Godwin Dzidotor

Godwin is a graduate student at the University of Connecticut – Department of Chemical and Biomolecular engineering. His research study focuses on regeneration of articular cartilage in treating osteoarthritis. Since 2018, he has been part of the Connecticut Convergence Institute of Translation in Regenerative Engineering.

His work seeks a convergence approach to the treatment of osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases by employing multi-disciplinary approach the foster mechanistic regenerative applications. This mechanistic regenerative perspective is evident in applications of bioengineering approaches involving cells and developmental control. Revealing that, mechanical stresses induces cytoskeletal tension-dependent changes that alter the extracellular matrix compliance and function.

Jacob Quint

Jacob Quint is a Ph.D. student and graduate research trainee in biomedical engineering at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He received his MS and BS in mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska. He is a recipient of the T32 Regenerative Engineering of Musculoskeletal Tissues fellowship to generate solutions to alleviate human disease and musculoskeletal injuries by means of tissue engineering. His research focuses on creating translational technologies and techniques for regenerating skeletal muscle and other soft tissues. He has developed novel scaffolds for the treatment of skeletal muscle injuries using nanoparticles to control the biological and mechanical environment of the wound. He has also engineered a handheld device for the in vivo delivery of biomimetic scaffolds to leverage the power of the human body as a bioreactor and streamline regulatory hurdles. He works under the guidance of Dr. Ali Tamayol in his Laboratory for Innovative Microtechnologies & Biomechanics (LIMB). Jacob has participated in several entrepreneurial activities and incubator programs at both the University of Nebraska and the University of Connecticut. He has been awarded over $21,000 in prizes and awards from these programs and pitch competitions. He is active in developing a portfolio of intellectual property in the form of patents from his research in the hopes of generating commercially viable medical solutions and treatment modalities that will be utilized in improving real patient care.

Rachel Marchini

Rachel Marchini is a PhD student in chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Connecticut.  She joined the Connecticut Convergence Institute of Translation in Regenerative Engineering in 2021 after completing her BS in chemical engineering at the Storrs campus. Her research focuses on the regeneration of articular cartilage in treating osteoarthritis and to continue into osteochondral defects with a focus on the regeneration of the bone/cartilage interface. Her work aims to expand the concept behind the synthetic artificial stem cell (SASC) and develop it for use in additional disease models.

Heather Wanczyk

Heather Wanczyk is a PhD student in Biomedical Science at the University of Connecticut Health Center- Department of Cell Biology. She has extensive training and experience in developing regenerative therapies to treat congenital defects of the lung, trachea and esophagus. She has a Bachelors degree in Animal Science as well as a Masters degree in Immunology from the University of Connecticut. Her research focuses on using advanced 3D bioprinting technology in combination with stem cells to develop pediatric-sized airways that will help reduce transplant shortages in individuals suffering from chronic respiratory diseases. She is also interested in developing novel biomaterials to repair congenital defects of the esophagus and trachea. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in regenerative engineering where she can harness her skills and experience to develop improved therapies and treatments for diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system.

Andreia Cadar

Andreia Cadar is a PhD candidate in the UConn Center on Aging and Department of Immunology in the lab of Dr. Jenna Bartley. Andreia’s research focuses on developing translationally relevant interventions to improve regenerative capacity of aged muscle after an insult. Her work in the lab focuses on unveiling mechanism related to flu-associated muscle degradation and atrophy using an aged mouse model. Currently, her experiments are focused specifically on characterizing immune cell populations that contribute to muscle degradation and prolonged inflammation in response to flu infection. She also works on a multi-site clinical trial, Starting a Testosterone and Exercise Program after Hip Injury (Step-HI, NCT02938923), to gain clinical perspective on the challenges older adults face in regaining function following a traumatic fall. Overall, her multifaceted research focuses on novel treatments to improve muscle regeneration in older adults and allow them to maintain their independence following any stressor that causes disability, such as flu, falls, or other age-related conditions.

Keaven Caro

Keaven Caro, is an M.D./Ph.D. student in the Martinelli lab in the neuroscience department at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He was awarded a T32 Institutional Training Grant in Regenerative Engineering of Musculoskeletal Tissues (NIAMS, AR079114). Keaven is investigating C1QL proteins and their receptor, ADGRB3, which are implicated in synapse formation/maintenance, and myoblast adhesion and fusion during muscle development. Keaven aims to test the hypothesis that these proteins function in a cell-cell adhesion complex by resolving their subcellular localization and testing their function at synapses using molecular genetics. He is also investigating how proteolytic regulators modulate these cell adhesion molecules to promote or inhibit cell-cell adhesion critical for synapse and muscle development, in hopes that these modulators will provide novel targets for future therapeutic interventions across multiple fields.