Postdoctoral Researchers:

• Dr. Kelsey Knewtson, Postdoctoral Researcher (2019 – 2023)
  
  • • Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at The University of Kansas.

Graduate Students:

• Aidan Alemifar, Bioengineering MD/PhD Student (2021-2025)
  • • Dissertation (4/1/25): “Modulating Macrophage Polarization to Promote Regeneration of Meniscal Tears“
    • Current Position: 3rd Year Medical Student at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Jacob Hodge, Bioengineering MD/PhD Student (2019 – 2023)
  • • Dissertation (03/06/2023): “Tailoring Regenerative Therapies to Enhance Wound Healing Outcomes”.
    • Current Position: Medical Student at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Philip Elrod, Bioengineering MSc Student (2019 – 2022)
  • • Masters’ Thesis (04/22/2022): “Tuning the Viscoelastic Properties of Hyaluronic Acid-Based Thiolene Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications”.
    • Current Position: Consultant at Ronawk.
• Kevin Chavez, Bioengineering MSc Student (2019 – 2021)
  • • Masters’ Thesis (06/04/2021): “Tools to Assess Drug Effects on Meniscal Fibrochondrocyte-Derived Spheroids for Meniscal Health and Reduced Osteoarthritis”.
    • Current Position: PhD Student at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Pamela Johnson, Bioengineering PhD Student (2017 – 2021)
  • • Dissertation (04/26/2021): “Tuning Emulsion Chemistry to Control Electrospun Fiber Morphology, Topography, and Drug Release”.
    • Current Position: Patent Agent/Science Advisor at Goodwin Procter LLC (Boston, MA).
• Jesus Gonzalez, Bioengineering MSc Student (2017 – 2019)
  • •  Masters’ Thesis (08/26/2019): “Models for Determining Estrogen Effects on Meniscal Fibrochondrocytes”.
    • Current Position: Senior Engineer at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Undergraduate Students: 

• Austin Abbott, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018-2019)
  • • Current Position: Process Engineering Consultant at River City Engineering.
• Jennifer Nguyen, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018 – 2019)
• Justin Lehtinen, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018 – 2022)
  • • Current Position: Master’s Student at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Biomedical Engineering.
• Anna Trofimoff, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018 – 2021)
  • • Current Position: Medical Student at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Elizabeth Aikman, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018 – 2021)
  • • Current Position: PhD Student at University of Florida’s Department of Chemical Engineering.
• Joe Fritz, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018 – 2021)
  • • Current Position: Medical Student at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Saif Elattar, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2018 – 2019)
  • • Current Position: Manufacturing Process Engineer at Sila Nanotechnologies.
• Priscilla Flores-Ascencio, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2019 – 2019)
  • • Current Position: MS Student at Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering.
• Kyley Burkey, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2019 – 2020)
  • • Current Position: MD/PhD Student at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Vy Ly, REU² Student, University of Florida (Summer 2019)
  • • Current Position: Associate Specialist at Merck.
• Katie Donnelly, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2019 – 2023)
  • • Current Position: Associate Production Specialist at MilliporeSigma.
• Shannon Mosher, ME Undergraduate Student (2019 – 2020)
  • • Current Position: Undergraduate Student at the University of Kansas.
• Alyssa Morrell, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2020 – 2023)
  • • Current Position: Lab Analyst at ICON PLC.
• Nathan Ohl, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2020 – 2023)
  • • Current Position: Process Engineering Intern at River City Engineering.
• Kayla Castillo, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2021 – 2023)
  • • Current Position: PhD Student at the University of Colorado – Boulder.
• Rebekah Rodriguez, REU² Student, Louisiana State University (Summer 2021)
• Samuel Hurt, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student, (2021 – 2023)
• Ravi Nataraj, REU² Student, Auburn University (Summer 2022)
  • • Current Position: MS Student at Rice University.
• Chad Harper, RET³ Student, KU STEMTeach Program (Summer 2022)
• Tyler Tankersley, C&PE¹ Undergraduate Student (2022 – 2023)
  • • Current Position: Undergraduate Student at the University of Kansas.
• Rylie Darlington, BioE Undergraduate Student (2023-2024)
• Jordan Vanni, REU² Student, Pacific Lutheran University (Summer 2024)
  • • Current Position: MolE PhD Student at the University of Washington.
• Lauren Luu, REU² Student, Yale University (Summer 2024)
  • • Current Position: Undergraduate Student at Yale University.
• Sydney Lynch, Biology Undergraduate Student (2023-2025)
• Bryan Jandres, Biochemistry Undergraduate Student (2023-2025)
• Nitya Lagadapati, BioE Undergraduate Student (2023-2025)
  • Current Position: MSc Student at Johns Hopkins University.
• Anika Shah, Biochemistry Undergraduate Student (2024-2025)
  • Current Position: Research Scientist in the UW TARE Lab
• Ruben Koshy, REU² Student, University of Washington-Bothell (Summer 2025)
  • Current Position: Undergraduate Student at the University of Washington.

¹ C&PE – Chemical & Petroleum Engineering

² Research Experiences for Undergraduates

³ Research Experiences for Teachers