(2gt) Enabling Microscale Processing for Structured Healthcare Materials

My future academic career will focus on solving urgent problems in healthcare that can benefit from microscale processing of soft materials. For example, innovative strategies are needed in stem cell therapy to reduce the significant loss of cells after local site delivery. In extrusion bioprinting, structural guidance needs to be provided to mimic the anisotropy in native tissues. Local delivery of small molecule drugs requires micrometer scale hydrogel constructs for minimally invasive procedures. All the above challenges will benefit from research and innovation in microscale processing of healthcare materials.

My past research involved experimental and theoretical investigation of interfacial and suspension phenomena using innovative in-liquid microscale processing methods. My PhD work led to the discovery of a stable instability in submerged electrospray for producing monodispersed water-in-oil emulsions for bioanalysis and cell encapsulation. During my postdoc, I led an innovative project for fabricating structured microfibers in an all-aqueous cell-friendly environment. These works led to first-author publications in well-respected journals including Physical Review Letters, Nature Communications and Biomaterials Science.

Teaching Interests

My overall goal of teaching is to be like a tour guide that helps students build their own systems of knowledge that allow them to discover their interests and strengths. I am interested in teaching fluid mechanics courses. As my research program develops, I am also interested in teaching courses in biomaterials.