GENIUSES AT WORK
LAB MEMBERS
Alice A. Tomei, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Miami
1251 Memorial Drive, McArthur Annex 208
Coral Gables, FL-33146
Office: 305-284-8194
atomei@miami.edu
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-3469
Dr. Tomei’s background uniquely combines expertise in bioengineering and immunology and she is applying her skills to the development of novel immunoengineering platforms to prevent rejection after islet transplantation and to promote antigen-specific tolerance for a cure of type-1 diabetes. To that end, her strategy is to design and develop novel technology platforms with strong clinical translation potential that are supported by solid mechanistic studies in preclinical models of type-1 diabetes that are relevant to the human disease. Her enthusiastic commitment to type-1 diabetes cure-focused research is matched by a solid track record of academic achievements and translational efforts.
She has trained in the best engineering school in Italy, the Politecnico di Milano. Then, she conducted her PhD work at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, under the mentorship of Dr. Melody Swartz, world leader in lymphatic and cancer mechanobiology. Then, Dr. Tomei conducted her postdoctoral fellowship at EPFL in the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey Hubbell, world leader in molecular engineering, and in collaboration with Dr. Cherie Stabler, a leader in diabetes bioengineering research.
In recognition of these accomplishments, in 2012, Dr. Tomei was invited to become part of the prestigious Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) encapsulation consortium, which gathers the world leaders in islet encapsulation and transplantation, and promotes collaborations, sharing of data and protocols with the overall goal of advancing the field.
Dr. Tomei has presented her research work at several international conferences, including an invited oral presentation at the Key Opinion Leaders Meeting on Stem Cell Derived Beta Cells at Harvard Medical School in Boston in October 2016, an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Immunology of Diabetes Society in San Francisco in January 2017, an invited oral presentation at the annual meeting of the international society for cellular therapy (ISCT) in London in May 2017, and an invited oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego in June 2017. Finally, she was invited to serve as member of the grant review panels for both the JDRF and for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).
Dr. Tomei's research has been funded by the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, the Iacocca Family Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the Helmsley Trust, the Tronchetti Provera Foundation, the Children with Diabetes Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the National Institute of Health, including a recently awarded JDRF career development award and a NIH R01. In recognition of her research productivity, Dr. Tomei was awarded the Eliahu I. Jury Early Career Research Award for obtaining major research grants in 2016. These important achievements further highlight her recognition in the field of immunoengineering for type-1 diabetes.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Miami
1251 Memorial Drive, McArthur Annex 208
Coral Gables, FL-33146
Office: 305-284-8194
atomei@miami.edu
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-3469
Dr. Tomei’s background uniquely combines expertise in bioengineering and immunology and she is applying her skills to the development of novel immunoengineering platforms to prevent rejection after islet transplantation and to promote antigen-specific tolerance for a cure of type-1 diabetes. To that end, her strategy is to design and develop novel technology platforms with strong clinical translation potential that are supported by solid mechanistic studies in preclinical models of type-1 diabetes that are relevant to the human disease. Her enthusiastic commitment to type-1 diabetes cure-focused research is matched by a solid track record of academic achievements and translational efforts.
She has trained in the best engineering school in Italy, the Politecnico di Milano. Then, she conducted her PhD work at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, under the mentorship of Dr. Melody Swartz, world leader in lymphatic and cancer mechanobiology. Then, Dr. Tomei conducted her postdoctoral fellowship at EPFL in the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey Hubbell, world leader in molecular engineering, and in collaboration with Dr. Cherie Stabler, a leader in diabetes bioengineering research.
In recognition of these accomplishments, in 2012, Dr. Tomei was invited to become part of the prestigious Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) encapsulation consortium, which gathers the world leaders in islet encapsulation and transplantation, and promotes collaborations, sharing of data and protocols with the overall goal of advancing the field.
Dr. Tomei has presented her research work at several international conferences, including an invited oral presentation at the Key Opinion Leaders Meeting on Stem Cell Derived Beta Cells at Harvard Medical School in Boston in October 2016, an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Immunology of Diabetes Society in San Francisco in January 2017, an invited oral presentation at the annual meeting of the international society for cellular therapy (ISCT) in London in May 2017, and an invited oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego in June 2017. Finally, she was invited to serve as member of the grant review panels for both the JDRF and for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).
Dr. Tomei's research has been funded by the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, the Iacocca Family Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the Helmsley Trust, the Tronchetti Provera Foundation, the Children with Diabetes Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the National Institute of Health, including a recently awarded JDRF career development award and a NIH R01. In recognition of her research productivity, Dr. Tomei was awarded the Eliahu I. Jury Early Career Research Award for obtaining major research grants in 2016. These important achievements further highlight her recognition in the field of immunoengineering for type-1 diabetes.
Diana Velluto, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
dxv237@med.miami.edu
Dr. Velluto obtained her M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Chieti, Italy. She obtained her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Science and Organic Chemistry from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Chieti, Italy. Then, she received her Postdoctoral training in Biomaterials at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, working in the laboratory of Prof. Jeffrey Hubbell. From 2012 to 2014 she was awarded the prestigious Marie Curie fellowship to work at Queen Mary University of London in UK, where she was also lecturer in Biomedical Pharmacology. She joined Dr. Tomei’s group in 2015 in her mission to stop Diabetes.
Assistant Scientist
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
dxv237@med.miami.edu
Dr. Velluto obtained her M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Chieti, Italy. She obtained her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Science and Organic Chemistry from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Chieti, Italy. Then, she received her Postdoctoral training in Biomaterials at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, working in the laboratory of Prof. Jeffrey Hubbell. From 2012 to 2014 she was awarded the prestigious Marie Curie fellowship to work at Queen Mary University of London in UK, where she was also lecturer in Biomedical Pharmacology. She joined Dr. Tomei’s group in 2015 in her mission to stop Diabetes.
Michael Lupp, M.S.
Research Associate II
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
m.lupp@umiami.edu
2011-2016: BS / MS Dual Degree Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami (BS Concentration in Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials, MS Concentration in Regulatory Controls and Medical Devices)
Skills: Computer Programming, CAD, CFR / ISO, Six Sigma Green Belt
Research Associate II
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
m.lupp@umiami.edu
2011-2016: BS / MS Dual Degree Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami (BS Concentration in Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials, MS Concentration in Regulatory Controls and Medical Devices)
Skills: Computer Programming, CAD, CFR / ISO, Six Sigma Green Belt
Graduate Students
Freddy Gonzalez-Badillo, M.S.
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
f.gonzalezbadillo@umiami.edu
2014: Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering at University of Miami
2012: Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Universidad Rafael Urdaneta, Maracaibo, Venezuela
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
f.gonzalezbadillo@umiami.edu
2014: Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering at University of Miami
2012: Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Universidad Rafael Urdaneta, Maracaibo, Venezuela
Aaron Stock, B.S.
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
aas249@miami.edu
2013: Associate of Science in Mathematics and Physics (Third Major: Chemistry) at Saint John's College (Belize)
2016: Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Second Major: Chemistry, Minor: Engineering Mathematics) at Saint Louis University (Missouri)
Diabetes Research Institute
1450 NW 10th Avenue
Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-7867
aas249@miami.edu
2013: Associate of Science in Mathematics and Physics (Third Major: Chemistry) at Saint John's College (Belize)
2016: Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Second Major: Chemistry, Minor: Engineering Mathematics) at Saint Louis University (Missouri)
Undergraduate Students
Shane Wright
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, senior
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, senior
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Nicholas De Angelis
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, junior |
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Joshua Sussman
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, junior |
Sofia Vignolo
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, junior
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, junior
Molly Beggs
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, senior
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, senior
Laura Morales
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, senior
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, senior
Sophia Pete
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, Sophomore
University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering, Sophomore
International Exchange Students
Teresa De Toni
University' di Padova, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Italy
2017-18
MS thesis
Teresa De Toni is a master student from Università degli Studi di Padova (Italy). She studies Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies. In her last year she chose "Science and development of drugs" as specialty. She decided to develop her master thesis in Dr. Tomei's lab, under the supervision of Dr. Velluto, to improve her knowledge in the synthesis of drug delivery systems and biomaterials and their application to islet transplantation as cure for type 1 Diabetes.
University' di Padova, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Italy
2017-18
MS thesis
Teresa De Toni is a master student from Università degli Studi di Padova (Italy). She studies Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies. In her last year she chose "Science and development of drugs" as specialty. She decided to develop her master thesis in Dr. Tomei's lab, under the supervision of Dr. Velluto, to improve her knowledge in the synthesis of drug delivery systems and biomaterials and their application to islet transplantation as cure for type 1 Diabetes.
Alessandro Fasani
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2017-18
MS thesis
Politecnico di Milano, Biomedical Engineering, Italy
2017-18
MS thesis
Previous Members
Vickie Zhang, Ph.D.
2017-2018 Assistant Scientist
Vita Manzoli
2011-2017 Senior Research Associate II / Graduate Student
Current Position:
Maria Abreu, Ph.D.
2014-2016 Postdoctoral Fellow
Current Position: Research Health Science Specialist at the Miami VA Medical Center
Chiara Villa
2012-2014 Graduate Student
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Mejdi Najjar
2012-2014 Research Associate I
Current Position: Doctor of Medicine candidate, University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Connor Walsh
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Pre-Med
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: Whitaker Foundation Fellow at EPFL, Lausanne (CH)
Joseph Reda
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Senior Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering - Exchange program in Italy
Divya Ranjan Sha
2014-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Master student, Boston University
Michael Seskin
2016-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Applying for master programs
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
International Exchange 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
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
2017-2018 Assistant Scientist
Vita Manzoli
2011-2017 Senior Research Associate II / Graduate Student
Current Position:
Maria Abreu, Ph.D.
2014-2016 Postdoctoral Fellow
Current Position: Research Health Science Specialist at the Miami VA Medical Center
Chiara Villa
2012-2014 Graduate Student
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Mejdi Najjar
2012-2014 Research Associate I
Current Position: Doctor of Medicine candidate, University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Connor Walsh
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Pre-Med
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: Whitaker Foundation Fellow at EPFL, Lausanne (CH)
Joseph Reda
2015-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Senior Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering - Exchange program in Italy
Divya Ranjan Sha
2014-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Master student, Boston University
Michael Seskin
2016-2017 Undergraduate Student, University of Miami, Biomedical Engineering
Current Position: Applying for master programs
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
International Exchange 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
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
