People
Faculty/Staff
Vincent M. Wang, PhD
Laboratory Director
(540) 231-1771
Email: vmwang@vt.edu
Graduate Students
Chitra Meduri
Doctoral Student, BEAM and IGEP RM program
Email: chitra@vt.edu
Hometown: Vizag, India
Undergraduate Education: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Arizona State University
Favorite TV Show: Friends/ Money Heist
Fun Fact: Played badminton professionally for about 5 years; Also holds a diploma in Indian Classical Music and has performed on the All India Radio
Quote: "Failure is Success in Progress" - Albert Einstein
Dylan Easley
Doctoral Student, TBMH Program
Email: dceasley@vt.edu
Hometown: Vienna, Illinois
Undergraduate Education: B.S. in Animal Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Favorite TV Show: Firefly
Fun Fact: Grew up on a horse farm and still competes in shows with them
Quote: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Sir Winston Churchill
Georgina Flynn-Smith
Doctoral Student, SBES
Email: gflynnsmith@vt.edu
Ghaidaa Al Khafaji
Masters Student, BEAM Program
Email: ghaidaa@vt.edu
Sarah Crimmins
Masters Student, BEAM Program
Email: scrimmins@vt.edu
Hometown: Hillsborough, North Carolina
Favorite Movie: Jumanji
Fun Fact: Has traveled to Australia and New Zealand
Research Interests: Biomechanics, Medical Devices, Sports Injuries
Logan Dickinson
Masters Student, SBES
Email: dlogan1@vt.edu
Iman Saqib
Masters Student, BEAM Program
Email: is2180@vt.edu
Hometown: Leesburg, Virginia
Favorite TV Show: Black Mirror
Fun Fact: Born in Pakistan, Loves traveling
Quote: "As engineers, we were going to be in a position to change the world - not just study it." - Henry Petroski
Research Interests: Biomechanics, Medical Devices, Tissue Engineering, Tendon Injury, Drug Efficacy
Undergraduate Students
Emily Rogers
Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Tech
Email: eprogers@vt.edu
Hometown: Mars, Pennsylvania
Favorite TV Show: Parks and Recreation
Fun Fact: Also enjoys writing and philosophy in free time
Quote: "The future is too soon the past. So make perseverance your excellence and go confidently in the direction of your dreams." - Henry David Thoreau
Research Interests: Tissue Mechanics/Engineering, Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Biomaterials
Medical Students
Kendal Carter
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Faculty Collaborators
Gunnar Brolinson, D.O.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Randy Clements, M.D.
Carilion Clinic, VTC Faculty
Specialty in Podiatric Orthopaedics
Linda Dahlgren, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
Raffaella De Vita, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Wu Feng
Virginia Tech
Department of Computer Science
Rob Grange, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
Bert Huang, Ph.D.
Tufts University
Computer Science
Al Kozar, D.O.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Anna Plaas, Ph.D.
Rush University Medical Center
Departments of Rheumatology and Biochemistry
Stefanie Robel, Ph.D.
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
John Sandy, Ph.D.
Rush University Medical Center
Department of Biochemistry
Shima Shahab, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Department of Mechanicall Engineering
Rodrigo Sarlo, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
John Tuttle, M.D.
Carilion Clinic, VTC Faculty
Specialty in Orthopaedic Surgery
Eli Vlaisavljevich, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Jennifer Wayne, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Alumni
Kirin Anand, B.S.
Talia Baddour
Rebecca Bell, Ph.D.
Current Position: Research Associate, Cornell University
Claudia Cardona, B.S.
Lauren Cashman
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Hana Chan
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, BEAM, Virginia Tech
Carrie Cheung, M.S.
Mark England (NSF RET Fellow)
Biology teacher at Hurley High School
Alexandra Groen, B.S.
Current Position: Engineering Specialist, Merck
Ellen Hammett, M.D.
Current Position: Resident, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
Morgan Herrera, B.S.
Current Position: Associate Specialist, Merck
Connor Herron
Current Position: Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering Student, Virginia Tech
Sindy Hou, M.S.
Current Position: Mechanical Engineer, Gaumard Scientific
Edward Jacobs, B.S.
Current Position: Graduate Student, Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech
Kierstin Jenne, B.S.
Current Position: Clinical Specialist, Brainlab
Maxine Kastriner, M.S.
Current Position: Engineer, Naval Sea Systems Command
Zach Kozar, B.S.
Veronica Martin, B.S.
Current Position: Patent Examiner, USPTO
Kevin McGill, M.D., M.P.H.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Musculoskeletal Imaging, University of California San Francisco
Alex Milowsky, B.S.
Current Position: Software Engineer, Capital One
Joel Neifert, B.S.
Current Position: Technical Business Analyst, Decisions.com
Austin Petty, B.S.
Kristen (Hulbert) Renner, Ph.D.
Current Position: Biomechanist, The Bone and Joint Institute, Hartford Hospital
Sabah Rezvani, Ph.D.
Lindsey Richardson
Current Position: Undergraduate Student, Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech
Steven Salazar, M.S.
Reagan Sanchez
Emma Stowe, B.S.
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
Brooke Suesser, B.S.
Current Position: Graduate Student, Colorado School of Mines
Daniel Surinach, B.S.
Current Position: M.S. student, University of Minnesota
Colleen Valentine, B.S.
Current Position: Duke University Master of Biomedical Sciences Program
Shaunna Young (NSF RET Fellow)
Earth Science teacher at William Fleming High School
Rush University Medical Center Alumni
Anne Bartels, M.D.
Current Position: Pediatric Resident, Naval Medical Center (San Diego, CA)
Robert Benzl, M.S., M.D.
Current Position: Internal Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center
Sanjeev Bhatia, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, Northwestern Medicine
Jay Christensen, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopedic Surgery Physician, SSM Health
Justin Dishkin-Paset, M.S.
Current Position: Manager, Tempus Labs, Inc.
Mark Farag, M.D.
Current Position: Anesthesiologist & Interventional Pain Management Specialist, Centers for Pain Control
Andrew Federer, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Hand Surgery Fellow, University of Utah Hospital
Michelle Fisher, M.D.
Current Position: Otolaryngologist, Florida E.N.T. & Allergy
Harold Fogel, B.A.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital
Rachel Frank, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, University of Colorado
Ryan Freedman, M.D., M.S.
Current Position: Sports Medicine Specialist & Emergency Medicine Physician, Advocate Christ Medical Center
Nicole Friel, M.S., M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon & Sports Medicine Specialist, Shriners Hospital for Children
Eric Fuller, M.D.
Current Position: Attending Physician & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Lurie Children's Hospital
Aman Gupta, Ph.D.
Current Position: Senior Consultant, Rimkus Consulting Group Inc.
Deepti Gupta, M.D.
Current Position: Internal Medicine Specialist, Northwestern Medical Group
Richard Kang, M.S., M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, Colorado Permanente Medical Group
Vasili Karas, M.S., M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Ellen Kroin, M.A.
Current Position: Hand Surgeon, UC Davis Medical Center
Andrew Lee, M.D., M.S.
Current Position: Clinical Spine Fellow, UCSF Medical Center
Katherina Lee, M.D.
Current Position: Anesthesiologist, John Muir Health
Emery Lin, M.D.
Current Position: Gastroenterologist, Portland Veterans Affairs Healthcare System
Allison McNickle, M.S., M.D.
Current Position: General Surgeon, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Mauli Modi, M.S.
Current Position: Research Assistant, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Gabriella Ode, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, Blue Ridge Orthopaedics
Andy Riff, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, Illinois Bone & Joint Institute
Bob Sershon, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopaedic Surgeon, Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic
Katie (Trella) Sikes, Ph.D.
Current Position: Research Scientist, Colorado State University
Ruchir Thakore, B.A.
Current position: M.B.A. Candidate, University of Washington
Fan Chia Wang, M.S.
Current Position: Medical Device Sales, Taiwan
Adam Yanke, M.D.
Current Position: Orthopedic Attending Physician, Sports Medicine, Midwest Orthopedics at Rush
Stephanie Zare, M.D.
Current Position: Resident at U. Michigan School of Medicine