Previous SIP Alumni 2005 SIP Alumni
Douglas Bentley
Case Western Reserve University
A sophomore this fall at Case Western Reserve University, Douglas will intern with Lars Gilbertson, Ph.D., Director of the Spine Tissue Engineering Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh. Douglas’s work will explore various applications of gene therapy and tissue engineering to the prevention and treatment of degenerative disc disease. Soccer music and cars are just a few of Douglas’s hobbies; while a day at Sandcastle followed by a night at the Waterfront is a perfect weekend spent with friends in the Pittsburgh area. Leia Corthell
Ohio Wesleyan University
A senior this year at Ohio Wesleyan University, Leia is interning with Joseph Ahearn, M.D., Director of Research at the University of Pittsburgh, Arthritis Institute and Lupus Center of Excellence. Her research will focus on various areas of immunology and autoimmune disease and implications for tissue engineering research. Some hobbies of Leia’s are dancing, playing the violin, and painting. A perfect weekend in Pittsburgh would be spent shopping at unique stores and seeing a movie.Matthew Fisher
Columbia University
A Bioengineering senior from Columbia University, Matthew will be spending his summer internship experience working with Savio Woo, Ph.D., D.Sc., Director of Musculoskeletal, University of Pittsburgh. Matthew’s research will focus on the application of gene therapy as well as engineered tissue scaffolds to improve ligament healing. Matthew’s enjoys golf, basketball, and playing poker. Some of his favorite Pittsburgh activities include taking in dinner on the South-Side and watching a Pirate game at PNC Park. Danielle Gainor
Duquesne University
Danielle completed her junior year as a biology student at Duquesne University. She will intern with Prashant Kumta, PhD, at Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Kumta’s areas of research interest include Chemical Synthesis and Characteristics of Oxide and Non-oxide Ceramics and Glasses for Electric and electrochemical applications. Danielle’s research will focus important techniques involved in the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials, overlapping the related fields of materials science, bioengineering, colloid science, TE, and nanotechnology.Jatin Gupta
Lehigh University
A senior at Lehigh University, Jatin will be interning with Paula Clemens, M.D., at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurology and Molecular Genetics. Jatin’s research will focus on the development of adenoviral vectors for gene transfer to striated muscle. Jatin interests are the guitar, tennis and the movies, not from the Southwestern PA area; Jatin is hoping to experience a well spent weekend in the Pittsburgh area. Pieter Heemstra
The University of Pittsburgh
Pieter will be a senior at The University of Pittsburgh and is majoring in Biology. He is interning with Kacey Marra, Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Departments of Surgery and Bioengineering. Dr. Marra is involved in research efforts investigating polymeric biomaterials for tissue engineering applications. Pieter will be exposed to culturing and differentiation of adult fat-derived stem cells into various lineages on biodegradable surfaces. Pieter spends his free time playing basketball wood-working and home-improvement projects. The perfect weekend for Pieter would be walking around, taking in lunch in Oakland and enjoying the sights of Pittsburgh. Sudhir Khetan
John Hopkins University
A junior at John Hopkins University, Sudhir is majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Sudhir will be interning with Jeffrey Hollinger, PhD, DDS, Director of the Bone Tissue Engineering Center, Carnegie Mellon University. Sushi’s research will focus on the use of various tissue engineering constructs to provide clinically relevant options to enhance bone regeneration for elderly osteoporotic and normal adults. Mihaela Krasteva
Mount Holyoke College
A senior at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, Mihaela currently majors in Statistics and Economics. This summer Mihaela is working with Robert Parker, PhD, at University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Parker’s research focuses on process modeling, analysis, and control, with an interest in biomedical and biological systems applications. Michaela’s research will involve pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of anticancer drugs. Mihaela enjoys playing the violin in the Mount Holyoke College Orchestra.Audrey Lieb
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Audrey, who will be a junior this fall at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, will intern with Patricia Hebda, M.D., Director of the ENT Wound Healing Research Program at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, specializing in Pediatric Otolaryngology. Audrey’s research focus will be to probe collagen gel contraction by different fibroblast phenotype. Audrey enjoys volleyball, basketball and research. Audrey thinks a great weekend in Pittsburgh is best spent at the Waterfront with friends and family.Anthony Longhini
Emory University
Anthony will be interning with Jörg Gerlach MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Gerlach specialties lie in surgery, hepatology, intensive care, artificial organ development and bioreactors, and experimental transplantation. Anthony’s summer’s experience will provide him exposure to artificial organ development and hybrid system research. Anthony will be a sophomore this fall and he is majoring in Biology at Emory University. Anthony is interested in music, tennis, and hockey. A well spent weekend in Pittsburgh would be a trip to the Zoo and dinner at a nice restaurant.Elizabeth Mburu
Temple University
Elizabeth will be a sophomore at Temple University, where she is majoring in Biology. She is nterning with Darrell Ellsworth, PhD, Director of Molecular Genetics at the Windber Research Institute. Elizabeth will work closely with the Windber Genomics Group to genotype functional polymorphisms. Elizabeth enjoys badminton and swimming. She would like to spend a weekend touring Pittsburgh.Chelsea McKinney
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
This summer will find Chelsea working with John Pollock, PhD, at Duquesne University, Bayer School of Natural and Environment Sciences. Dr. Pollock is also member of specialty faculty of the STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, College of Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon University. Chelsea’s research will focus on developing an advanced quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) using fluorescence based real-time reactions. She will be a senior at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in the fall, where she is majoring in Electrical Engineering Technology. Chelsea enjoys running and vacations at the beach. A well spent weekend in Pittsburgh would be enjoying herself at a Pirate game or the Pittsburgh Zoo.Megan McShea
Allegheny College
A neuroscience major, Megan will start her senior year at Allegheny College this fall. She will spend her summer working in the laboratory of Garth Ehrlich, PhD, Director of the Center of Genomic Sciences at the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute. This summer, Megan will be investigating the development of optimal insulin delivery profiles for insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Some hobbies include cross country, track, and painting. She would spend a weekend in Pittsburgh hiking, running in Schenely Park, or shopping in Shadyside. George Neusch
Community College of Allegheny County
George will be a sophomore at Community College of Allegheny County, where he is majoring in Physics. His internship is with John Doctor, PhD, at Duquesne University, Department of Biological Science. George will be researching cell culture and in vitro analysis of cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation to candidate biomaterials. George enjoys programming and puzzles.Sanket (Sunny) Patel
North Carolina State University
Sunny will be a senior this fall at North Carolina State University, majoring in Engineering. Sunny will be interning with Leaf Huang, PhD, Director of the Center for Pharmacogenetics at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Pharmacy. Sunny’s research focus will culture stem cells and transfect stem cells, as applied to wound healing. Sunny will then analyze wound healing progress by histology, gene therapy, and drug delivery. Sunny enjoys tennis, swimming and coffee shops. Sunny enjoys any outdoor activity that is in the sun.Jonathan Piposar
University of Notre Dame
A senior this fall with a dual major in science and business at the University of Notre Dame, Jonathan will be interning with David Vorp, Ph.D., Director of the Vascular Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh. Jonathan’s research focus will be on engineering a blood vessel and a urethral wrap from several angles. Jonathan enjoys golfing, skiing, and traveling. He thinks a well spent weekend in Pittsburgh would be to catch a Pirates game at PNC Park.Fauna Samuel
University of Idaho
Fauna completed her senior year at University of Idaho where she majored in Engineering. She is interning with James Kang, M.D., Director of the Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic Research at the University of Pittsburgh. During the summer, Fauna will work on establishing and maintaining organ and tissue cultures, carrying out experiments and possible discovery of new targets for tissue therapy. Fauna enjoys trail running and foreign films. Not from Southwestern Pennsylvania, Fauna is looking forward to touring Pittsburgh.Chloe Slocum
John Hopkins University
Chloe will be a junior this fall at John Hopkins University, where her major is biomedical engineering. Chloe will intern with Johnny Huard, Ph.D., Director, Growth and Development Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh. Chloe will focus on histological research of a specific project and assist with a specified tissue engineering research project. Some of Chloe’s interests include foreign cinema, Taekwondo and reading. Chloe says a well spent weekend in Pittsburgh would be to visit Pittsburgh’s theater and the Strip District.Tabitha Staniszewski
North Carolina State University
A junior this fall at North Carolina State University, majoring in biomedical engineering, Tabitha will be interning with Stephen Badylak, DVM, MD, PhD, Director of the Center for Pre-Clinical Tissue Engineering at University of Pittsburgh, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Tabitha will focus on extracellular matrix bioscaffolds design and construction for tissue engineering and treatment of traumatic wounds. Tabitha hobbies are reading, swimming, and playing the flute and piccolo. Tabitha is looking forward to exploring the city this summer in Pittsburgh