PI
Kara Spiller, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems
Drexel University
Dr. Kara Spiller is an Associate Professor in Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems. A member of the first class of Drexel's accelerated BS/PhD program, Dr. Spiller received bachelor's and master's degrees in biomedical engineering from Drexel University in 2007. As an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, she conducted her doctoral research in the design of semi-degradable hydrogels for the repair of articular cartilage in the Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Laboratory at Drexel (PI: A. Lowman) and in the Shanghai Key Tissue Engineering Laboratory of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (PI: W. Liu). After completing her PhD in 2010, she conducted research in the design of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering on a Fulbright fellowship in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables, and Biomimetics (the 3Bs) Research Group at the University of Minho in Guimaraes, Portugal (PI: R.L Reis). She then conducted postdoctoral studies towards the development of immunomodulatory biomaterials for bone regeneration in the Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering at Columbia University (PI: G. Vunjak-Novakovic), before returning to Drexel in 2013. Her research interests include cell-biomaterial interactions, the design of immunomodulatory biomaterials, and international engineering education.
Kara Spiller, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems
Drexel University
Dr. Kara Spiller is an Associate Professor in Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems. A member of the first class of Drexel's accelerated BS/PhD program, Dr. Spiller received bachelor's and master's degrees in biomedical engineering from Drexel University in 2007. As an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, she conducted her doctoral research in the design of semi-degradable hydrogels for the repair of articular cartilage in the Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Laboratory at Drexel (PI: A. Lowman) and in the Shanghai Key Tissue Engineering Laboratory of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (PI: W. Liu). After completing her PhD in 2010, she conducted research in the design of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering on a Fulbright fellowship in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables, and Biomimetics (the 3Bs) Research Group at the University of Minho in Guimaraes, Portugal (PI: R.L Reis). She then conducted postdoctoral studies towards the development of immunomodulatory biomaterials for bone regeneration in the Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering at Columbia University (PI: G. Vunjak-Novakovic), before returning to Drexel in 2013. Her research interests include cell-biomaterial interactions, the design of immunomodulatory biomaterials, and international engineering education.
Gregory Risser
PhD Candidate
Greg graduated from Penn State with a bachelor's degree in Engineering Science and a minor in nanotechnology. During his senior thesis work with a novel bio-based polyelectrolyte material, testing its physical and biological properties, he became interested in biomedical engineering. Desiring to delve deeper into the relationship between cells and materials, he enrolled at Drexel and joined the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Lab. Greg currently researches promoting and maintaining a pro-healing immune response. He specifically focuses on encouraging and strengthening new blood vessel growth in ischemic areas in the body caused by peripheral arterial disease. When not in lab, Greg enjoys running, brewing beer, and cooking new dishes.
PhD Candidate
Greg graduated from Penn State with a bachelor's degree in Engineering Science and a minor in nanotechnology. During his senior thesis work with a novel bio-based polyelectrolyte material, testing its physical and biological properties, he became interested in biomedical engineering. Desiring to delve deeper into the relationship between cells and materials, he enrolled at Drexel and joined the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Lab. Greg currently researches promoting and maintaining a pro-healing immune response. He specifically focuses on encouraging and strengthening new blood vessel growth in ischemic areas in the body caused by peripheral arterial disease. When not in lab, Greg enjoys running, brewing beer, and cooking new dishes.
Erin O'Brien
PhD Candidate
While completing her undergraduate degree, Erin interned at GlaxoSmithKline, conducting pharmacokinetic studies of pre-clinical respiratory drugs. After receiving her BS/MS degree from Drexel in 2015, she spent two years at the Wistar Institute researching tumor immunotherapies. She returned to Drexel in 2017 to begin her thesis research, which is focused on designing an immunomodulatory biomaterial to promote vascularization. Erin hopes to continue researching immune-targeted medicine in her future career. In her free time, she enjoys fitness, solving and constructing crossword puzzles, and attending live music shows around Philadelphia.
PhD Candidate
While completing her undergraduate degree, Erin interned at GlaxoSmithKline, conducting pharmacokinetic studies of pre-clinical respiratory drugs. After receiving her BS/MS degree from Drexel in 2015, she spent two years at the Wistar Institute researching tumor immunotherapies. She returned to Drexel in 2017 to begin her thesis research, which is focused on designing an immunomodulatory biomaterial to promote vascularization. Erin hopes to continue researching immune-targeted medicine in her future career. In her free time, she enjoys fitness, solving and constructing crossword puzzles, and attending live music shows around Philadelphia.
Jessica Eager
PhD Candidate
Jessica Eager grew up near Asbury Park, New Jersey. She earned a BS in microbiology and immunology from the University of Miami in 2014 and an MS in bioinformatics from Drexel University in 2017. She remained at Drexel and is pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering with a focus in bioinformatics. Her research focuses on developing methods to infer and quantify the role of immune cells in tissue repair and regeneration. Ultimately, she hopes to create a diagnostic tool to predict responsiveness to treatments in the context of chronic wounds. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.
PhD Candidate
Jessica Eager grew up near Asbury Park, New Jersey. She earned a BS in microbiology and immunology from the University of Miami in 2014 and an MS in bioinformatics from Drexel University in 2017. She remained at Drexel and is pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering with a focus in bioinformatics. Her research focuses on developing methods to infer and quantify the role of immune cells in tissue repair and regeneration. Ultimately, she hopes to create a diagnostic tool to predict responsiveness to treatments in the context of chronic wounds. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.
Victoria Nash
PhD Student
After completing her B.S. in Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering Devices at Tufts University, Victoria worked for Moderna Therapeutics, a company specializing in novel mRNA therapeutics in Cambridge, MA. She returned to academia for a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University. During her master’s coursework, Victoria partook in a co-op at Spark Therapeutics, the first company to have an FDA approved gene therapy drug. She joined the Spiller lab when her co-op ended, and very quickly discovered she enjoyed research. She decided to stay on after completing her master’s to pursue her PhD in Biomedical Engineering. Her research focuses on leveraging a novel drug delivery system to modulate macrophage behavior to aid in wound repair. In her spare time, Victoria enjoys traveling, reading fantasy/sci-fi novels, yoga, and trying tasty food.
PhD Student
After completing her B.S. in Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering Devices at Tufts University, Victoria worked for Moderna Therapeutics, a company specializing in novel mRNA therapeutics in Cambridge, MA. She returned to academia for a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University. During her master’s coursework, Victoria partook in a co-op at Spark Therapeutics, the first company to have an FDA approved gene therapy drug. She joined the Spiller lab when her co-op ended, and very quickly discovered she enjoyed research. She decided to stay on after completing her master’s to pursue her PhD in Biomedical Engineering. Her research focuses on leveraging a novel drug delivery system to modulate macrophage behavior to aid in wound repair. In her spare time, Victoria enjoys traveling, reading fantasy/sci-fi novels, yoga, and trying tasty food.
Bhavani Singh
BS/MS Student
Bhavani Singh is a BS/MS student at Drexel University studying Biomedical Engineering. He is interested in Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials and is currently working on a project that would characterize the different macrophage phenotypes interacting with nanoparticles. In the future, Bhavani would like to design nanoparticles for drug delivery. In his free time, Bhavani loves to cook fusion food, play squash and tennis, and try new restaurants.
BS/MS Student
Bhavani Singh is a BS/MS student at Drexel University studying Biomedical Engineering. He is interested in Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials and is currently working on a project that would characterize the different macrophage phenotypes interacting with nanoparticles. In the future, Bhavani would like to design nanoparticles for drug delivery. In his free time, Bhavani loves to cook fusion food, play squash and tennis, and try new restaurants.
LAb alumni
Sarah Blatt, MS
Claire Witherel, PhD
Emily Lurier, PhD
Kathryn Wofford, PhD
Alicia Clark, MS
Pamela Graney, PhD
Amanda Pentecost, PhD
Carly Deusenbery, BS
Kieran O'Donnell, MS
Anamika Bajpai, PhD
Valerie Tutwiler, PhD
Nathan Tessema Ersumo, MS
Nicole Ferraro, MS
Donald Dalton, BS
Reham Garash, MS
Brandon Marcinkiewicz, MS
Tony Yu, MS
Chau Dang, BS
Sina Nassiri, MS
Claire Witherel, PhD
Emily Lurier, PhD
Kathryn Wofford, PhD
Alicia Clark, MS
Pamela Graney, PhD
Amanda Pentecost, PhD
Carly Deusenbery, BS
Kieran O'Donnell, MS
Anamika Bajpai, PhD
Valerie Tutwiler, PhD
Nathan Tessema Ersumo, MS
Nicole Ferraro, MS
Donald Dalton, BS
Reham Garash, MS
Brandon Marcinkiewicz, MS
Tony Yu, MS
Chau Dang, BS
Sina Nassiri, MS
