Daniel Hills (B.Sc.)

Lab Manager

Research Interests

Education

Bachelor of Science (BSc) Biology,  Emory University College of Arts and Sciences, 2016

Daniel graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biology from Emory University. He is specifically interested in translational biomedical research with a focus on immune based technologies and regenerative medicine. While at Emory as a SURE and IMSD scholar, he gained years of varied lab experiences. His past research experiences have included working with 3D bioprinting technologies, optical fibers and probes, data analysis, and assisting in design of and conducting experiments on mice models of sickle cell, chronic kidney disease, and hypoxic ischemia encephalopathy.

Daniel hopes to pursue a career in translational research that combines his previous experience in imaging, nanotechnology, and immunology into the fast-evolving field of regenerative medicine.

PhD Chemical Engineering, University College London, 2017

Ana Quiroga received her PhD (2017) in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London. Her research project was focused on the development of a mathematical model based on the energy metabolism of mammalian cells producing monoclonal antibodies. The model was used to develop a computational platform for the optimization and acceleration of upstream process development, in specific for the development of low-cost and tailor-made supplemental media and optimized feeding strategies for fed-batch cultures.

During her MSc in Chemical Engineering and Double major BSc (Eng) in Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at Universidad de Chile, she optimized the production of enzymes for detergents, in E. coli, using Design-of-Experiments (DoE) and mathematical modelling, and discovered the advantage of mathematical models over DoE to optimize biological systems. Currently at BSEL, Ana works on the development of a computational application based on a dynamic mathematical modelling framework, using patient-, leukemia- and treatment-specific data to predict outcomes and optimize chemotherapy regimens for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

The model consists of a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) module and a population balance models (PBMs) module that describes the concertation and effect of different chemotherapy drugs in the bone marrow (BM) populations: both normal cell populations (stem cells, progenitors and precursors) and abnormal cell populations (leukemic sensitive blasts (LSB) and leukemic resistant blasts (LRB)). The precision therapy tool has the potential to personalize optimal standard and novel treatments for AML in real time.

Matthew completed his undergraduate studies (BEng) in 2017 at the University of Queensland, School of Chemical Engineering. In parallel to his studies, he held a part-time research position at the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, focused upon electrochemical platforms for breast cancer detection from patient samples under Prof. Matt Trau. Matthew was awarded a scholarship to study the final year of his undergraduate at Imperial College London, where he shifted focus of his studies towards mathematical modelling, completing a thesis for ‘Mathematical Modelling of Heterogeneity within Acute Myeloid Leukemia’ in the Biological Systems Engineering Laboratory (BSEL) with Prof.Mantalaris and Dr.Panoskaltsis.

In 2018, Matthew returned to London to work as a research assistant in the BSEL where he worked upon a predictive computational model for therapy optimisation in AML patient cohorts. During this time, Matthew also become involved within the Imperial College start-up incubator and at wider scientific start-up scene in London at large, with specific interest upon cancer detection and treatment technologies. In late 2018, Matthew relocated with the BSEL group to Atlanta, Georgia studying a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in the joint Georgia Tech/Emory University and Peking University program. His PhD research focuses upon novel experimental and computational models for interrogating clonal hematopoiesis and microenvironmental interactions to shed light upon mechanisms of pathogenesis in a range of hematological malignancies.

Akaash Kumar (MSc)

PhD Candidate

Research Interests

Education

BEng (Hons) Biochemical Engineering, University College London, 2017

MSc (Hons) Advanced Chemical Engineering with Biotechnology, Imperial College London, 2018

Akaash graduated with a BEng in Biochemical Engineering from the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London (UCL). While there, he worked on bacterial and mammalian cell bioprocesses, carried out economic assessments on tissue engineered constructs, and completed a thesis in the development of a bioprocess/plant design for the production of a generic monoclonal antibody. He also undertook a Minor in Regenerative Medicine.

After attaining his Bachelors, he went on to study an MSc at Imperial College London in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Biotechnology; he joined the Biological Systems Engineering Lab (BSEL) under Prof. Sakis Mantalaris. His research involved the development of a three dimensional bioprocess for bone tissue engineering using a novel bioreactor. Now based in Atlanta, Akaash has moved with the Biological Systems Engineering Lab from Imperial College London and is conducting his PhD in Biomedical Engineering in the joint department between Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. His research includes novel bioreactor/bioprocess development for tissue engineering/cell therapy manufacturing applications.

Paulino “PJ” Jarquin received his Bachelors of Science from Mississippi State University’s department in Agriculture – ARS division studying efficient farming techniques. After completion of his undergraduate studies, he went on to work for Alcon as a Manufacturing Science & Technology Engineering intern where he helped to increase production of intraocular lenses. During his last two years in his undergraduate studies, PJ researched novel therapies for mitigating osteoarthritis under the guidance of Prof. Steve Elder. This research tenure led him to present his work at local and national conferences, winning two presentation awards for his research, and the honor of Undergraduate Researcher of the Year for MSU’s College of Engineering in 2019.

In 2019, PJ moved to Atlanta, GA to start his PhD in Biomedical Engineering in a joint program between The Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. PJ was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and is distinguished as an Emory University Centennial Scholar. His PhD research focuses on the study of 3D in vitro models of erythopoiesis.

Elana Cooper (MS)

PhD Candidate

Research Interests

Education

BSc Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 2010

MS Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, 2012

Elana gained valuable experience in orthopedic tissue engineering and regenerative medicine throughout her 4 years of undergraduate research at the University of Pennsylvania. During her masters, at the City College of New York, she received a NSF Bridge to Doctorate Fellowship that afforded her clinical collaborations at the Hospital of Special Surgery and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. This work, researching biomechanical aspects of cartilage degradation and tissue repair strategies, garnered her growing interest in osteoarthritis (OA).

Following an internship at Corning Inc. in MSC growth surface development, Elana received a GEM PhD Fellowship as a Corporate Product and Process Development Fellow to engage in doctoral research with commercialization potential. While at Georgia Tech she has evaluated OA along cell-tissue, tissue-joint, and joint-whole body levels through ex-vivo microcomputed tomography (uCT) and in vivo 3D joint kinematics via biplanar x-ray radiography. She is now expanding into the molecular realm within the Biomedical Systems Engineering Lab (BSEL) to evaluate potential OA cellular therapeutics for her PhD.

Elana currently serves on the Early Stage Professionals Committee for the International Society of Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) where she is gaining more exposure to research, regulatory, and commercial aspects of cell therapy development. At BSEL, she has sights on applying these principles to her translational research. Her PhD research explores iMSC-derived, 3D in vitro models of OA, identifying metabolic targets that attenuate local inflammation and enhance joint repair.