Current Trainees
2024–2026 Cohort
Emily Bence
B.S. Systems Biology, Case Western Reserve University
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
Mentor: Enrico Opri, PhD
Research Interest: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s Disease, focusing on local evoked potentials in DBS motor targets to develop methods of functional mapping under general anesthesia
Email: [email protected]
Chinwendu Nwokeabia
B.A. Mathematics, Notre Dame of Maryland University
M.S. Robotics, University of Michigan
PhD Candidate, Robotics, University of Michigan
Mentor: Deanna Gates, PhD
Research Interest: Neuromodulation for sensory restoration in individuals with upper limb loss, focusing on the role of artificial sensation in improving upper limb prosthetic control
Email: [email protected]
2023–2025 Cohort
Chandni Rana
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida
PhD Candidate, Neuroscience, University of Michigan
Mentor: Joanna Mattis, MD PhD
Research Interest: Subcortical Circuits in epilepsy, neuromodulation, electrophysiology, calcium imaging
Email: [email protected]
Luis Ruiz
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
Mentor: Scott Lempka, PhD
Research Interest: Neuromodulation as a treatment for pain, focusing on computational modeling of dorsal root ganglion stimulation (drgs) to clarify mechanisms and improve efficacy
Email: [email protected]
Past Trainees
2022–2024 Cohort
Pho Hale
B.S. Computer Engineering, University of Kansas
PhD Candidate, Neuroscience, University of Michigan
Mentor: Dr. Kamran Diba
Research Interest: I’m interested in understanding how neuronal spike patterns in the hippocampus allow the brain to encode, represent, and manipulate processes known to be essential to forming and maintaining memories.
Email: [email protected]
Julianna Richie
B.S. Physics, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
Mentor: Cindy Chestek, PhD
Research Interest: Nerve biophysics modeling, carbon fiber electrode optimization, neural array and medical device development
Email: [email protected]
2021–2023 Cohort
Elizabeth Bottorff
B.S. Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
Mentor: Dr. Timothy Bruns.
Research Interest: Neuromodulation as a potential treatment for female sexual dysfunction (FSD), focusing on targeted neuromodulation of the peripheral nervous system.
Email: [email protected]
Kathleen Kish
B.S. Engineering (Biomechanical concentration, Hope College
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan
Mentor: James Weiland, PhD
Research Interest: Neuromodulation for sensory restoration, focusing on creating biological computational models of retinal stimulation to optimize retinal stimulation strategies.
Email: [email protected]