People

Bruce Gao, Ph.D.

University of Miami, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering 
2000-2003
Current position: Professor, Dept. of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC. 
[email protected]

Theodore (Ted) Tower, Ph.D.

University of Minnesota, Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science 
2001-2002 
Current position: Technical Leader at Kimberly-Clark, Neenah, WI.
[email protected]

Erkan Tüzel, Ph.D.

University of Minnesota, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
2007-2009
Current position: Associate Professor, Temple University
[email protected]

Brannon McCullough, Ph.D.

Yale University, Dept. of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry 2012-2015
Current position: Research Scientist, L.L. Gore & Assoc
[email protected]

Jay Hou, Ph.D.

Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University
2012-2018

Nima Ghaderi, Ph.D.

Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota
2021

Vincent VanBuren

(co-advised)
Thesis title: "Computational modeling of microtubule structure and assembly"
Ph.D. program, 2002
Current position: Asst Prof, Texas A&M 

Joseph Fass

Thesis title: “Investigation of neurite initiation and elongation for neural network engineering applications”
Program: Chemical Engineering, 2003
Current position: Bioinformatics Scientist, Providence Health
[email protected]

Yaakov Nahmias

Thesis title: “Laser-guided direct writing for three-dimensional tissue engineering analysis and application of radiation forces”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2004
Current position: Professor and Director, Center for Bioengineering and Dept. of Bioengineering, Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, Israel.
[email protected]

Mauris DeSilva

(deceased)
Thesis title: “Investigation of micropatterning and micromechanical forces towards engineering neural networks with defined connectivity”
Program: Materials Science and Engineering, 2005
Prior to his passing, Mauris was the Founder & CEO, 3D PARS.

Andrew Bicek

Thesis title: “Origin and consequences of microtubule bending in living cells”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2007
Current position: Senior R&D Engineer, Boston Scientific, Inc., Maple Grove, MN. 
[email protected]

Melissa Gardner

Thesis title: “Modeling and analysis of microtubule-mediated chromosome transport during mitosis”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2008
Current position: Associate Professor, Dept. of Genetics, Cell Biology, & Development, University of Minnesota. 
[email protected]

Clarence Chan

Thesis title: “Cellular adhesion dynamics: investigation of molecular clutch attachment and force transmission”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2008
Current position: Principal Systems Engineer, Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA. 
[email protected]

Dominique (Seetapun) Davidow

Thesis title: “Microtubule dynamics and neuronal polarity establishment during neurite initiation”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2011
Current position: Scientist, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics
[email protected]

Brian Castle

Thesis title: “Multiscale modeling and analysis of microtubule self-assembly dynamics”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2014
Current position: Consultant, BioPharma Simulation Partners
[email protected]

Benjamin Bangasser

Thesis title: “Optimality in the nanomechanics of cell migration and adhesion”
Program: Chemical Engineering, 2014
Current position: Senior R&D Group Leader, Sherwin-Williams
[email protected]

Rebecca Markovitz (Klank)

Thesis title: “Physical determinants of glioma cell migration and disease progression”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2015
Current position: Stay-at-home Parent
[email protected]

Emily Tubman

Thesis title: “Modeling and analysis of chromosome attachment error correction and congression during mitosis”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2016
Current position: Princ. Global Clinical Educ. Mgr., , Boston Scientific, Minneapolis, MN
[email protected]

Louis Prahl

Thesis title: “Microtubule-based control of glioma cell migration”
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2018
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
[email protected]

Chao Liu

(co-advised)
Thesis title: "Label-free optical imaging to study brain connectivity and neuropathology"
Program: Biomedical Engineering, 2018 (Advised by Dr. Taner Akkin)
Current position: Research Fellow, MGH/Harvard University
[email protected]

Mahya Hemmat

Thesis title: "Multi-scale modeling of microtubule dynamics and the regulation by microtubule-targeting agents"
Ph.D. program, 2020
Current position: R&D Engineering II, Boston Scientific

Ghaidan Shamsan

Thesis title: "Mechanical regulation of glioma cell migration"
Ph.D. program, 2021
Current position: Senior Scientist, AstraZeneca

Nima Ghaderi

Thesis title: "Mathematical modeling of glioblastoma wound healing assay (WHA) and radiation response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)"
Ph.D. program, 2021
Current position: Senior Data Scientist, Boston Scientific

Sarah Anderson
Thesis title: "Characterization of Glioblastoma and T Cell Migration in Brain Tissue"
Ph.D. program, 2023
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Odde Lab

Marcus Kelly

Thesis title: "Mutual antagonism between CD44 and Integrins in Glioblastoma Cell Traction and Migration" 
Ph.D. program, 2023
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health

Taunisha Harris

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1998
Current position: Research Scientist at 3M (retired)

Yeqing Cao

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1999
Current position: Scientist, Lucent Technologies

Keck-Choong Ho

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1999
Current position: QA Comm Op Lead, Aimmune Therapeutics

Liza Davis

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2002
Current position: Vice President, R&D, Boston Scientific

Brian Sprague

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2002
Current position: Associate Professor, University of Vermont, Dept. of Surgery

Trent Fischer

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2005
Current position: Principal Scientist, Medtronic

Aleksey Demchouk

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2010
Current position: Data Scientist, C.H. Robinson

Joseph Powers

Thesis title: "The predicted role of stereospecificity in crowding-mediated effects on reversible biomolecular association"
B.S. Physics, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, 2012
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2012
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2013
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California San Diego, Bioengineering
[email protected]

Khoa Cao

Thesis title: "Estimating mechanical differences between dorsal and ventral surfaces of U251 cells"
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2015
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2016
[email protected]

Horacio Estabridis

Thesis title: "Experimental and simulated cell migration in 1D and 2D nanofiber microenvironments"
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Irvine, 2015
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2016
Currently employed by Teleflex Industries, Minneapolis, MN.
[email protected]

Lexi Doersch

M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2020
Current position: Research Associate, Invenra, Madison, Wisconsin

Kwaku Opoku

2007-09
Current position: Technology Research Program Manager, Medtronic

Andrew Gardeck

2015-17
Current position: University of Minnesota Medical School

Mariah McMahon

2017-20
Current position: Bioprocess Scientist, Vascudyne, St. Paul, Minnesota

Andrew Gardeck

B.A. Physiology, University of Minnesota, 2014
Currently Researcher II, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. 
[email protected]

Mariah McMahon

B.S. Biology, University of Minnesota, 2013
Researcher III
[email protected]

Research Interests: Studying tumor cell migration by imaging glioblastoma cells on varying degrees of substrate stiffness.

Marcus Kelly

B.S. Biology, University of Minnesota, 2018
Currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at National Institutes of Health
[email protected]

Patrick Bangasser

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2018
[email protected]

Jesse Kasim

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2016
Currently attends the University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI. 
[email protected] 

Matthew Hunt

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2016
Currently working in Research & Development at Boston Scientific.
[email protected]  

Divya Palanisamy

B.S. Neuroscience & Philosophy, University of Minnesota, 2015
Currently participating in Teach For America Corps. 
[email protected]  

Stephanie Vogeli

B.S. Biology, University of Minnesota, 2015
Currently attends Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY. 
[email protected]

Shan Zhong

B.S. Biology, University of Minnesota, 2014
Currently attends University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN. 
[email protected] 

Kelsey McCoy

B.S. Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2014
Currently attends Columbia University, New York, NY.
[email protected] 

Benjamin Schlichtmann

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2014
Currently a Research Technician at Miromatrix Medical in Eden Prairie, MN.
[email protected] 

Alistair McIntyre

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2013
Currently attends the University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.
[email protected]

Benjamin Fuller

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2013
Currently attends the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, WI.
[email protected] 

Aaron Lomicka

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2013
Currently Design Assurance Engineer, Boston Scientific, Maple Grove, MN. 
[email protected] 

Jordan Bernens

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2012 
Currently attends the West Virginia University School of Medicine, Lewisburg, WV.
[email protected] 

Kwaku Opoku

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2009 
B.A. Applied Science, Concordia College, Moorehead, MN 
Currently a Technology Research Program Manager at Medtronic

Allison Claas

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2011 
Currently attends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
[email protected] 

Thomas Hoelkinger

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2012 
Currently an Engineer at Medtronic in Minneapolis, MN.
[email protected] 

Nathan Hinson

Currently Attends Duke University, Durham, NC.
[email protected]