I was born and raised about an hour northeast of UofM in Troy, Michigan. I loved reading about science and geography as a kid. Later in high school, my main academic interests narrowed to molecular biology and physiology, as I, then and now, find it astounding how natural selection and evolution alone have created the complex machines that we call living organisms.
During my third year of high school, I started my journey in research using machine learning to determine the immune cell subpopulation most correlated with heart transplant rejection. During and after the pandemic, I continued to pursue biology-focused research using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to determine the effect of glycosylation (covalent attachement of sugars) on prion protein structure. Both projects taught me that computational modeling can reveal many insights about biology/medicine where other modalities might fail to do so.
The summer after my freshman year of college, I shadowed cardiac surgeons and developed a newfound love for the specialty. Seeking research that applies computational methods to cardiac surgery, I joined the Cardio Biomechanics lab, and I’ve been working here since.
Now, I’m in my third year of undergrad, working towards getting a BS in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, with a minor in Computer Science.
Outside of lab, you can find me working out at the IM, looking for brunch and coffee spots in Ann Arbor, and listening to the newest Zach Bryan album. You can also find my personal website here.
Research Interests
I’m interested in studying how we can use computational modeling to understand the effects of surgical interventions on the heart. So far, I’ve been modelling cardiac hemodynamics following aortic procedures, including aortic root enlargement (ARE) and valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAV-in-TAV).