People

Dr. Gupta received his PhD in organic polymer chemistry from the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering at National Chemical Laboratory, University of Pune, India in 2008. Then, Dr. Gupta trained as a postdoc withProf. Jean-Luc Six at Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Macromoléculaire, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France where he worked on biodegradable PCL/PLA based electrospun scaffolds for ligament and tendon tissue engineering. In 2010, Dr. Gupta joined the Vanderbilt University Department of Biomedical Engineering as a postdoctoral research associate for Prof. Craig Duvall and Prof. Hak-Joon Sung. He focused on development of stimuli-responsive biomaterials (such as micelles, hydrogels, scaffolds, nanofibers, shape memory polymers, etc.) formed through living/controlled polymerization methods, standard organic synthesis, and bioconjugation techniques. He was promoted to Research Assistant Professor and then Research Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering in 2016 and 2021, respectively. His research currently focused on design and synthesis of injectable polymeric biomaterials for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

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Dr. Rebecca Cook earned a B.Sci. in Biology from Vanderbilt University, and a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Cook’s post-doctoral training was under the mentorship of internationally recognized leaders in the breast cancer research field. Dr. Cook returned to Vanderbilt as a faculty member in 2010, focusing on the physiologic signaling pathways that are often commandeered by breast cancers to promote their own growth and metastasis. and applying this knowledge to develop novel treatments for breast cancer. Dr. Cook has served as a guest editor and scientific reviewer for numerous biomedical research journals, and has served on national and international grant review study sections. Dr. Cook’s research has been funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.

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Justin received his B.S. in Biological Engineering and Music from M.I.T. He then completed his Ph.D. in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics in 2015 through the Harvard-M.I.T. Health Sciences & Technology program. There, he worked with Professor Sangeeta Bhatia developing tumor-penetrating siRNA nanocomplexes for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. After earning his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 2017, Justin moved to Nashville to join the physician-scientist training program (Harrison Society) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he has completed his residency in Internal Medicine and is currently a Clinical Fellow in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. His clinical interest is in Gastrointestinal Oncology, and his research in the Duvall lab focuses on new delivery methods and gene targets for RNAi therapeutics in the treatment of GI tumors. In his spare time, Justin enjoys playing violin, composing music, drawing/animating, and cooking.

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Jahnu earned his Ph.D. in peptide chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati with Prof. Vibin Ramakrishnan in 2021 as a CSIR fellow. His work focused on understanding the role of three independent variables on peptide chemistry: amino acid positioning, amino acid stereochemistry, and external manipulation such as the effect of electrical fields on peptide assembly. He briefly served as a visiting professor at Tezpur University, India, before venturing into the corporate realm as a research scientist at Enverque GmbH, Berlin. At Enverque GmbH, he was involved in developing an antimicrobial peptide isolated from frog skin and elucidating its mechanism of microbial membrane disruption. In 2023, he joined Duvall's lab as a post-doctoral researcher, where his current focus lies in the design and synthesis of engineered peptides and siRNA for systemic delivery targeting thrombospondins (TSPs) and TSP molecular interactions. When not in the lab, he enjoys cooking, backpacking, and playing cricket.

Fang worked as resident and attending pediatrician at Medical Centre of Luoyang after she received her M.D. She then attended Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan, Hubei, China) where she earned her masters (2001) and Ph.D. (2005). In October 2005, Fang began her postdoctoral training in Dr. Kevin Niswender’s Lab (Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). In February 2009, Fang joined Dr. Jeffrey M. Davidson’s Lab in Pathology. Fang joined Dr. Duvall’s group in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2014. In this role, she assists in general lab management and oversees the lab's animal colonies and model procedures.

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Dr. Francini received her PhD in 2015 from the University of Nottingham (Nottingham, UK) under the supervisionof Prof Cameron Alexander and in collaboration with PsiOxus Therapeutics (Oxford, UK). Her project focused on the synthesis of biocompatible polyHPMA-based polymers to improve the systemic delivery of oncolytic viruses.  In 2017, she was awarded an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship to develop a mucosal-targeted drug delivery system for the treatmentof H.pylori infection in collaboration with the Nottingham Digestive Disease Centre and AstraZeneca (Macclesfield, UK). She moved in 2018 to the Italian Institute of Technology (Genova, Italy) where she developed novel antioxidant polymers under the supervision of Prof Nicola Tirelli. In 2022, she joined the Duvall lab at Vanderbilt University as a Research Scientist. Here, she has built expertise in synthesis and characterization of oligonucleotide RNAi therapeutics, contributing to many Duvall Lab and collaborative projects across a variety of applications. When not in lab, Nora enjoys playing tennis,watching movies while sipping ginger beer, and traveling.

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Eva completed her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University in 2023. As an undergraduate, she spent a summer researching the metabolic activity of Spiny Mouse fibroblasts with Dr. Chelsey Simmons at the University of Florida. In the Duvall Lab, she is working with Dr. Justin Lo to develop tumor-penetrating siRNA therapeutics for the treatment of GI tumors. In her free time, Eva is typically at the climbing gym, hanging out with her cat, or exploring the state parks of Tennessee. 

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Jordan received his B.S. in BME with a concentration in tissue engineering from the University of Miami in 2019. While in undergrad, Jordan worked with Dr. Ashutosh Agarwal on the development of long term human organotypic tissue culture and interrogation platforms. Currently, he is working on siRNA delivery for the treatment of tumor induced bone disease.

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Co-advised by Dr. Ethan Lippmann, Alex is developing novel brain drug delivery strategies involving albumin-based siRNA conjugates. Alex completed his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University, where he worked on treating metastatic prostate cancer in Dr. Michael King’s lab by harnessing immune cells to target and kill cancer cells in the blood stream. In his free time, Alex enjoys reading, playing piano, and explaining to everyone how awesome Boston is.

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Josh received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin in 2020. As an undergraduate, he worked with Dr. Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez on the development of an electrospun antimicrobial delivery system to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in orthopedic applications. Now at Vanderbilt, Josh is working to develop novel ROS degradable materials for the delivery of siRNA to treat chronic wounds. Outside of lab, he enjoys traveling, cooking, and photography.

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Mariah Bezold earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky in May 2020. As an undergraduate, Mariah was a member of Dr. Bhattacharyya’s Center of Membrane Sciences Lab where she worked on the synthesis and functionalization of both polymeric and inorganic membranes for selective separations. Alongside her undergraduate research, Mariah worked on the development of polymeric carriers for antioxidant delivery in high oxidative stress environments as a research member for Bluegrass Advanced Materials. Now at Vanderbilt University, Mariah is currently working on the development of novel shear-thinning hydrogels as a multi-functional biomaterial for sustained drug release and local retention of cells to promote wound healing. Outside of lab, Mariah enjoys spending time outdoors, watching college football with friends, and drinking unhealthy amounts of sweet tea.

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Larry earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at The University of Mississippi in 2021. During his time in undergrad, Larry was a part of Dr. Thomas Werfel’s NanoBioSciences Interdisciplinary Lab where he researched the effects of efferocytosis inhibition in the tumor microenvironment and its potential as an immunotherapy. Additionally, he spent a summer researching the effects of protease inhibition on muscle stem cells with Dr. Manu Platt at Georgia Tech. Now at Vanderbilt, Larry is working on the development of a hybrid nanoparticle-hydrogel system to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein to treat osteoarthritis. Outside of lab, he enjoys drawing, reading, watching movies, and hiking.

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Morgan received her B.S. in biomedical engineering with a concentration in biomaterials, cellular, and tissue engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2021. As an undergraduate, she worked with Dr. Mark Appleford in the field of orthopedic biomaterials, studying polymer embedded scaffolds for tissue scaffold integration and a carbon fiber bioglass composite for bone tissue regeneration. Now at Vanderbilt, Morgan is working on the non-viral delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 to treat Osteoarthritis. Outside of lab, she enjoys playing sports, going outdoors, watching movies, and traveling.

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Amelia received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2022. As an undergraduate, she worked with Dr. Melissa Grunlan on the development of hydrogel membranes for implantable glucose biosensors. Additionally, Amelia spent a summer investigating functional brain subnetworks involved in the micturition cycle with Dr. Rose Khavari at Houston Methodist Hospital. Now at Vanderbilt, Amelia is working on the development of bioadhesive nanoparticles for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Outside of lab, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and watching movies.

Megan earned her B.S. in Bioengineering with a concentration in biomaterials from Clemson University in 2022. As an undergraduate, Megan researched therapeutic particles for elastin preservation and repair in emphysematous lungs with Dr. Naren Vyavahare. She also worked on optical tweezer based microrheology of viscoelastic materials with Dr. Joshua Alper. Now at Vanderbilt, Megan is working on siRNA delivery to inhibit tissue stress response for applications in vascular restenosis and osteoarthritis. Outside of lab she enjoys cooking, trivia, trying new restaurants, and going to concerts.

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Nina received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 2021. As an undergraduate, she worked on developing hydrogels and scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering. Now at Vanderbilt, she is working on targeted delivery of albumin-hitchhiking siRNA conjugates for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Outside of lab, Nina enjoys playing board games, hiking, and spending time with family.

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Zach currently works on engineering guide RNA for the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to improve its overall stability and activity in vivo via albumin hitchhiking. He graduated from Purdue with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering in May 2023. As an undergraduate, he worked in Dr. Marxa Figueiredo's lab to optimize plasmid gene delivery to muscle and cancer cells to treat bone-metastatic prostate cancer. Zach grew up near Indianapolis, IN, and enjoys cooking new things, going to the gym, and playing video games in his free time.

Sarah earned her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2021. There she computationally analyzed various drug combinations for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with Drs. Daniel Gioeli and Mark Jameson. After graduation, she worked for 2 years at ZielBio, a biotech based in Charlottesville, VA, where she investigated the mechanism of action of their antibody targeting cancer-specific plectin in vitro. At Vanderbilt, she is developing targeted nanoparticles for effective drug delivery to breast cancer bone metastases. In her free time, Sarah enjoys playing with her dog, doing jigsaw puzzles, and trying new restaurants in Nashville.  

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Patricia received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Bucknell University in 2023. As an undergraduate, she worked with Dr. Brandon Vogel to develop a solution synthesis method for poly(sebacic anhydrides). Patricia also spent a summer in Dr. Mark Byrne’s lab at Rowan University where she investigated the effectiveness of a PLGA-PEG-PLGA hydrogel system in preventing posterior capsule opacification. At Vanderbilt, Patricia is working to develop antioxidant polymeric microparticles for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Outside of the lab, Patricia enjoys reading, watching movies, and swimming.

Paolo received his B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering with a concentration in Biomaterials from Georgia Tech in 2022 and his B.S. in Applied Physics from Berry College in 2020. At Georgia Tech, he worked in Dr. Edward Botchwey’s lab on immunoregenerative biomaterials for volumetric muscle loss. He also spent a summer working with Dr. Jeffrey Holmes at the University of Virginia, where he worked on a thermodynamically-driven computational model of cardiomyocyte remodeling. At Vanderbilt, he is working on developing ROS-degradable foams for chronic wound healing. Outside of lab, he is playing tennis, on the drums, or watching sports.

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Anna received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2023. As an undergraduate, she worked with Dr. Kyle Lampe on the development of cell-adhesive peptide hydrogels for stroke regeneration. She also worked on developing hydrogels to model idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis invitro with Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler. Now at Vanderbilt, she is working on innovating a hybrid shear-thinning hydrogel to deliver therapeutic stem cells for chronic wound healing. Outside of the lab, Anna enjoys cooking, going to concerts, and spending time with her cat.

Madisen Domayer earned her undergraduate degree in Health Science from the University of Florida in May 2024. During her undergraduate studies, Madisen was a member of the SuperMolecular BioLab under the mentorship of Dr. Gregory Hudalla. Her project focused on developing a novel nanoparticle system for intracellular drug delivery utilizing a peptide-protein system. In addition, Madisen studied the effectiveness of having a virtual teaching assistant during STEM related lectures. Now at Vanderbilt University, Madisen is currently working on the development of a novel drug-loading hydraulic acid injection for the treatment of osteoarthritis, aiming to reduce pain and inhibit further cartilage degradation. Outside of the lab, Madisen enjoys painting, baking, spending time outdoors, being with her dogs, and drinks lots of coffee!

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Brennen received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Chemical Engineering in 2024. While there, he worked with Dr. Jefferson Chan on the development and optimization of improved photoacoustic imaging dyes and photothermal therapy agents. During his 2023 summer, he interned with Eli Lilly’s Peptide Therapeutic and Genetic Medicine groups on the development of peptide-siRNA conjugates. At Vanderbilt, Brennen is focused on designing siRNA therapeutics for their targeted delivery to arthritic models. When he is not in the laboratory, Brennen can usually be found with headphones in listening to music, cooking, running, or indulging his cinephilic tendencies at a local movie theater.

Ava earned her B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from Kansas State University in 2024. In her undergrad, she worked under Dr. Nicholas Wallace where she helped test different inhibitors combinations to develop new therapies to treat cervical cancer. She also spent her summers at the University of Kansas Medical Center working on a project investigating the effects of space flight and microgravity on the female reproduction and endocrine system. At Vanderbilt, she is working on developing a siRNA and ROS-responsive drug coated balloon for applications in angioplasty treatment. Outside of lab, Ava enjoys cooking, reading, doing yoga, and exploring Nashville.