SURF Mentoring

Potential projects/topics: Microfabrication of platforms for co‑culture of retinal cell populations using clean‑room methods and 3D printing.
Stem cell differentiation protocol development for generating brainstem‑related neuronal populations through basic cell culture work.
Microfluidic device development for high‑throughput screening and cellular therapy delivery, incorporating CFD and computational modeling.

Potential skills gained: Students gain basic clean‑room skills, soft‑lithography and 3D‑printing experience, and practice with microscale device fabrication or Students learn aseptic technique, routine stem cell culture, microscopy for assessing cell health, and fundamentals of differentiation workflows or Students develop microfluidic design and prototyping skills, learn introductory CFD and computational modeling, and practice organizing and analyzing experimental data.

Required qualifications:

• Required skills: Students do not need specific majors or prior research experience, but a basic engineering or quantitative background is helpful. Familiarity with introductory computational tools (MATLAB, Python, or COMSOL) or basic CAD modeling is beneficial but not required; students with curiosity and a willingness to learn can succeed in these projects.

Direct mentor: Graduate Student