Doctoral Candidate

Austin, Texas

Co-Advisor: Professor David Myung

Education
J.D. Stanford Law School, expected 2019
M.S. Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 2015
B.S. Chemical Engineering (Biomolecular Track), California Institute of Technology, 2012

Research Focus

My research applies engineering tools to interrogate and improve ocular health. Part of my work (in collaboration with Chunzi Liu) focuses on developing a novel dry eye model for investigating adhesion dynamics between cells on the ocular surface and the interior eyelid. During blinks, friction between these cell layers causes discomfort for millions of dry eye patients. Additionally, my research focuses on developing new biomaterials platforms for ocular tissue regeneration. Following eye injury, many patients lose some sensory capacity due to inadequate reinnervation. To foster more comprehensive tissue regeneration, my work exploits newly developed chemistries to build biomimetic cellular architectures and release bioactive molecules in a controlled manner.