Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of Washington, 202x
B.S., Materials Science & Engineering, Cornell University, 2015
Foege Hall N330Q
sl234@uw.edu
LinkedIn
(she/her/hers)
I am from Rockville, MD and earned my B.S. in materials science and engineering with emphasis on biomaterials. My undergraduate research was based at Cornell’s Comparative Orthopaedics Laboratory, where I investigated synovial glycoproteins critical to joint tribology to characterize the progression of degenerative joint diseases. After graduation, I worked for 2 years as a manufacturing engineer at Nordson Medical in Huntington Beach, CA supporting technical operations in the development of advanced polymeric cannulae/catheter solutions for minimally-invasive surgical applications. In 2017, I joined the UW Bioengineering community where I am currently a graduate researcher studying blood-compatible materials at the Center for Dialysis Innovation (CDI). My research focus areas are in surface science and the study of molecular interactions at the solid-liquid interface from both experimental and computational perspectives. My project involves the study of plasma protein adsorption on low-fouling materials and structural changes of adhesion proteins that induce thrombosis. This work is part of a concerted effort to develop a low-cost, wearable hemodialyzer requiring minimal systemic anticoagulation to transform the healthcare and quality of life of patients with renal disease. I am passionate about high-quality factual dissemination of scientific discovery and hope to pivot my career in the future towards science writing, communication, and publishing. Outside of research, I enjoy solving crosswords, reading, film, museums, playing piano, and discovering new music.