09/01/2024
Hands-on research experience is one of the hallmarks of a well-rounded engineering education at the Francis College of Engineering.
This section describes the work that our graduate and undergraduate students are performing in faculty-led labs, applying their engineering knowledge and skills to help improve health care technologies and services.
Let us meet some of them.
Pooja Lakhane
Master’s student, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
“I am researching the effect of electrical stimulation on the differentiation of stem cells into different lineages in Prof. Gulden Camci-Unal’s lab. By applying electrical currents, I aim to accelerate the cell maturation process, which could contribute to the development of more efficient therapies for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.”
Ahmer Shehzad
Ph.D. student, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
“I am currently focused on developing innovative biomaterials that can generate oxygen, with the goal of creating vascularized tissue-engineered bone in Prof. Camci-Unal’s lab [see page 2]. This work aims to address a critical challenge in tissue engineering: ensuring that newly formed bone tissue has an adequate oxygen supply, which is essential for the survival and functionality of bone cells within the engineered construct.”
Surbhi Mavi
Ph.D. student, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
“I am a research assistant in Prof. Camci-Unal’s lab, and we work together to help develop novel biomaterials for studying different disease models, specifically, differentiated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells and other immortalized cell lines.”
Alexandria Williams
Master’s student, Chemical Engineering
“My research focuses on carbon/ carbon dioxide recycling in yeast through metabolic engineering, with the desired end product centered around producing high-value chemicals like wax esters. Wax esters are often used in health care to make tablet coating called carnauba wax, or as a vehicle for topical pharmaceutical drug application.”
Andrew Gonzales
Senior student, Plastics Engineering
“I have worked in the medical tubing and catheter industry by running varying processes and materials to research and develop new technologies, products and processes.”
Andrew Lauzon
Senior student, Plastics Engineering
“My involvement in health care was through two six-month co-ops with Insulet Corp. in Acton, Massachusetts. My work focused mainly on the quality and sustainability of the plastic components from the company’s suppliers, which are assembled into the Omnipod, a wearable, tubeless pump used for insulin therapy in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.”
Matthew Drew
Ph.D. student, Plastics Engineering
“I previously worked at a medical injection molding company that make bioabsorbable implants. I am now doing research with the HEROES program at UMass Lowell to make lighter and more durable protective eyewear for soldiers.”
Gayathri Boopathy
Master’s student, Computer Engineering
“I am researching hand-tracking technology using AR [augmented reality] to capture detailed hand movements, including bone positions, key points and hand gestures. My work aims to develop systems for health care applications, such as physiotherapy, to monitor patient progress and enhance rehabilitation techniques.”
Emi Aoki
Ph.D. student, Electrical Engineering
“I’m engaged in research focused on developing physics-informed probabilistic models to capture hand motions to support hand therapy and rehabilitation.”
Maria Eduarda Torres Gouveia
Senior student, Chemical Engineering
“I am currently conducting research on the development of novel biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery, with a focus on creating biodegradable 3D scaffolds that enhance cell growth and regeneration, while also developing targeted drug delivery systems that offer controlled release of therapeutics.”
Flannery Williams
Junior student, Chemical Engineering
“I work in Prof. Camci-Unal’s lab on a pancreatic tissue engineering project to create an implant with insulin-secreting cells for Type 1 diabetics. I feel very fortunate to be involved in this project because it has been a lifelong goal of mine to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, as my father and siblings all live with the autoimmune disease.”
Mert Gezek
Ph.D. student, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
“My research focuses on developing cost-effective, unconventional biomaterials for biofabrication applications that can significantly impact health care by addressing global challenges in resource-limited settings. By employing innovative materials like chicken eggshells, I aim to contribute to advancing regenerative medicine and improving access to affordable tissue engineering solutions for future clinical applications.”