148 (lab) DuPont

Rachel Edelstein
Rachel Edelstein, Biomedical Engineering - Graduate Student.

Matriculated: Fall 2013
Program: PhD
Research Area: Nanomedicine for cancer management
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: BS in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Rowan University
Honors & Awards: Honorable Mention in 2015 NSF GRFP competition
Email: edelstr@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200, Room 133

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

Rachel GilbertRachel Gilbert, Biomedical Engineering.

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

Brian Graham

Matriculated: Fall 2013
Program: PhD, Mechanical Engineering
Research Area: Cartilage Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Christopher Price and David Burris
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering from the College of New Jersey
Honors & Awards: 2016 IBBM Fellow
Email: btgraham@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park, 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200

Justin Hollenbeck

Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Intervertebral Disc Mechanics
Research Adviser: Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering, Minors in Medical Physics and Mathematics from the University of Denver; MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Denver
Honors & Awards:
Email: hollejus@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 160 (office)/148 (lab) DuPont Hall

Aditya JagarapuAditya Jagarapu, BME graduate student.

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
Honors & Awards:
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
Honors & Awards: N/A
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

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
Honors & Awards:
Email:  rlocke@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way

Ryan McDonoughRyan McDonough, Biomedical Engineering.

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
Honors & Awards:
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
Honors & Awards:
Email:  rmcgrath@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 124

Jilian MelamedJillian Melamed, Biomedical Engineering - Graduate Student.

Matriculated: Fall 2013
Program: PhD
Research Area: Developing multifunctional nanomedicine for cancer therapy
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees:BS in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University
Honors & Awards: 2015 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship, 2014 BME Grad TA Award
Email: jrmelamed@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200, Room 133

Catherine Millar-Haskell

Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area: Tissue Engineering
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: Biomedical Engineering, M.S., B.S.
Honors & Awards:
Email: cmillarh@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way

Saurabh ModiSaurabh Modi, BME graduate student.

Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area:  HIV Modeling
Research Adviser:  Abhi Singh
Previous Degrees:  BS & MS in Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute Tech-Bombay
Honors & Awards:
Email:  saurmodi@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Evans Hall

Axel Moore

Matriculated: Fall 2012
Program: PhD
Research Area: Articular cartilage and the biomechanical contributors to osteoarthritis
Research Adviser: David Burris
Previous Degrees: BS in Marine Engineering Technology from California Maritime Academy, CA
Honors & Awards: 2017 Whitaker Fellowship for one-year study abroad; 2013 Force and Motion Scholarship, 2013 UD’s prestigious Laird Fellowship
Email: axel@udel.edu
Location: 333 Spencer Lab

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

Hisham Sherif

Matriculated: Fall 2012
Program: PhD
Research Area: Probability-based Bioinformatics and Decision Making in Cardiovascular Disease
Research Adviser: Ottoh-Okine Nii
Previous Degrees: MBBCh, MD
Honors & Awards: Two full patents for implantable artificial ventricle and total aortic arch replacement graft; artificial ventricle project short-listed for Medical Futures Innovation Awards, UK, 2008.
Email: hisham@udel.edu
Location:

Jasmine ShiraziJasmine Shirazi, Biomedical Engineering.

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 Brain & Muscular Analysis
Research Adviser:  Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: Bachelor’s of Mechanical Engineering
Honors & Awards:
Email: drsmitty@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus 201 Grad Area

Michael Sonnenfelt

Matriculated: Fall 2016
Program: PhD
Research Area:  Developmental biology and bone biomechanics
Research Adviser:  Megan Killian
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, Saint Louis University
Honors & Awards:
Email:  msonnenf@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200

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 StewartWade Stewart, Biomedical Engineering.

Matriculated: Fall 2015

Program: PhD
Research Area:  Regenerative Medicine and the Mechanics of Development
Research Adviser:  Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees:  BSE in Biomedical Engineering and Minor in Polymer Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
Honors & Awards:
Email:  wadegs@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park – 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200

Nicholas TrompeterNicholas Trompeter, BME graduate student.

Matriculated: Fall 2015
Program: PhD
Research Area:  Cytomechanics and regenerative medicine
Research Adviser:  Randall Duncan
Previous Degrees:  Bachelor of Science, Penn State University, Biology
Honors & Awards:
Email:  ntromp@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Delaware Technology Park, 5 Innovation Way, Suite 200

Danielle ValcourtDanielle Valcourt, an graduate student in Biomedical Engineering, is the recipient of the 2016 Laird Fellowship. - (Evan Krape / University of Delaware)

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

Alap Verma

Matriculated: Fall 2013
Program: PhD
Research Area: Systems Biology
Research Adviser: Babatunde Ogunnaike, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli (Thomas Jefferson Univ)
Previous Degrees: Bachelor of Technology in Engineering Physics from IIT Delhi (India) and MS in Physics from University of Texas at Dallas
Honors & Awards:
Email: averma@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab:

Peter Worthington

Matriculated: Fall 2012
Program: PhD
Research Area: Cell hydrogel interactions for cancer modeling
Research Adviser: Darrin Pochan, Sigrid Langhans
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University
Honors & Awards: 2013 Fraunhofer-UD exchange student
Email: pworth@udel.edu
Location: Nemours Children’s hospital, Wilmington

Aidan Zerdoum

Matriculated: Fall 2012
Program: PhD
Research Area: Tissue engineering of functional vocal fold lamina propria
Research Adviser: Xinqiao Jia
Previous Degrees: BE in Biomedical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology
Honors & Awards: 2012 IGERT Fellow
Email: azerdoum@udel.edu
Location: 244 DBI

“You can’t build a strong team with five people who all think the same way.”

Ashutosh Khandha

PhD Graduate, University of Delaware