Reinhart-King Laboratory
Multidisciplinary approaches to understanding cellular mechanics and cell-biomaterial interactions
People
Chelsea Faith Mariano
Graduate Student
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California
Bio: Currently I am interested in cancer heterogeneity and how extracellular vesicles released by cancer cells contribute to metastasis. Outside of lab, I enjoy sketching, violin, and reading.
Emily Fabiano
Graduate Student
Hometown: Somerville, NJ
Degrees: BS in Chemical Engineering, Rutgers
Bio: My interest lies in uncovering specific mechanisms through which cells regulate bioenergetics and migration in breast cancer. When I'm not in lab I love running marathons, eating cheese, or traveling the world and learning about new cultures.
Georgii "Zhora" Vasiukov, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Hometown: Mezhdurechensk, Russia
Degrees: M.D. Specialized in Medical Biochemistry 2012, Siberian State Medical University Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Cytology and Histology 2015, Siberian State Medical University
Bio: My research interest is in the tumor microenvironment field, specifically the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in promoting tumor aggressiveness. I’m also involved in the development of computational methods for tissue image analysis. Away from the lab I enjoy playing different sports and traveling.
Ismael "Ish" Ortiz
Graduate Student
Hometown: Miami, FL
Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami
Bio: My research interests are in the areas of cancer heterogeneity and its effects on metastasis and cancer cell migration and metabolism. Away from the lab I enjoy watching sports, swimming and chess.
Katie Young, PhD
Post Doctoral Scholar
Hometown: Austin, TX
Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering 2016, University of Texas at Austin; Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering 2021, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University
Bio: I am interested in cancer cell mechanics, specifically in understanding how cell stiffness affects the various stages of the metastatic cascade. When not in lab, I volunteer with a Christian organization, Young Life, mentoring adolescents and young adults. I also love biking, baking, books, and Broadway musicals!
Kyra Smart
Graduate Student
Hometown: Denver, CO
Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Davis
Bio: My research focuses on understanding the progression of metastatic breast cancer and the mechanism by which diabetic hyperglycemia can worsen cancer prognosis. When I’m not in lab I like cooking, facetiming my family, socially-distant hikes and listening to new music.
Madison Bates
Graduate Student
Hometown: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Degrees: BS in Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University
Bio: I am interested in understanding how diabetic hyperglycemic influences cancer-associated fibroblast plasticity to support tumorigenesis and worsened prognosis for diabetic cancer patients. In my free time I love cooking, exploring new cuisines, and listening to true crime podcasts.
Paul V. Taufalele, PhD
Graduate Student
Hometown: Bucks County, PA
Degrees: BSE in Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa; PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
Bio: I am interested in how mechanical information from the tissues guides angiogenesis both at the cellular and molecular level. Specifically, I am investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying matrix stiffness-dependent endothelial cell behaviors. Away from lab, I enjoy Rockband 2, snowboarding, and am a sauna enthusiast.
Raghu Vamsi Kondapaneni, PhD
Post Doctoral Scholar
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Degrees: B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering 2013, CVSR College of Engineering, JNTUH; M.Tech. in Chemical Engineering 2015, Sri Venkateswara University; Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering 2023, The University of Alabama
Bio: My research focuses on investigating the metabolic heterogeneity in breast cancer and how it influences cancer cells to migrate and develop metastatic tumors. Away from the lab, I enjoy watching sports and playing badminton & cricket.
Santiago Lopez
Graduate Student
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University
Bio: My interest lies in understanding the mechanism behind secondary site metastasis in diabetic hyperglycemic tissue. Away from the lab, I like swim, watch shows on netflix, and travel to new places and eat a lot of food!!
Sarah Libring, PhD
Post Doctoral Scholar
Hometown: Westampton, NJ
Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering 2017, Rutgers University; Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering 2022, Purdue University
Bio: I am interested in fibroblast reprogramming in metastatic niches during cancer progression. Outside of lab, I like to spend time with my husband and son, bake, and do graphic design work.
Wenjun Wang, PhD
Graduate Student
Hometown: Xi’an, China
Degrees: BS in Biological Science, Ocean University of China; MEng in Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University; PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
Bio: My research interest is to investigate how mechanical cues modulate tumor metastasis and tumor angiogenesis. My current project is focused on studying the molecular mechanism by which hyperglycemia induced matrix stiffening regulates endothelial barrier function. Outside of lab, I enjoy reading and yoga.