Elizabeth Stanley

PhD Pre-candidate

Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan

elizsta (at) umich (dot) edu

Hometown: Lumberton, North Carolina

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Education: 

BS in Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, 2022

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Research interests:  My interest in mechanobiology and tissue engineering was sparked by one of my first research experiences where I was intrigued by the changes in cell morphology and adhesion I elicited using simple 2D polyacrylamide gels of different stiffnesses. I continued exploring this interest with my undergraduate work that focused on the role of mechanical stress in metastatic cancer biology and used photochemical modulation strategies to develop a 3D hydrogel model of varying stiffnesses. For my graduate research in the Baker Lab, I am excited to use biomaterials with tunable physical properties and microfluidic platforms to probe interactions between cells and their microenvironment during processes such as angiogenesis. Overall, I hope to leverage insight gained from these in vitro models to drive fundamental questions about cellular behavior and address translational challenges with vascularizing biomaterial implants and engineered tissues.

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Outside of lab interests: I enjoy exploring downtown Ann Arbor and the trails along the Huron River, spending time with friends and family, and being entirely too invested in Michigan and UNC football and basketball.