People
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE)
Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS)
Education
- 2008 Ph.D., University of Michigan, Mechanical Engineering
- 1999 B.S., University of California, San Diego, Mechanical Engineering
Experience
- 2015-Present Assistant Professor, MANE, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 2008-2014 Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
- 2010-2014 Lecturer, Advanced Materials Program, University of Ulm
Awards
- 2019 DoD CDMRP Neurofibromatosis Research Program New Investigator Award
- 2019 National Science Foundation, Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
- 2009 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers
- 2002 National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship
Research Focus
Investigating the mechanical properties of NF1 single cells and tumors in an in vivo model.
Education
- 2019 B.A., Whitman College
Experience
- 2019-Present Research Assistant, BMED, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 2018-2019, Undergraduate Researcher Whitman College
Ph.D. Student
MANE
Research Focus
Mechanics of tumor growth
Education
- North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, M. Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, 2020
- Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, B. Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, 2017.
MEng Student
MANE
Research Focus
Mechanical characterization of hydrogels
MS Student
BME
Research Focus
Mechanics of tumor emboli growth
Research Focus
- Mammary duct model
- DCIS to IDC transition
My work in the lab involves developing a 3D, in vitro mammary duct model and using this model to investigate how breast cancer cells interact with their biomechanical microenvironment.
I am also creating outreach presentations for high school students to learn the foundational mechanical and biological concepts that are used for research in the lab in order to foster a more diverse interest in STEM.
Experience
- 2020 – Present Undergraduate Research Assistant, MANE, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 2019 – Present Student Assistant – Introduction to Mechanical Design & Engineering Processes
- 2018 – 2019 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 2013 – 2016 Volunteer Researcher, Model Animal Research Institute, Nanjing University
Research Focus
- Development of in vitro model for quantitative analysis of intra-tumoral genetic heterogeneity in breast cancer.
- Optimization of novel tools for high-throughput analysis of cells in 3D culture.
| Name | Year | Degree | Department | Current affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Kulwatno | 2020 | PhD |
Biomedical Engineering |
ORISE Orthopedic Trauma Research Fellow at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences |
| Xiangyu Gong | 2019 | PhD |
Mechanical Engineering |
Postdoc at Yale University |
| Jamie Gearhart | 2020 | MS BS |
Mechanical Engineering Biomedical Engineering |
Research Associate at TARA Biosystems |
| Ashok Williams | 2019 | MS |
Mechanical Engineering |
Manufacturing Cell Therapy Associate at Adaptimmune |
| Rachel Dass | 2018 | MS BS |
Biomedical Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Aly Tremblay | 2019 | MEng |
Mechanical Engineering |
Project Engineer at Stryker Robotics |
| Ihsan Nordin | 2017 | MEng |
Mechanical Engineering |
Integration and Start-up Engineer at Applied Materials (Ion Implanter Division) |
| Charlotte Avra | 2021 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Savant Liu | 2021 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
|
| Agnes Han | 2021 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Emma Brown | 2021 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Zoe Stetson | 2021 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
|
| Gavin Mays | 2020 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
Graduate Student at Brown University |
| Alina Hunecke | 2020 | BS |
Biomedical Science (visiting from Reutlingen University) |
|
| Rufeng Ma | 2020 | Research Assistant |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Gilad Drillich | 2019 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
Global Foundries |
| Robert Altman | 2019 | Research Assistant |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Sarah C. Ahearn | 2019 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
Lab Technician, DNA and Library Coordinator at Addgene |
| Devon Forsythe | 2019 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
Imaging Assistant at Parexel Informatics |
| Elizabeth Pontius | 2019 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
Assistant Engineer, Kick Start Rotational Program at Bristol Myers Squibb |
| Peter D'Almeida | 2019 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
Graduate Student at ETH Zürich |
| Madison Van Dam | 2018 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering |
|
| Samuel Weinstein | 2018 | Visiting summer high school student |
Montville Township High School in Montville, NJ |
Undergraduate student, Anthropology and Human Biology at Emory University |
| Hao Sha | 2018 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Jordan Cabahug-Almonte | 2018 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Walter "Sebastian" Barrutia | 2018 | BS |
Biomedical Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
Graduate Student at University of Florida |
| Maya Navabi | 2018 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Yang Zhang | 2017 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Nora Herzog | 2017 | BA |
Cell Biology Neuroscience (summer researcher from Rutgers University) |
Graduate Student at New York University, Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Studies |
| Andrew Nicholas | 2017 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
Manufacturing Engineer, Advanced Control Systems at Raytheon Technologies, Intelligence & Space |
| James Sherman | 2016 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Shuxian Zhao | 2016 | BS MS |
Mechanical Engineering Robotics (Johns Hopkins) |
Software Development Engineer at Amazon (Alexa Entertainment Team) |
| Alexis Hill | 2016 | BS |
Biophysics and Biochemistry |
Graduate Student at UT Austin (Integrative Biology) |
| Natalie Sacdal | 2016 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Jeffrey Chen | 2016 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
| Andrew Chi | 2016 | BS |
Mechanical Engineering |
© 2015 Kristen Mills. Statements.