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Researchers

Elayaraja Kolanthai

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Education: Ph.D. in Biomaterial Science, Crystal Growth Centre, Anna University, Chennai, India
Research interest: Development of nanoparticles, layer-by-layer antimicrobial/antiviral nanoparticle coating, polymer composites for tissue engineering, and gene/drug delivery application.   

Craig Neal

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Education: Ph.D., MS Materials Science & Engineering, University of Central Florida 
BS Micro & Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, University of Central Florida 
Research: Wet chemical synthesis and surface engineering of nanoparticles for biomedical applications and electrochemical devices. Electroanalysis of nanomaterials and bio-nano interactions. 

Graduate Students

Balaashwin Babu

Education: BSBS, University of Central Florida
Research: Hollow Ceria, nanomaterial conjugation, cell culture, nanomaterial synthesis, enzyme-mimetic activity testing.

Gary A. Burman

Education: M.S., Nanotechnology, University of Central Florida
B.S., Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida

Research: Up-conversion of nanophosphors, Plasmonic nano catalysis, Electrospun composite polymer nanofibers for biomedical and energetic applications, Nanomaterial characterization

Yifei Fu

Education:
B.E, South China Agriculture University, China
M.S, University of Florida

Research: Nanomaterials

Chaimae El Ghzaoui

Education: MS/BS Ibn Zohr University, Morocco
Research: Nanomaterials

Udit Kumar

Education:
M.Tech., IIT Bombay, India
B.Tech., IIT Roorkee, India
Research: Plasmonic hetero-nano catalysis, Up-conversion nanomaterials, Silk electrospinning and anti-microbial materials

UCF Medical FIRE Students

Undergraduate Students

Sergio Cardenas

Intended Major: B.S., Biotechnology, University of Central Florida
Research Interests:  Development and characterization of metal oxide nanostructures for biomedical applications. Analytical methods for evaluating surface chemistry.

Cameron Hojecki

Intended Major: B.S., Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida
Research: Biomedical applications of nanoparticles, drug delivery, Biomaterials, miRAN based therapeutic

Ann Kalena

Intended Major: B.S., Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida

Research: Biomaterials for wound healing, synthesis of nanoparticles, and bioconjugation, Drug delivery system

Erik Marcelo

Intended Major: BS Materials science and engineering
Research: Biomaterials

Aadith Menon

Education: B.S. Health Sciences, University of Central Florida

Research Interest: Biomedical applications of Nanoparticles, Nanomaterial conjugation, Cell Regeneration, Drug/Gene Therapy, Biological Detection materials.

Agastya Mittal

Intended Major: Undergraduate in Biomedical Sciences; BMS Program
Research: Bone tissue engineering, Bone cancer prevention/treatment using nanoparticles; Bioconjugation, Radiation biology

Lillian Nguyen

Intended Major: BS Health Sciences, Pre-Clinical Track; University of Central Florida
Research Interests: miRNA/siRNA delivery using cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) for wound healing treatment

Ishaan Patel

Education: BS Biomedical Sciences; University of Central Florida
Research Interests: Biomedical applications of nanoparticles, miRNA delivery using cerium oxide for wound healing

Shreya Pawar

Education: B.S. Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida
Research Interests: Drug delivery systems, Biomedical applications of nanoparticles, Biomaterials, Synthesis of nanomaterial and bioconjugation, Radiation-protectant nanoparticles interference molecules. 

Giulliana Rasua

Education: BS, University of Central Florida
Research Interests: Aerogels

Andrew Sanford

Education: B.S. Biomedical Sciences, B.S. Biotechnology; University of Central Florida
Research Interests: Biomaterials and nanoparticles for medical applications and wound healing

Samantha Stoltz

Education:
BS Biology; University of Central Florida
Research Interests: Biomaterials, drug delivery, biomedical applications of nanoparticles, nanomaterial conjugation and synthesis, enzyme mimetic activity, oxidative stress and free radical diseases, autoimmunity.

Cora Tse

Intended Major: BS Environmental engineering
Research Interests: Biomaterials

Architha Venkatesan

Education: BS, University of Central Florida
Research Interests: Cell regeneration, construction of artificial scaffolds using organic/inorganic materials for wound healing, and discovering therapeutic strategies for delivery systems for RNA interference molecules. 

Recent Alumni

Baltej Singh Dhillon

Education:
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, VCU
M.S., Physiology & Biophysics, Georgetown University
M.D., University of Central Florida
Research: Reversal of antimalarial induced toxicity in retinal epithelial cells with ceria nanoparticles

David Gittess

Education:
B.A., Tufts University
M.D., University of Central Florida
Research: Therapeutic and biological applications of nanoparticles. Other experience includes translational research and access to care intervention analysis.

Michael Hnatiuk

Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Central Florida
Research: Lab automation, nano-fabrication, and biological detection materials.

    Aadithya Jeyaranjan

    Education:
    Ph.D., University of Central Florida
    Research: Nanotechnology for supercapacitors and other electrochemical energy storage, corrosion coatings, nanoenergetics, thin-film adhesion, conductive polymers, and thermal spray coatings

    Jason Kieffer

    Education:
    B.A. Business Administration, University of Florida
    M.M.S. Physician Assistant Studies, Nova Southeastern University
    M.D., University of Central Florida
    Research: Nanoparticles for biomedical therapeutic applications

    Robert Matthews

    Education: B.S, Florida Polytechnic University
    Research: Nanomaterials

    Justin Morency

    Education: BS, University of Central Florida
    Research: Nanotechnology, Biology

    Linda Ren

    Education:
    B.S., Linda Ren, Duke University
    M.D., University of Central Florida College of Medicine, in progress
    Research: Efficacy of ceria nanoparticles in treating an in-vitro model of diabetic retinopathy

    Sushant Singh

    Education: Ph.D., IIT Guwahati, India
    Research: Nanomaterials development for biomedical applications, antioxidative therapeutics using protein biochemistry and nanotechnology based approaches

    Tamil Selvan Sakthivel

    Education: Ph.D., Anna University, India
    Research: Nanomaterials for environmental, energy and biological applications, nanoporous materials, nano-characterization, sustainable concrete and cementitious materials