After completing her bachelors degree in Engineering from Smith College, Brianne pursued a Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. There, she worked with Dr. Louis Soslowsky in the McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory studying the multiscale biomechanics and structure of tendon. Brianne then moved to Boston to work with Dr. Alan Grodzinsky at MIT for her postdoctoral work, where she focused on developing new in vitro explant models for studying tendon mechanobiology. Outside the lab, she is an avid volleyball player and loves to travel. She also enjoys cooking, crafting, and graphic design.
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Sam received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Biomechanics at the University of Rochester. There, he worked with Dr. Mark Buckley using elastography to study the mechanical strain response of the mouse Achilles tendon insertion to transverse compression as a result of passive dorsiflexion. In his free time, Sam enjoys hiking, ultimate frisbee and video games.
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Emma graduated from Cornell University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. At Cornell, she worked with Dr. Jonathan Butcher’s lab developing pre-vascularized thick tissue flaps for tissue engineering applications. She also spent a summer in her hometown of Blacksburg, VA working with Dr. Vincent Wang’s group at Virginia Tech where she researched fatigue loading of mouse flexor tendons. On top of her interests in biomechanics and mechanobiology, Emma is interested in viewing science with a societal perspective and is passionate about global health, women’s health, and science communication. Outside of lab, Emma enjoys running, hiking, biking, swimming, rock climbing, cooking/baking, exploring new places, and competing in triathlons.
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Anthony graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. At Rochester Institute of Technology, he completed two 7- month co-op work internships, one with GlaxoSmithKline in Pennsylvania and one with the Buckley Lab at the University of Rochester. At GlaxoSmithKline, he worked with the histology group developing protocols to identify key biomarkers relevant to the treatment of various disease. During his time in the Buckley Lab, Anthony studied the role of calcaneal impingement in Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy through the use of ultrasound. Outside of the lab, Anthony is an avid saltwater fisher and enjoys spending time on the water. He also enjoys soccer, hiking, skiing, reading Syfy novels, cooking, and visiting historical sites.
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Hana is a Ph.D. student from Bosnia and Herzegovina. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Cell and Tissue Engineering and a minor in Chemical Engineering at the University of Rochester. There, she worked with Dr. Whasil Lee on the research of the role of mechanically-activated ion channels in chondrocyte mechanotransduction. Hana also spent a summer working with Dr. David Foster and Dr. Ahmed Ghazi at the University of Rochester Medical Center where she worked on comparing computational simulations and hydrogel kidney phantoms for in vivo assessment of intrarenal pressure dynamics during ureteroscopy. On top of her interests in biomechanics and mechanobiology, Hana is actively involved in her local community. As an United World College alumna, she seeks to promote social change through active engagement. Outside of lab, Hana enjoys running, rowing, playing basketball, reading and playing flute.
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Matt graduated from the University of Virginia (go Hoos!) in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. There, he worked with Dr. Kyoko Yoshida, Dr. Pim Oomen, and Dr. Jeffrey Holmes in the Cardiac Biomechanics Lab to develop a mutli-scale computational model coupling hormone network signaling and mechanics to predict cardiac hypertrophy and function. Matt also worked as a product engineer intern at Springbok Analytics during his last year at UVA. His roles at the company included performing muscle segmentation of magnetic resonance images as well as automating in-depth analysis processes of muscle development and asymmetry for clients. When not in lab, Matt enjoys soccer, rock climbing, water sports, hiking, mixology, trying new foods, and venturing to new places.
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Caitlin graduated from Bucknell University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. At Bucknell, she worked with Dr. Eric Kennedy on the evaluation of alternative methodologies for assessing playground surfacing impact attenuation performance and Dean Patrick Mather on the development of electrospun composites with novel shape memory mechanisms. Caitlin also spent a summer working at Rutgers University with Dr. Jeffrey Zahn on the development of recording microelectrodes for characterizing neural potentials as a part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates in Cellular Bioengineering. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, soccer, visiting museums, and learning new recipes.
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Joseph previously graduated from the University of Florida in 2022 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and is now in his second year for his master’s degree in the same. During his time at UF, Joseph studied progression of traumatically-induced osteoarthritis as well as models of cancer for work on immunomodulated NK cells. He is now interested in studying sex hormone changes on musculoskeletal health and its implications for transgender health. Outside of the lab, Joseph likes to play tabletop games, hike when he can, and play the trumpet.
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Kevin is a Master’s student from Rockland, MA, studying Biomedical Engineering at BU. In 2020 he graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. There, he found an interest in biomechanics and human movement and decided to further pursue this field. He joined the Connizzo Lab because of his interests in tissue physiology and mechanics. Outside of the lab, Kevin enjoys golfing, cooking, and rooting for Boston sports teams.
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Takaya is a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering at BU from Japan. He joined the Connizzo lab because of his interest in mechanobiology and enthusiasm for learning about injury and healing in tendons and ligaments in sports and aging. Outside of the lab, Takaya enjoys playing golf and tasting coffee.
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Henry is a senior from Massachusetts studying Biomedical Engineering at BU. He joined the Connizzo Lab because of his interest in biomechanics and learning about how mechanical forces influence tendon biology. Outside the lab, Henry enjoys swimming, lifting, and reading.
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Kayla is a senior at Boston University pursuing a major in Neuroscience and a minor in French. She joined the Connizzo Lab as a work-study student because of her interest in the area of research and how labs run. Outside of science Kayla loves reading, french shows, and playing the piano.
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Nick is a senior from Massachusetts majoring in biomedical engineering. He joined the Connizzo lab because of his interest in mechanobiology and passion for learning sex and age difference on wound repair. When not in lab,Nick enjoys trying new foods, cartoons and video games.
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Yashvi is a junior studying Human Physiology at BU, on the pre-med track. She joined the Connizzo lab because she was interested in understanding the applications of mechanobiology research to rehabilitation science. Outside the lab, Yashvi enjoys writing, painting, and listening to music.
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Jonathan is a junior from Pennsylvania majoring in Biomedical Engineering on the pre-med track and in the Kilachand Honors College at BU. He joined the Connizzo lab because of his interest in understanding the mechanisms behind resolving tissue injuries and their clinical applications. Outside of the lab, Jonathan enjoys running, trying new foods, and exploring the city.
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Lab Alumni |
Name
Isabelle Goode, B.S. Brandon Kao, B.S. Shriya Nimbalkar, M.S. Felicia Pinto, B.S. Allison Sander, M.S. Madelyn Keller, B.S. |
Former Position
Undergraduate Undergraduate Masters Undergraduate Masters Undergraduate |
Current Position
MSPO @ U. Hartford Kite Pharma RevBio Ph.D. Student @ U. Pennsylvania Ph.D. Student @ UC Irvine Ph.D. Student @ Georgia Tech/Emory |