Tomei Lab in 2023
AT WORK...
LAB MEMBERS
Principal Investigator
Alice A. Tomei, Ph.D.
Miami Engineer Career Development Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology and Immunology, and Surgery
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Miami
1251 Memorial Drive, McArthur Annex 208
Coral Gables, FL-33146
Office: 305-284-8194
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-3469
Dr. Tomei is the Miami Engineering Career Development Associate Professor with tenure in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Miami, with secondary appointments in the Departments of Surgery, and Microbiology and Immunology.
She obtained her M.S. in Materials Engineering from the Politecnico of Milan (Italy) in 2004, and her Ph.D. in Bioengineering and Biotechnology from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland) in 2008.
Dr. Tomei currently directs the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Applying her unique background in bioengineering and immunology, Dr. Tomei develops novel immunoengineering platforms to prevent rejection after islet transplantation and to promote antigen-specific immunomodulation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Her research has received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Semma Therapeutics, and Sernova Corp. Since 2015, she has authored 92 peer-reviewed abstracts, 12 manuscripts as corresponding author, and 7 as co-author; 2 conference proceedings, 1 commentary, 1 review, 2 book chapters, and 4 patents (H-index: 19; Citations: 2,576).
Dr. Tomei has mentored 5 postdocs, 30 undergraduate students, 11 Ph.D. students, and 19 M.S. students in the fields of immune and tissue engineering.
Dr. Tomei is a standing member of the NIH Biomaterials and Biointerfaces (BMBI) study section and of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) grant working groups. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the educational committee of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association (IPITA) and as a Councilor of the Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society (CTRMS).
Dr. Tomei was awarded the JDRF Career Development Award in 2016, the Eliahu I. Jury Early Career Research Award in 2016, the Alexander Orr Excellence in Teaching Award in 2018, the Johnson A. Edosomwan Researcher of the Year Award in 2019, and the Young Innovator in Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Award in 2020.
Miami Engineer Career Development Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology and Immunology, and Surgery
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Miami
1251 Memorial Drive, McArthur Annex 208
Coral Gables, FL-33146
Office: 305-284-8194
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-3469
Dr. Tomei is the Miami Engineering Career Development Associate Professor with tenure in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Miami, with secondary appointments in the Departments of Surgery, and Microbiology and Immunology.
She obtained her M.S. in Materials Engineering from the Politecnico of Milan (Italy) in 2004, and her Ph.D. in Bioengineering and Biotechnology from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland) in 2008.
Dr. Tomei currently directs the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Applying her unique background in bioengineering and immunology, Dr. Tomei develops novel immunoengineering platforms to prevent rejection after islet transplantation and to promote antigen-specific immunomodulation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Her research has received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Semma Therapeutics, and Sernova Corp. Since 2015, she has authored 92 peer-reviewed abstracts, 12 manuscripts as corresponding author, and 7 as co-author; 2 conference proceedings, 1 commentary, 1 review, 2 book chapters, and 4 patents (H-index: 19; Citations: 2,576).
Dr. Tomei has mentored 5 postdocs, 30 undergraduate students, 11 Ph.D. students, and 19 M.S. students in the fields of immune and tissue engineering.
Dr. Tomei is a standing member of the NIH Biomaterials and Biointerfaces (BMBI) study section and of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) grant working groups. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the educational committee of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association (IPITA) and as a Councilor of the Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society (CTRMS).
Dr. Tomei was awarded the JDRF Career Development Award in 2016, the Eliahu I. Jury Early Career Research Award in 2016, the Alexander Orr Excellence in Teaching Award in 2018, the Johnson A. Edosomwan Researcher of the Year Award in 2019, and the Young Innovator in Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Award in 2020.
Scientists
Dhanashree Hemant Surve, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist
Diabetes Research Institute
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
[email protected]
Dhanashree holds B.Pharm (2013) and M.Pharm (2015) degrees from The University of Mumbai. She further pursued her Ph.D. (2017-2021) in the Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani campus, Pilani.
Dhanashree has an industrial experience from Meyer Organics Pvt. Ltd (2015-2016) and Lupin Research Park (2020-2022). She pursued post-doctoral research (Dec 2022-Feb, 2024) in immunoengineering at the University of Amherst, Massachusetts. Her expertise spans from nutraceutical formulation development, complex injectables, long-acting lipid and polymer-based nanoformulations, and non-spherical nanoparticles, to a range of analytical and bioanalytical characterization techniques. In the Islet Immunoengineering lab, she would be applying her formulation and immunoengineering expertise to develop novel platform delivery systems for localized protracted delivery of small and macromolecules accompanied by encapsulated pancreatic islet to prevent transplant immunogenicity.
Assistant Scientist
Diabetes Research Institute
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
[email protected]
Dhanashree holds B.Pharm (2013) and M.Pharm (2015) degrees from The University of Mumbai. She further pursued her Ph.D. (2017-2021) in the Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani campus, Pilani.
Dhanashree has an industrial experience from Meyer Organics Pvt. Ltd (2015-2016) and Lupin Research Park (2020-2022). She pursued post-doctoral research (Dec 2022-Feb, 2024) in immunoengineering at the University of Amherst, Massachusetts. Her expertise spans from nutraceutical formulation development, complex injectables, long-acting lipid and polymer-based nanoformulations, and non-spherical nanoparticles, to a range of analytical and bioanalytical characterization techniques. In the Islet Immunoengineering lab, she would be applying her formulation and immunoengineering expertise to develop novel platform delivery systems for localized protracted delivery of small and macromolecules accompanied by encapsulated pancreatic islet to prevent transplant immunogenicity.
Research Associates
Grisell Gonzalez, B.S.
Research Associate III
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
Grisell has a B.S. in Biology and a M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Miami. She joined Dr. Tomei's lab in May 2016.
Research Associate III
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
Grisell has a B.S. in Biology and a M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Miami. She joined Dr. Tomei's lab in May 2016.
Ana Hernandez, B.S.
Research Associate I
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
In 2022, Ana received her B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Upon graduating from St. Thomas, she conducted translational leukemia and ovarian cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer. She joined Dr. Tomei's Islet Immunoengineering lab in October 2023 and intends to attend medical school.
Research Associate I
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
In 2022, Ana received her B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Upon graduating from St. Thomas, she conducted translational leukemia and ovarian cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer. She joined Dr. Tomei's Islet Immunoengineering lab in October 2023 and intends to attend medical school.
Lucy Ho, B.S.
Research Associate I
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
Research Associate I
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
Graduate Students
Ph.D. Students
Chris M Li, B.S.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Chris earned his BS in Biology from the University of Florida in 2017. In 2018, he began medical school as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In June 2022, Chris started his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Diabetes Research Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Alice Tomei. Chris received an F31 Fellowship from NIDDK in 2022.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Chris earned his BS in Biology from the University of Florida in 2017. In 2018, he began medical school as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In June 2022, Chris started his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Diabetes Research Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Alice Tomei. Chris received an F31 Fellowship from NIDDK in 2022.
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Ilaria Pasolini, M.S.
[email protected] Diabetes Research Institute 1450 NW 10th Avenue Miami, FL-33136 Office: 305-243-7867 |
Leonor Teles, B.S.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Leonor earned her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester in May 2021. Leonor started her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering in the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Diabetes Research Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Tomei in August 2021. She is currently engineering a biomaterial platform to deliver stromal cells for antigen-specific immunomodulation for type 1 diabetes. She has also earned 5 poster/oral awards at several conferences during her PhD studies. Leo leads the BME Student Career Development Seminars and is the President-Elect of the National Student Section of the Society for Biomaterials. In her free time, Leonor likes to garden, hike and attend music festivals.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Leonor earned her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester in May 2021. Leonor started her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering in the Islet Immunoengineering Lab at the Diabetes Research Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Tomei in August 2021. She is currently engineering a biomaterial platform to deliver stromal cells for antigen-specific immunomodulation for type 1 diabetes. She has also earned 5 poster/oral awards at several conferences during her PhD studies. Leo leads the BME Student Career Development Seminars and is the President-Elect of the National Student Section of the Society for Biomaterials. In her free time, Leonor likes to garden, hike and attend music festivals.
Zachary Wilkes, B.S.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Marvin Mendoza, M.S.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Marvin earned his BS in Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Central Florida in 2022. In 2024, he completed his Master's thesis at UCF investigating the effects of pathological differentiation on endothelial biomechanics. Marvin has begun his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, joining the Diabetes Research Institute's Immunoengineering Lab under Dr. Alice Tomei. He was also awarded the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship from the Florida Education Fund in 2024.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Marvin earned his BS in Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Central Florida in 2022. In 2024, he completed his Master's thesis at UCF investigating the effects of pathological differentiation on endothelial biomechanics. Marvin has begun his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, joining the Diabetes Research Institute's Immunoengineering Lab under Dr. Alice Tomei. He was also awarded the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship from the Florida Education Fund in 2024.
Kathrin Zbinden, M.S.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Kathrin obtained both her BSc. in Biology and her MSc. in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. In her master's thesis she looked at the role of Toll-like receptors in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis but her interest in Type 1 Diabetes research lead her to research internships at Helmholtz Munich, Germany and the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego. She joined the Tomei lab in March of 2025 to pursue her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology.
[email protected]
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
Kathrin obtained both her BSc. in Biology and her MSc. in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. In her master's thesis she looked at the role of Toll-like receptors in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis but her interest in Type 1 Diabetes research lead her to research internships at Helmholtz Munich, Germany and the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego. She joined the Tomei lab in March of 2025 to pursue her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology.
Master's Students
Estefania Esparza, M.S.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Undergraduate Students
Callie Mulligan
[email protected]
Callie is working towards her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a Pre-Med concentration. She is expected to graduate from the University of Miami in May 2025 and plans to get her MD at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Callie joined the Islet Immunoengineering Lab in September 2022 as an undergraduate student.
[email protected]
Callie is working towards her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a Pre-Med concentration. She is expected to graduate from the University of Miami in May 2025 and plans to get her MD at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Callie joined the Islet Immunoengineering Lab in September 2022 as an undergraduate student.
Rachel Todebush
[email protected]
Rachel is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in biomaterials and tissue engineering. She is expected to graduate in May of 2027 from the University of Miami. Rachel joined the Islet Immunoengineering Lab in 2024 as an undergraduate student assisting Ph.D. students and lab members.
[email protected]
Rachel is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in biomaterials and tissue engineering. She is expected to graduate in May of 2027 from the University of Miami. Rachel joined the Islet Immunoengineering Lab in 2024 as an undergraduate student assisting Ph.D. students and lab members.
International Exchange Students
Previous Members
Previous Post-Docs :
Diana Velluto, Ph.D.
2015-2022; Scientist, Islet Immunoengineering Lab
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor
Vickie Zhang, Ph.D.
2017-2018 Assistant Scientist
Maria Abreu, Ph.D.
2014-2016 Postdoctoral Fellow
Current Position: Research Health Science Specialist at the Miami VA Medical Center
Previous Research Associates:
Michael Lupp, M.S.
2017-2021; Senior Research Associate , Islet Immunoengineering Lab
Current Position: Business Intelligence Developer at ChenMed
Jay Wasserlauf, B.S.
2017-2019 Research Associate III
Current Position: Laboratory head
Mejdi Najjar
2012-2014 Research Associate I
Current Position: Pediatric Neurology Fellow, Children's National Hospital
Previous PhD Students:
Aaron Stock, Ph.D.
2017-2021 PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
2021-2023 Post-doc, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Consultant at EY-Parthenon
Flavia Zisi, Ph.D.
2018-2022, PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Post-doctoral scientist at Eli Lilly
Teresa de Toni, Ph.D.
2017-2022, PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Translational Scientist at Vertex Therapeutics
Freddy Gonzalez-Badillo, M.S.
2015-2020 PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Process Development Engineer, Regeneron
Vita Manzoli
2011-2017 Senior Research Associate II / Graduate Student
Current Position: Research Manager, XOStem Inc.
Chiara Villa
2012-2014 Graduate Student
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Previous MS Students:
Oriana Marrone Mantovani, M.S.
2023-2024 Master's Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current position: PhD student at Columbia University
Vivien Dominick, M.S.
2022-2023 Master's Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Jaren Besen, M.S.
2022-2023 Master's Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current position: Research Assistant II - Ivy Natal
Shuaicheng Yu (Jason)
2018-2020 Master Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Laura Harwell
2017-2019 Master Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Quality Engineer, Stryker
Previous Undergraduate Students:
Logan Beatty, B.S.
2023-2024 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: PhD student at MIT/Harvard
Michelle Argy, B.S.
2023-2024 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Giana Vitale, B.S.
2021-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: NCI CTRA Post-Baccalaureate Researcher at the Optical Microscopy and Analysis Lab
Erin Omana Ravindran, B.S.
2021-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Master's Student, University of Pennsylvania
Kailyn Nunez, B.S.
2021-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: PhD Student, Rice University, Bioengineering
Samantha Nicole Fitzgerald
2019-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Research Technician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Sophia Pete
2017-2020 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Research Associate, PlateletBio
Spencer Reid
2018-2020 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Cell Culture Associate, Lung Biotechnology Inc
Joshua Sussman
2017-2019 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Exact Sciences
Luis Sosa Villegas
2017-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Shane Wright
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Boston University
Nicholas De Angelis
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Laura Morales
2015-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Yale University
Mackenzie Scully
2017-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, University of Delaware
Molly Beggs
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Sofia Vignolo
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: MD-PhD student, Oregon Health & Science University
Connor Walsh
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Medical Student, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Kalina Paunovska
2014-2016 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Georgia Institute of Technology
Connor Verheyen
2014-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: PhD Student, Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technologies
Joseph Reda
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, University of Chicago
Divya Ranjan Sha
2014-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Boston University
Michael Seskin
2016-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Associate R&N Engineer, Covidien (Medtronic Minimally Invasive Therapies Group)
Jason Truong
2016-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Microbiology & Immunology
Current Position: Applying for Medical school
Stephen Bell
2016-2017 American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, 3rd year medical student
Previous International Exchange Students:
M.S. Students:
Helena Montuoro, M.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Aug 2024 - Mar 2025 MS student
Alessandro Scafile, M.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Aug 2024 - Mar 2025 MS student
Francesca Verderio, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2023 - Apr 2024 MS student
Nora Wdad, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2023 - Apr 2024 MS student
Annelisa Valente Perrone, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2021 - Apr 2022 MS student
Lorenza Recchione, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2021 - Apr 2022 MS student
Alessandro Luca
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2018-19 MS student
Alessandro Fasani
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2017-18 MS student
Marco Marziani
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2017-18 MS student
Federica Colombo
Tommaso Cazzato
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS students
Andrea Dossena
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS students
Hermann Fruner
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS students
B.S. Students:
Alessandra Collà Ruvolo
Giuseppe Caputo
Lorena Chietti
Summer 2017 - B.S student - University of Naples - Department of Mechanical Engineering
Current Position: MS students - University of Naples - Department of Mechanical Engineering
Riccardo Masina
Imperial College of London, Biomedical Science, junior
Current Position: Medical student - Cambridge
Diana Velluto, Ph.D.
2015-2022; Scientist, Islet Immunoengineering Lab
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor
Vickie Zhang, Ph.D.
2017-2018 Assistant Scientist
Maria Abreu, Ph.D.
2014-2016 Postdoctoral Fellow
Current Position: Research Health Science Specialist at the Miami VA Medical Center
Previous Research Associates:
Michael Lupp, M.S.
2017-2021; Senior Research Associate , Islet Immunoengineering Lab
Current Position: Business Intelligence Developer at ChenMed
Jay Wasserlauf, B.S.
2017-2019 Research Associate III
Current Position: Laboratory head
Mejdi Najjar
2012-2014 Research Associate I
Current Position: Pediatric Neurology Fellow, Children's National Hospital
Previous PhD Students:
Aaron Stock, Ph.D.
2017-2021 PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
2021-2023 Post-doc, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Consultant at EY-Parthenon
Flavia Zisi, Ph.D.
2018-2022, PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Post-doctoral scientist at Eli Lilly
Teresa de Toni, Ph.D.
2017-2022, PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Translational Scientist at Vertex Therapeutics
Freddy Gonzalez-Badillo, M.S.
2015-2020 PhD Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Process Development Engineer, Regeneron
Vita Manzoli
2011-2017 Senior Research Associate II / Graduate Student
Current Position: Research Manager, XOStem Inc.
Chiara Villa
2012-2014 Graduate Student
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Previous MS Students:
Oriana Marrone Mantovani, M.S.
2023-2024 Master's Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current position: PhD student at Columbia University
Vivien Dominick, M.S.
2022-2023 Master's Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Jaren Besen, M.S.
2022-2023 Master's Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current position: Research Assistant II - Ivy Natal
Shuaicheng Yu (Jason)
2018-2020 Master Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Laura Harwell
2017-2019 Master Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Quality Engineer, Stryker
Previous Undergraduate Students:
Logan Beatty, B.S.
2023-2024 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: PhD student at MIT/Harvard
Michelle Argy, B.S.
2023-2024 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Giana Vitale, B.S.
2021-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: NCI CTRA Post-Baccalaureate Researcher at the Optical Microscopy and Analysis Lab
Erin Omana Ravindran, B.S.
2021-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Master's Student, University of Pennsylvania
Kailyn Nunez, B.S.
2021-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: PhD Student, Rice University, Bioengineering
Samantha Nicole Fitzgerald
2019-2022 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Research Technician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Sophia Pete
2017-2020 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Research Associate, PlateletBio
Spencer Reid
2018-2020 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Cell Culture Associate, Lung Biotechnology Inc
Joshua Sussman
2017-2019 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Exact Sciences
Luis Sosa Villegas
2017-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Shane Wright
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Boston University
Nicholas De Angelis
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Laura Morales
2015-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Yale University
Mackenzie Scully
2017-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, University of Delaware
Molly Beggs
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Sofia Vignolo
2016-2018 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: MD-PhD student, Oregon Health & Science University
Connor Walsh
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Medical Student, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Kalina Paunovska
2014-2016 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Georgia Institute of Technology
Connor Verheyen
2014-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: PhD Student, Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technologies
Joseph Reda
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, University of Chicago
Divya Ranjan Sha
2014-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Graduate Student, Boston University
Michael Seskin
2016-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Associate R&N Engineer, Covidien (Medtronic Minimally Invasive Therapies Group)
Jason Truong
2016-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Microbiology & Immunology
Current Position: Applying for Medical school
Stephen Bell
2016-2017 American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, 3rd year medical student
Previous International Exchange Students:
M.S. Students:
Helena Montuoro, M.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Aug 2024 - Mar 2025 MS student
Alessandro Scafile, M.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Aug 2024 - Mar 2025 MS student
Francesca Verderio, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2023 - Apr 2024 MS student
Nora Wdad, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2023 - Apr 2024 MS student
Annelisa Valente Perrone, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2021 - Apr 2022 MS student
Lorenza Recchione, B.S.
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
Sept 2021 - Apr 2022 MS student
Alessandro Luca
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2018-19 MS student
Alessandro Fasani
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2017-18 MS student
Marco Marziani
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2017-18 MS student
Federica Colombo
Tommaso Cazzato
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS students
Andrea Dossena
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS students
Hermann Fruner
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
MS students
B.S. Students:
Alessandra Collà Ruvolo
Giuseppe Caputo
Lorena Chietti
Summer 2017 - B.S student - University of Naples - Department of Mechanical Engineering
Current Position: MS students - University of Naples - Department of Mechanical Engineering
Riccardo Masina
Imperial College of London, Biomedical Science, junior
Current Position: Medical student - Cambridge