Fellow Profiles

2024-2025 New McKnight Doctoral Fellows in Engineering

B.S., Industrial Engineering, Florida State University
Franchesca conducts research on the performance and characteristics of hybrid composite materials using additive manufacturing, focusing on their application in photo detection. She aims to innovate and refine sensor technology for potential integration into biomedical solutions for restoring impaired vision. Through this endeavor, she intends to enrich scientific knowledge by investigating novel material compositions through efficient fabrication techniques.

B.S., Biology; M.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida
Aljae researches treatments for type 1 diabetes using immunomodulation and biomaterial encapsulation techniques. The goal is to alleviate insulin dependence and mitigate other cellular diabetic-related pathologies. This research aims to improve patient quality of life by improving cellular therapies associated with long-term diabetes management.

B.S., Biocomputational Engineering, University of Maryland
Miguel is focused on applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to cancer research, specifically in developing computational models to personalize cancer treatment. His research will enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes by integrating biocomputational techniques with clinical data, ultimately improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients.

B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of South Florida
Kaitlyn is researching the biology, genetics, and treatment of cancer. Her goal is to bridge engineering and wet-lab techniques to evaluate the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs. Her translational research will inform oncologists about potential drug combinations and pioneer more efficient cancer therapeutics.

B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Stevenson University
Jai researches the effects of traumatic brain injuries on neurodegenerative disorders. His goal is to advance the research on how tau proteins spread and tangle after phosphorylation. This research will benefit society by raising awareness of the origin and progression of neurodegenerative disorders.

B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University
Matty’s research currently involves creating her own nanogels to help treat triple negative breast cancer cells. Her goal is to develop a fully functional FDA-approved nanogel and make it affordable for all health care providers to treat cancer patients. This research will benefit society by having nanogels that specifically target unhealthy cells and promote better recovery.