Current Members
Faculty
Joel Collier
Theodore Kennedy Professor of Biomedical Engineering
joel.collier@duke.edu
Research Interests: The design of biomaterials for a range of biomedical applications, with a focus on understanding and controlling adaptive immune responses. Most materials investigated are created from molecular assemblies- proteins, peptides or bioconjugates that self-organize into useful structures such as nanofibers, gels, and particles.
PhD Students
Lauren Babb
BME Doctoral Student
lauren.babb@duke.edu
Research Interests: Designing active immunotherapies for the prevention of infectious diseases. Engineering peptide nanofiber platforms for oral delivery.
Pablo Cordero-Alvarado
BME Doctoral Candidate
p.cordero@duke.edu
Research Interests: Understand the design rules of biomaterials to elicit immune responses that can control and improve wound healing in animal models that mimic biological processes in humans.
Benjamin Cossette
BME Doctoral Candidate
benjamin.cossette@duke.edu
Research Interests: Engineering self-assembling peptide vaccines for the treatment of allergy and autoimmune diseases
Helena Freire Haddad
BME Doctoral Candidate
helena.freire.haddad@duke.edu
Research Interests: Engineering mucus-penetrating materials for mucosal vaccine delivery Active immunotherapies to mitigate inflammatory diseases
Maria Kulapurathazhe
BME Doctoral Student
mjk84@duke.edu
Research Interests: Drug delivery, peptide platform development, aging and inflammation
Kat Lazar
BME Doctoral Student
kat.lazar@duke.edu
Research Interests: Peptide synthesis and glatiramoids
Deleah Pettie
BME Doctoral Candidate
deleah.pettie@duke.edu
Research Interests: Engineering active immunotherapies that can promote mucosal healing. Enhance epitope prediction and design for peptide nanofiber active immunotherapies.
Alistaire Rauch
BME Doctoral Student
alistaire.rauch@duke.edu
Research Interests: Designing active immunotherapies for Alzheimer's Disease
Emily Roe
BME Doctoral Candidate
emily.roe@duke.edu
Research Interests: Sublingual delivery of peptide nanofibers to prevent sexually transmitted infections Conjugation of proteins to self-assembling peptide nanofibers
Shamitha Shetty
BME Doctoral Candidate
shamitha.shetty@duke.edu
Research Interests: Engineering active immunotherapies for anti-inflammatory applications. Leveraging material platforms to enhance wound healing.
Masters Students
Peiying Liu
BME Master Student
Research Interests: Characterizing peptide for autoimmune disease and reduce inflammation
Undergraduates
Mia Woodruff
Undergraduate Student
mia.woodruff@duke.edu
Research Interests: Engineering supramolecular peptide platforms for oral delivery and immune modulation within the gut.
Therapeutic Pet-tides
Zuzu Collier
Research Interests: Currently studying leporine psychology, secretly wishing it was leporine gastronomy.
Theo Cordero
Research Interests: Theo's interests range from finding hidden toys to following trails of little treats. In his free time, he enjoys going to dog parks and making new friends.
Appa Freire
Research Interests: Propagating sound waves in nocturnal conditions
Benny Roe
Research Interests: Bennys interests include studying the behavioral patterns of the eastern gray squirrel and the optimal disassembly of stuffed animals. In his free time he enjoys napping and hiking with his mom.