Biomedical engineer with three years of laboratory experience in tissue engineering, including expertise in cell culture, biomaterials, and scaffold fabrication.
Education
Master of Science: Biomedical Engineering, 2016 Rutgers University: Graduate School - New Brunswick and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences - Piscataway, NJ GPA: 3.722/4.000
Bachelor of Science: Biomedical Engineering and Mathematics, 2015 Rutgers University School of Engineering - Piscataway, NJ
GPA: 3.754/4.000
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
Member of Tau Beta Pi - The Engineering Honor Society
Recipient of James Dickson Carr Scholarship - $40,000 academic scholarship
Rutgers
University Aresty Undergraduate Research Fellow
James J. Slade Scholar
2015 Rutgers Biomedical Engineering Senior Design Conference first place
project
Performed metabolic activity and viability assays on cell cultures
Conducted quantitative real-time polymerase chain
reaction (qPCR) experiments to determine relative gene expression among sample groups
Quantified protein levels in conditioned media collected from experiments via total protein and ELISA assays
Analyzed cell morphology and orientation through a combination of immunostaining, light microscopy, and image processing software
Monitored cell migration and cellular response to stress via an in vitro scratch wound healing assay
Additional responsibilities include: maintenance of tissue culture room and clean laboratory environment; training of lab members in cell culture technique, ELISA and PCR protocols, and data analysis
Senior Design Student, 09/2014 to 05/2015 Cai Lab – Piscataway, NJ
Analyzed transcriptome data to investigate factors of multiple sclerosis
pathogenesis and progression
Utilized data analysis software to create graphics and results to
identify differentially expressed genes of interest
Organized data and results into presentations and libraries to easily
compare data and display results
Aresty Research Fellow, 01/2014 to 06/2014 Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration Laboratory – Piscataway, NJ
Developed a tubular, nanofibrous scaffold for muscle tissue engineering
Used electrospinning methods for the extraction of aligned polymer fibers
Fabricated nanofibrous polymer scaffolds made of through the use of coaxial electrospinning methods
Prepared solutions for scaffold fabrication and scaffold property experiments
Performed actuary tests to investigate muscle scaffold behavior in response to electrical stimuli
Successfully created an aligned, tubular scaffold with hydrogel-coated polymer nanofibers
Publications
Ekwueme EC, Shah JV, Mohiuddin M, Ghebes CA, Crispim JF, Saris DBF, Fernandes HAM.
Cross-Talk between Human Tenocytes and Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Potentiates
Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Vitro. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry.
2016;117(3):684-693.
Additional Information
Intramural Sports
Captain of flag football team in Fall 2012 and basketball teams in 2014 and 2015
Intramural basketball referee during 2013 spring semester
Tutored students in engineering coursework during undergraduate tenure
