Graduate Students

Sara Aboeleneen

Matriculated: 2020
Program: PhD
Research Area: Enhancing photothermal cancer therapy with biomimetic nanoparticles
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Email: saboelen@udel.edu
Location: 442 BPI

Sobia Anam

Matriculated: 2021
Program: PhD
Research Area: Mathematical Modeling of HIV Dynamics
Research Adviser: Ryan Zurakowski
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Pakistan

Email: sobia@udel.edu
Location: 4th floor BPI

Olivia Bailey

Matriculated: Fall 2021
Program: PhD

Research Area: MR Elastography for Brain Biomechanics
Research Advisor: Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
Honors & Awards: 2021 Gore Biomedical Engineering Graduate Fellowship
Email: obailey@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab:  STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 109

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, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31)
Email:   etbloom@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Health Sciences Complex, Rm. 109 (Office) & Rm 125 (Lab)

Diego Caban-Rivera

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Anisotropic parameter estimation of brain and muscle
Research Adviser: Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, Biomechanics concentration; Minor in Engineering Mechanics @ The Pennsylvania State University
Email: dacr@udel.edu
Location: STAR Campus, Suite 201

Zheng Cao

Matriculated: Spring 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area:Develop an in vitro device to manipulate the microenvironment of cardiac cells to study myocardial infarction.
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
Honors & Awards: 2021 Fall Graduate Block Fellowship
Email: caozheng@udel.edu
Location: BPI 4th floor

Brea Chernokal

Matriculated: Fall 2021
Research Area: Microphysiologic systems for tissue engineering
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering from UD
Honors & Awards: NSF GRFP fellow
Email: brea@udel
Location Office/Lab: BPI 4th floor

Hannah Cohen

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Rehabilitation biomechanics and robotics
Research Adviser: Fabrizio Sergi
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from West Virginia University
Honors & Awards: 2020 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: hncohen@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 124

​Alexa Marie Diano

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: PhD
Research Area: MR Elastography for Brain Biomechanics
Research Adviser:  Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees:  B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Rowan University
Honors & Awards: 2022 BME Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Email: adiano@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Room 109

Margo Donlin

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Gait Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Techniques
Research Adviser: Jill Higginson
Previous Degrees: BS in Engineering, Dual Concentration in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Elizabethtown College
Honors & Awards: 2022 Doctoral Fellowship
Email: donlinm@udel.edu
Location: STAR Campus, Suite 201

Roisin Donnelly

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Protein Biophysics
Research Adviser: Norman Wagner
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering and Mathematics @ Trinity College, Dublin
Email: roisind@udel.edu
Location: 047 Colburn Lab

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

Alexis Duffy

Matriculated: Fall 2021
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area: Engineering nanoparticles for high-precision cancer therapy
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Physics and Minor in Mathematics from Seton Hall University
Honors & Awards: N/A
Email: duffyale@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: BPI, Lab 442/444

Luisa Fink

Matriculated: Fall 2021
Program: Biomedical Engineering, PhD
Research Area: Drug delivery, Cell Engineering concerning the immune system
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: B.S in Bioengineering, University of Applied Sciences in Munich, Germany
Honors & Awards: 2020 Biomedical Engineering Chair Fellowship
Email: lufink@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: AP Bio, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, DE 19713, 4th floor

Cailin Gonyea

​Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Tissue engineering and embryonic lung development
Research Adviser: Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Honors & Awards: 2022 BME Outstanding Engineering Outreach Award, 2020 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: crgonyea@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: BPI

​Cody Helm

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: PhD
Research Area: Musculoskeletal Biomechanics, Motor Control
Research Advisor: Fabrizio Sergi
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, Minor in Biotechnology: North Carolina State University
Email: cahelm@udel.edu
Location: STAR Campus 540 S. College Ave. Suite 124

Dione Holder

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:   Spine Biomechanics
Research Adviser:  Dr. Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees:  BEng Mechanical Engineering, University of Guyana; International MBA, University of the West Indies
Email: dholder@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 109J

Elise Hoover

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Targeted nanomedicine for triple negative breast cancer therapy
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering @ University of Virginia
Honors & Awards: 2022 BME Graduate Chair Award, 2019 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship, 2019 Gore Biomedical Engineering Graduate Fellowship
Email: ehoover@udel.edu
Location: Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center (BPI), 4th floor

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

​Mary Kramer

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  MR Elastography for Aging Brain Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees:  BS in Biomedical Engineering @ University of South Carolina
Honors & Awards: 2020 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: mkkramer@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, Suite 201

​George Kramarenko

Matriculated: Fall 2021
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Drug Delivery/Nanomedicine
Research Adviser: Emily Day
Previous Degrees:  M.S. in Bioengineering, Temple University, 2021,  B.S. in Bioengineering, Temple University, 2020
Honors & Awards: 2022 NRT-MIDAS Fellow, 2021 Gore Fellow
Email: gkram@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab:  AP Bio, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, DE 19713, 4th floor

Meghan Kupratis

Matriculated: Fall 2018
Program: PhD
Research Area:Articular cartilage tribology and osteoarthritis
Research Adviser: Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: B.S. Biomedical Engineering from Boston University
Honors & Awards: 2022 BME Best Paper Award, 2022 Dissertation Fellowship, 2020 STLE McCoy Fellowship, 2020 STLE Philadelphia Section Scholarship, 2020-22 SWE Ada Pressman Scholarship
Email: kupratis@udel.edu 
Location: BPI 4th floor

Emily Lambeth

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Cartilage Tribology and Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Christopher Price
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from North Carolina State University

Honors & Awards: Unidel Distinguished Scholar Award 2019; NSF GRFP Fellow 2021
Email: eplambet@udel.edu
Location: Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center (BPI), 4th floor

Ali Lateef

Matriculated: Fall 2021
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Cell and Tissue Modeling
Research Adviser: Elise Corbin
Previous Degrees: BS in Chemical Engineering from University of Florida
Honors & Awards: 2021 Biomedical Engineering Chair Fellowship
Email: alateef@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 590 Avenue 1743, Ste 421, Newark, DE 19713 Suite 450

Zhimo (Bill) Li

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Research Area: Organ-on-a-chip System, better manipulation and biomimetic
Research Adviser: Prof. Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees:
M.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester;
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Ohio State University;
Email: zhimoli[at]udel[dot]edu
Location: Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center (BPI), 4th floor

​Lily Lin

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Tendon Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Dr. Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia
Honors & Awards: 2022 BME Outstanding Service Award, 2020 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: lilymlin@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 125/109J

Milad Imeni Markhali

Matriculated: Spring 2022
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Biomechanics of fibrous tissues
Research Adviser: Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees: MS in Biomedical Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology
Email: mldimeni@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, 540 S. College Ave, Suite 109J

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

Kyle Meadows

Matriculated: Fall 2017
Program: PhD
Research Area:  MRI and biomechanics of fibrous soft tissues
Research Adviser:  Dr. Dawn Elliott
Previous Degrees:  B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University
Honors & Awards:  2018 IBBM Fellow; 2020 BME Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award
Email:  meadowkd@udel.edu
Location Office: 160 DuPont Hall
Location Lab: 148 DuPont Hall

Omkar Mhatre

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Evaluating the role of biophysical forces in lung and vascular disorders
Research Adviser: Dr. Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: Bachelors in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, ICT Mumbai, India (2017).
Masters in Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India (2019).
Email: omkarm@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: AP-Bio, 590 Avenue 1743

Yasaman Moghadamnia

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Bioinformatics & Data Science PhD
Research Area: Drug modeling, computer vision and image analysis
Research Adviser: Ryan Zurakowski, Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees: MS in Physics, MA in Biophysics
Honors & Awards: 2021 UD Graduate Student Travel Award
Email: ymoghad@udel.edu
Location: BPI 4th Floor

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
Honors & Awards: 2022-2025 NIH-F31

Email: harrah@udel.edu
Location: Dupont 160

Rebecca Nikonowicz

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Rehabilitation Robotics
Research Adviser: Fabrizio Sergi
Previous Degrees: BS in Mechanical Engineering @ Rice University

Email: rnikon@udel.edu
Location: 540 South College Ave., Suite 124A, Newark DE 19713

Sasan Paryad-zanjani

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area:  Mathematical Biology, Nonlinear Control Systems, Cancer, HIV
Research Adviser: Ryan Zurakowski
Previous Degrees: Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Honors & Awards:
Email: sparyadz@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: 109B STAR Tower

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

​Ashika Singh

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Microfluidics to study immunology and pathogenesis of HIV infection
Research Adviser:  Jason Gleghorn
Previous Degrees:  BS Biotechnology from Jai Hind College, University of Mumbai
MS Biotechnology from St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai
Email: ashikas@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center (BPI), 4th floor

Jacob Skigen

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area: Gait Biomechanics and Rehabilitation
Research Advisor: Elisa Arch
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering from North Carolina State University
Email: jtskigen@udel.edu
Location: 540 S College Ave, Newark, DE 19713, 3rd Floor

Eric Sterin

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: PhD
Research Area:  Biomimetic nanotechnology for therapeutic delivery
Research Adviser:  Emily Day
Previous Degrees:  B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering with focuses in Polymers and Biomaterials, Minors in Economics and Entrepreneurship: The Ohio State University
Honors & Awards: 2022-2025 NSF-GRFP Fellowship, 2020 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: sterin@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center (BPI), 4th floor

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

Seth Sullivan

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Research Area: Neuromechanics, Human-Human Interaction
Research Adviser: Joshua Cashaback
Previous Degrees: BA in Physics from College of the Holy Cross
Honors & Awards: 2021 Biomedical Engineering Chair’s Fellowship
Email: sethsull@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: STAR Campus, Suite 201

Shalini Sundar

Matriculated: Fall 2020
Program: Biomedical PhD
Research Area:  Measuring cellular and tissue level mechanical properties
Research Adviser:  Dr. Charles Dhong
Previous Degrees:  Honors B.E. in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware; B.E. in Electrical Engineering, University of Delaware
Honors & Awards: 2020 Gore Engineering Fellowship
Email: sshalu@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab: Dupont 324

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

Connor Virgile

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area: Cell & Tissue Engineering, Sepsis, Biomaterials
Research Adviser: Elise Corbin
Previous Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, minor in Economics @ University of Rochester

Email: cvirgile@udel.edu
Location: Delaware Technology Park, 9 Innovation Way, Suite 276

Tyler Williams

Matriculated: Fall 2019
Program: PhD
Research Area:  Magnetic Resonance Elastography and Biomechanics
Research Adviser: Dr. Curtis Johnson
Previous Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Honors & Awards: Unidel Distinguished Graduate Scholars Award, Ralph Hughes Memorial Scholarship, Louis A. Harding Memorial Scholarship, Bayard D. Kunkle Scholarship
Email: Ltylerw@udel.edu
Location Office/Lab:  201 STAR Campus