Graduate Research Opportunities

Fall 2025 Graduate Openings

Medical Imaging and Bioinformatics

  • Kevin Haworth, hawortkn@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus: develop image-guided focused ultrasound therapies for the treatment of chronic deep vein thrombosis. 
  • Tom Talavage, talavatm@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus: develop machine learning and/or explainable AI (ML/XAI) approaches to predict patient satisfaction for various orthopaedic procedures.                                                   

Medical Devices

  • Leyla Esfandiari, esfandla@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus 1: developing a rapid, label-free Lab-on-a-Chip device for the purification and characterization of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from biofluids for liquid biopsy. 
    • Project Focus 2: understanding the complex interactions between biomechanical and bioelectrical cues within the cancer tumor microenvironment.   
  • Jason Heikenfeld, heikenjc@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus: create real time continuous monitoring devices for tracking metabolites associated with chronic diseases 

Regenerative Medicine and Biomechanics

  • Lashan Hendrix, hendric5@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus: examine the role of phosphate in vascular smooth muscle cell calcification and the potential of protein therapy to reduce calcification.
  • Olga Liaudanskaya, liaudava@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus 1: understanding three critical pathological alterations that occur immediately after TBI mitochondrial dysfunction, axonal structure and functional deficits, and inflammatory changes. 
    • Project Focus 2: evaluating the changes in brain metabolism and epigenetics that occur on repetitive injury. 
    • Project Focus 3: analyze injury-induced cell-specific dysregulation in mitochondria bioenergetic and metabolic functions and their role in the onset of acute neuroinflammation and neuronal damage. 
  • John Martin, marti7j3@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus 1: develop new 3D-printable biomaterials that are specifically activated by cell-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). 
    • Project Focus 2: develop drug coatings that can prevent overactive cells from destroying autologous bone grafts. 
  • Liran Oren, orenl@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus: develop a system that circumvents the need for a tight-fitting interface, offering more flexibility and comfort for pressurizing the upper airways. 
  • Stacey Schutte, schuttsy@ucmail.uc.edu
    • Project Focus: understanding the role of mechanical loading on the development and maturation of uterine fibroids and leiomyosarcomas.