
Faculty

Dr. Mary Beth Monroe, Assistant Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
Email – LinkedIn – Google Scholar
Favorites:
- Material: Polyurethanes
- Park in Syracuse: Fiddler’s Green
- Childhood Book: The BFG
Visiting Scholar

Graduate Students

Changling Du, Ph.D. Student in Bioengineering
Dissertation Research: Antimicrobial and antioxidant shape memory biomaterials – Email
Favorites:
- Food: Mushrooms
- Book: Into the Wild
- Vacation spot: Kenya


Nghia Thai, Ph.D. Student in Bioengineering
Dissertation Research: Polymeric biomaterials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine – Email – LinkedIn – Google Scholar
Favorites:
- Material: Chitosan
- Game: Soccer
- Drink: Vietnamese milk coffee

Natalie Petryk, Ph.D. Student in Bioengineering (MBM Lab B.S. Student Summer 2019-Spring 2021; M.S. Graduate Spring 2022)
Research Project: Polyurethane foams with off-the-shelf physical blowing agents – Email – LinkedIn
Favorites:
- Park in Syracuse: Beaver Lake Nature Center
- Food: Tacos
- Childhood Book: The Lorax

David Fikhman, M.S. Student in Chemical Engineering (MBM Lab B.S. Student since Fall 2019)
Research Project: Controlled drug delivery from magnetically-responsive shape memory polymers – Email – LinkedIn
Favorites:
- Park in Syracuse: Thorndon Park
- Takeout in Syracuse: Pastabilities
- Beverage: Trader Joe’s Mango Peach Orange Juice

Katheryn Shi Dong, M.S. Student in Bioengineering
Research Projects: In vitro hemorrhage models; Blood-material interactions – Email
Favorites:
- Takeout in Syracuse: Storming Crab
- Game: Don’t Starve Together
- Book: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Undergraduate Students



Emily Fittante, B.S. Student in Chemical Engineering
Research Project: Degradation of Starch-Based Shape Memory Polymers for Crohn’s Fistulas – Email
Favorites:
- Game: Volleyball
- Animal: Dogs
- Vacation Spot: Cancun, Mexico



Devanand Persaud, B.S. Student in Biotechnology
Research Project: Phenolic Acid-based shape memory polymers with antimicrobial properties – Email
Favorites:
- Food: Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Animal: Cats
- Childhood Book: Eragon

Leo Saldanha, B.S. Student in Bioengineering
Research Project: Shape memory polymers with controlled drug delivery – Email
Favorites:
- Coming soon!
Alumni
Ph.D. Students
Henry Beaman, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, August 2022; Dissertation: Leveraging Isocyanate Chemistry for Low Cost and Highly Functional Hydrogels; LinkedIn
Anand Vakil, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, August 2022; Dissertation: Exploring the Biomedical Applications of Polyurethane-based Foams, Films, and Hydrogels; LinkedIn – Google Scholar
M.S. Students
Ellen Shepherd, M.S. in Bioengineering, May 2021; Thesis: Blood-material interactions with degradable shape memory polymer foams; LinkedIn
Nakira Christmas, M.S. in Bioengineering, May 2020; Thesis: In Vitro Characterization of Shape Memory Polymer Foam Hemostats; LinkedIn
Jingyi Liu, M.S. in Bioengineering, December 2020; Thesis: Characterization of Phenolic Acids for Incorporation Into Shape Memory Polymer Foams; LinkedIn
Undergraduate Students
Sapaydia Rosales, Biomaterials REU Program, Summer 2022; Project: Degradation of Starch-based Polyurethane Hydrogels; LinkedIn
Darnelle Stinfort, B.S. in Biotechnology, May 2022; Project: Antimicrobial Biomaterials Characterization; LinkedIn
Caitlyn Greene, B.S. in Biotechnology, May 2022; Project: Phenolic Acid-Containing PVA Hydrogels; LinkedIn
Bryanna Howes, Biomaterials REU Program, Summer 2021; Project: Biomaterial Degradation Characterization; LinkedIn
Priya Ganesh, B.S. in Chemical Engineering, May 2021; Project: Hydrogels for Crohn’s Fistulas; LinkedIn
Tyler Winegar, Biomaterials REU Program, Summer 2019; Project: Antimicrobial Shape Memory Polymer Foams