People


Graduate Students


Folly Patterson

  • 5th year Biomedical Engineering PhD student
  • BS in Biological Engineering from Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS)
  • MS in Biomedical Engineering from Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS)
  • Expected graduation: August 2021

Folly is investigating pain and inflammation from whole-body vibration in an animal model. She has previously worked on using machine learning methods to understand how experimental conditions affect in vitro brain biomechanics.


Weitong Chen

  • 4th year Biomedical Engineering PhD student
  • BS from Tianjin Agricultural University (Tianjin, China)
  • MS from University of Newcastle (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)

Weitong is working to produce additively manufactured biodegradable scaffolds using polymers and ceramic materials for bone tissue regeneration. He has worked to optimize the design, surface treatment, and material composition to create the best possible scaffold that will enhance bone healing.


Luke Tucker

  • 1st year Biomedical Enigneering MS student
  • BS in Biological Engineering from Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS)

Luke is investigating novel treatment methods for osteomyelitis.


Undergraduate Students


Luke Nichols

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2021

Luke conducts cell culture studies on various materials to determine the most biocompatible material based on cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. He has used both polymer and metals with chemical and physical surface modifications throughout his various projects.


Landon Teer

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Minor: Spanish
  • Expected graduation: April 2021

Landon previously worked on an electrospinning project which involved using a high voltage source to change a polymer’s structure to a more fibrous film. He now works assisting Weitong on a 3D composite scaffold printing project and has recently focused on comparing varying nanohydroxyapatite morphologies. Additionally, he has worked on a collaborative project with a veterinarian to assess the use of steel plates in a CORA based leveling osteotomy technique.


Adrain Andrews

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2022

Adrain is currently working to evaluate the usability of magnesium and its alloys for orthopedic implants.


Cody Gressett

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2022

Cody is currently working on a method for determining the impact energy of a spinal implant system.



Kailey Clinton

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Minor: Spanish and Mathematics
  • Expected graduation: May 2022

Kailey is working on creating an additively manufactured biodegradable bone scaffold that will be used for large bone defects.


Kamryn Clymer

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2022

Kamryn is working with Weitong, Luke, and Sophie to conduct cell culture studies for various applications.


Malley Gautreaux

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2022

Malley works with Xavier and Luke to test chitosan hydrogel-infused PCL scaffolds loaded with antibiotics for the treatment of osteomyelitis.



Zach Hooper

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2022

Zach is working alongside Cody in the MSU-Medtronic Use Conditions Program to develop a method for determining the impact energy of a spinal implant system.


Sophie Jones

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2023

Sophie is currently working with Adrain to evaluate the usability of magnesium and its alloys for orthopedic implants. She is also working with Kamryn Clymer to conduct cell culture studies.


Xavier Person

  • Major: Biomedical Engineering
  • Expected graduation: May 2023

Xavier works with Luke and Malley, testing 3-D printed PCL scaffolds infused with chitosan hydrogel and antibiotics to treat osteomyelitis bone infections.


Alumni


Graduate Students

Kali Sebastian, MS, Biomedical Engineering, 2020. Current: Clinical Engineer, Nebraska Medicine

Leah Horstemeyer Cobb, MS, Biomedical Engineering, 2019. Current: MD student, Medical Unviersity of South Carolina


Undergraduate Students

Christine S. Grant, BS, Biological Engineering, 2020.

Drew Moran, Expected graduation: May 2022

Garrett Reeves, Expected graduation: May 2021

Mary Catherine Beard, BS, Biomedical Engineering, 2020. Current: DVM student, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine

Matthew Register, BS, Biological Engineering, 2020. Current: MS student, Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University

Anna Rourke, BS, Biological Engineering, 2020. Current: PhD student, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University

Ryan Yingling, BS, Biomedical Engineering, 2020. Current: Leadership trainee, Octapharma Plasma, and MS student, Northeastern University

Kristen Lacy, BS, Biomedical Engineering, 2019. Current: MS student, Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University

Emily McCabe, BS, Biological Engineering, 2019. Current: MS student, Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University

Heather White, BS, Biological Engineering, 2019. Current: PhD student, Mechanical Engineering Northwestern University

Sarah Heller, BS, Biological Engineering, 2018. Current: Biomedical Engineering Technican, GE Healthcare

Kylie Klinkhammer, BS, Biological Engineering, 2018.

Sammi Jo Stegall, BS, Biological Engineering, 2017.


Visiting Students

Kylie Roux (2020), Primary Institution: MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Summer Research Experience

Jaden Bennett (2019) Primary Institution: East Mississippi Community College, NIH R25 Summer Research Experience

Vicky Scites Renner (2019), Primary Institution: MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Summer Research Experience

Bethany Foust (2018), Primary Institution: MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Summer Research Experience

Liam McDougal (2018-2019), Primary Institution: Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, MSMS Research Program

Jay Bryson (2017,2018), Primary Institution: Rust College, NSF REU, NIH INBRE Scholar

Hannah Nichols (2017), Primary Institution: Louisiana Tech University, NSF REU