The School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) announced our first cohort of Clare Boothe Luce Scholars in April 2018. Meet our scholars:
Anastasia Carr
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Research Proposal:“The Transient Outward Potassium Channel (Ito): Contribution and Modulation of Human Cardiac Repolarization
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Igor Efimov
Anastasia is researching a specific type of cardiac arrhythmia under the guidance of her mentor, Igor Efimov, chair of GW’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. His lab studies biophysical mechanisms of cardiac conduction and arrhythmia, including heart rhythm conditions like Long QT Syndrome, which causes fast and chaotic heartbeats that can lead to sudden death. Anastasia will study how silencing a particular gene affects gene expression and whether that can induce Long QT Syndrome in human tissue.
Rachel Gray
Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Proposal: “Magnesium Silicide Analysis for Additive Manufacturing by Selective Laser Melting”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Saniya LeBlanc
Rachel is working on a project that aims to build thermal electric generators that capture waste heat from combustion systems, like a car engine or factory equipment. She is researching how powdered semiconductive materials, like magnesium silicide, can be used to build these systems. Rachel is working on this project under Saniya LeBlanc, a SEAS assistant professor.
Bianca Karpenecz
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Research Proposal: “Ultrasound-enhanced Drug Delivery for Treatment of Parasitic and Fungal Eye Diseases”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vesna Zderic
Bianca is researching ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery for parasitic and fungal eye diseases with the goal of contributing to the development of an inexpensive, effective, and minimally invasive treatment. Eye diseases can often lead to vision loss because most of the necessary treatments do not effectively permeate through the eye. Many are administered through eye drops or risky injections. Bianca will study how different combinations of frequency and intensity can increase corneal permeability. She is working on this project under her faculty mentor, Vesna Zderic, an associate SEAS professor.
Meghana Tallam
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Research Proposal: “CUBIC As an Alternative ‘Clearing’ Method for Creating Hydrogel-based Structures in Organs”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Kay
Meghana is studying heart failure using a technique called CUBIC clearing. Clearing organs is a procedure that is used to remove lipids from tissue in order to make imaging easier and more precise. Meghana will be looking for the expression of DREADDS, designer drugs used to activate neurons in the brain that affect areas of the heart, with guidance from her faculty mentor, Matthew Kay, a SEAS professor and associate chair for research and graduate affairs.
Myrto Kampouris
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Proposal:
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pedro Silva
Myrto is studying civil engineering and assisting Professor Silva in his research regarding structures designed to withstand seismic events. She is working on this project under her faculty mentor, Pedro Silva.
Alyssa Andrade
Christianne Chua
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Research Proposal:
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emilia Entcheva
Christianne works in Dr. Entcheva’s Cardiac Optogenetics and Optical Imaging Lab.
Alana Miniovich
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Research Proposal:
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Igor Efimov
Christianne works in Dr. Efimov's research lab focusing on Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT).