Meet the Team
Postdoc/Research Scientist
Graduate Members
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Gobinath, an M.Tech graduate in Bioprocess Engineering from IIT Madras, he is a Ph.D. student in the joint Bioengineering program at OSU-UO. His research focuses on cellular agriculture and biomaterials design, advancing sustainable solutions in tissue engineering and food production. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing soccer and badminton.
Gobinath
PhD Student
Ivana obtained her BS in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and her MS in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Texas at El Paso. She has received numerous honors, including the NSF GRFP. Her professional background features internships at SNL as a MSIIP-NNSA intern and at the AFRL as a SFFP awardee. Currently a Research Assistant at IMSTEL, she has made significant contributions to cardiovascular tissue engineering projects, including a collaboration with the ISSNL at NASA KSC, where she facilitated the sending of biomaterials to space. Her research focuses on enhancing 3D bioprinting and 3D characterization techniques to develop innovative therapies for myocardial regeneration
Ivana ​Hernandez
PhD Student
​Marion is pursuing a master’s degree in bioengineering at Oregon State University. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Lewis & Clark College. Her research centers on biofabrication techniques, including metabolic analysis, cryopreservation, impedance probe measurements, and extended imaging of cardiac tissue constructs.
Marion
MS Student
Pradnya Ghalsasi is a master’s student in Bioengineering at Oregon State University and a graduate research assistant in the IMSTEL Lab. Her research focuses on designing innovative biomaterials for tissue regeneration, exploring ways to improve scaffold properties, biocompatibility, and tissue-specific function. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and playing casual sports with friends.
Pradnya
MS Student
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​Polette Esmeralda Cortez, a native of El Paso, earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). After completing her master’s degree, she began her career as a Materials and Corrosion Engineer at a petroleum plant in El Paso, TX, before moving to Houston to work as a Corrosion Specialist and Asset Integrity Analyst. Polette transitioned to education and is now a Graduate Research Assistant in Inspired Materials & STEM-Cell Based Tissue Engineering Laboratory. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, focusing on cardiac tissue biofabrication.
Polette Esmeralda Cortez
PhD Student (MASE-UTEP)
Undergraduate Members
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Chester
Undergraduate
Chester (CJ) is a fourth-year chemical engineering student working to complete his honors thesis. He is working to optimize gold nanoparticles usage in the construction of 3D-Bioprinted hydrogel matrices. In his spare time, he enjoys running and spending time with friends.
Leeah Chen
Undergraduate
Chen is an Honors College student majoring in Biomedical Engineering with aspirations to pursue a career in medicine. Her research interests lie at the intersection of cardiogenesis, tissue regeneration, and neurology, where she is passionate about advancing innovative solutions to improve human health.
Manasvi
Undergraduate
Manasvi is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Bioengineering with a minor in Computer Science at Oregon State University. She is passionate about leveraging biomaterials for regenerative medicine, with a special emphasis on advancements in bone tissue engineering. Outside of academics, Manasvi enjoys exploring her creativity through ceramics and spending quality time hiking with her family.
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Hazel
Undergraduate
Hazel is an undergraduate Honors Bioengineering student at Oregon State University. She is most interested in the intersection of technology and health and better understanding the relationship between them. She also enjoys spending time outdoors, reading and baking