Guzman Lab:The Guzman Lab focuses on biomedical applications of nanoparticles, specifically in the areas of bioimaging, biosensors, and drug delivery. During my time with the group, I completed a senior thesis focusing on chitosan nanoparticles for antidepressant drug delivery. I encapsulated the drugs venlafaxine and paroxetine, evaluating their release profiles in chitosan nanoparticles and the effect of using PEGlyated chitosan on drug loading and release.

I participated in the SHyNE NNCI REU program during the summer of 2022. My project focused on the optimization of fabrication parameters for silicon nanostructures for bactericidal surfaces. Naturally-occurring bactericidal surfaces have been shown to possess distinct nanotopographies. I evaluated how electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching could be used to provide a high level of control over feature diameter, spacing, pillar morphology and etch rate.

The Hsieh lab explores the pathological processes involved in obesity and type II diabetes. I contributed to a study that investigated the role of inflammatory chemokines in obesity. We studied the effects of specific gene knockouts in mice on chemokine expression. I learned multiple wet lab skills, such as dissection/sample preparation, PCR, Western blotting, and various protein assays.

Center for Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics - Lussier LabThe Lussier Lab worked on applying statistical methods to discover novel connections in clinical data. The two main projects I worked on involved discovering novel comorbidities and environmental exposure-disease associations. I performed comprehensive literature reviews to assess whether statistical model predictions were present in existing literature or not to evaluate how accurate the model was. This experience greatly improved my ability to understand scientific literature, and understand the research process in general. I also learned about the statistical methods used within the lab, and was able to apply that knowledge to help analyze large datasets using SSMS, and visualize relevant data using R and Cytoscape. These experiences allowed me to pursue an independent project my second year with the lab, which centered on comparing exposure-disease associations in rural vs. urban areas. The project spanned 3 months, culminating in a comprehensive written report and presentation.

High-school tutor for AP Physics C Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism