Emily is a PhD Student in the Bioengineering department at the University of Pennsylvania. Inspired by the intersections between engineering and design, her research focuses on merging 3D bioprinting techniques with magnetoactive hydrogels to fabricate programmable tissue architectures. In developing hydrogel platforms that recapitulate the native curvatures of human tissues, she hopes to elucidate how tissue geometry mechanically regulates remodeling and inflammatory responses, particularly in the lungs and endometrium. Emily’s prior research explored a range of interdisciplinary projects, including synthesizing hydrogels to enhance cement-hydrogel integration, modeling light propagation through gastrointestinal tissues to inform the design of optogenetic implants, and developing computational, biophysical models linking stress granule aging and morphology to neurodegenerative disease mechanisms. Outside the lab, Emily enjoys updating her Beli, making Spotify playlists, exploring her sense of style, and collecting Smiskis.