Eric Cocker 2005 - Biological Sciences (Mark Schnitzer)
Research:  My current research is on the development of a miniature two-photon microscope for brain imaging in awake, freely moving mice.  While similar research has been conducted on rats, mice are the standard models for disease and thus provide a much richer medium for study.  With this device, we will be able to study small groups of neurons in their naturally occurring state and free from the effects of anesthesia currently required for in vivo imaging.

Douglas Jones 2004 - Bioengineering (Jennifer Cochran)
Research: The Met receptor is a receptor tyrosine kinase involved in cell proliferation, motility, differentiation, and survival. Dysregulated Met signaling leads to a phenotype of invasion and metastasis in many types of human tumors, suggesting it may prove an effective target for cancer therapy. My research involves mapping the binding interactions of Met receptor ligands and engineering novel antagonists to block Met receptor activation.

Magdalena Jonikas 2004 - Bioengineering (Charles Taylor)
Research: My research interest is in different methods and approaches to regenerating tissues and organs. My background is in bone tissue engineering through chemically inducing human dermal fibroblasts (skin cells) to act like osteoblasts (bone depositing cells). I also have experience with directed evolution of both de novo and expressed proteins to create new proteins with novel properties and applications.

R. Andrew Marshall 2003 - Chemistry - Structural Biology (Joseph Puglisi)
Research: The central role of RNA in cellular processes and viral infection strongly suggests that RNA is an excellent, yet unexploited, drug target.  In order to design drugs that target RNA, it is important to understand how current RNA targeting drugs bind their specific RNA target.  I am currently using NMR spectroscopy to solve the three dimensional structure of the antibiotic Apramycin with its target RNA, the decoding site of the ribosome.  The goal of this study is to obtain an atomic resolution model of the interaction between Apramycin its rRNA target and to use this model to design new antibiotics that target the ribosome.

Ankit Patel 2005 - Chemical Engineering (Curt Frank)
Research: Tethering liposomes capable of housing transmembrane proteins to a supported lipid bilayer.

Miguel Piedrahita 2005 - Mechanical Engineering (Mark Cutkosky)
Research:  Development of robots using basic principles derived from biology.

Kurt Rhoads 2003 - Civil & Environmental Engineering (Craig Criddle)
Research: My research focuses on understanding and enhancing the abilities of microbes to transform carbon tetrachloride for potential bioremediation applications. I am investigating the mechanisms used by several bacteria and the kinetics associated with the mechanisms. Using genetic manipulation techniques, I plan to produce strains of bacteria with increased transformation capabilities and can survive higher concentrations of carbon tetrachloride compared to wild organisms.

Daniel Santos 2004 - Mechanical Engineering (Mark Cutkosky)
Research: My research is in the Biomimetics Lab, using biological principles to guide robotic design. Biological creatures exhibit mobility and robustness that traditional robots cannot duplicate. I study the feet of climbing animals and how they stick to smooth or rough, hard or soft vertical surfaces.

Various techniques are used for climbing, and I am developing models to characterize these adhesive mechanisms. These models can then be used for analysis, design, and simulation to assist in robotics for climbing environments.

Renee Saville 2005 - Civil & Environmental Engineering (Alfred Spormann)
Research: Understanding how microbial cells detach from biofilms.

Deborah Stoner 2005 - Chemical Engineering (Camilla Kao)
Research:

Matthew Siegel 2004 - Chemical Engineering (Chaitan Khosla)
Research:  Celiac sprue is a disorder in which intestinal inflammation leads to a decrease in nutrient absorption resulting in multiple symptoms and complications characteristic of the disease.  The intestinal inflammation results from the dietary ingestion of a class of proteins called gluten found in wheat, barley, or rye.  My current research is aimed at quantifying the level of gluten-responsive T-cells in patients’ peripheral blood.  I am also interested in the localization of an enzyme, tissue transglutaminase, which plays an active role in the disease.

David Weaver 2004 - Chemical Engineering (Camilla Kao)
Research: Living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and plants produce antibiotics and many other pharmaceuticals. I study a bacterium, Streptomyces coelicolor, that makes antibiotics similar to erythromycin. I am trying to understand how coelicolor has evolved in the wild over the years to become the organism it is today. I do this by comparing its genome to closely related organisms.