Group

Are you an undergraduate at the University of Michigan interested in working as a mentee in the ECM lab? Please read through and submit the following interest form to apply to be paired with one of our wonderful graduate students! No experience required. 

ECM Lab Mentee Interest Form

Primary Investigator

Dr. Geeta Mehta

Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Rogel Cancer Center, Precision Health

Office: 3044W Building 28, North Campus Research Complex

Email: mehtagee@umich.edu

Phone: (734) 763-3957

B.E. Honors: Chemical Engineering, Panjab University (2001)

M.S.: Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Michigan State University (2004)

Ph.D: Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (2008)

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2008 - 2010)

Assistant Research Scientist: Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (2010 - 2013)

Assistant Professor: Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Rogel Cancer Center, Center for Organogenesis (2013-2020)

Professor Mehta uses biomaterials and microtechnology as tools to create engineered cellular microenvironments in order to study biological problems in the areas of gynecologic malignancies: ovarian cancers and breast cancers. Her research strengths are in the areas of cancer microenvironments, stem cell engineering, tissue regeneration, microfluidics, biomechanics, biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. With joint appointments in MSE and BME, she leverages these strengths to develop strong Interdisciplinary teams, which work creating significant contributions in the fields of cancer bioengineering, mechanobiology, stem cell engineering, heterogeneous tumor microenvironments, as well as, drug development and delivery. Her research group emphasizes both fundamental as well as applied research, and involves extensive multidisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborations within UMich and all over the world.

Research Associates

  Yeye Zhang

    yeyetoo@umich.edu

Yeye is currently working on overcoming PARP inhibitor-resistant HGSC (high-grade serous carcinoma) spheroids with a combination treatment and examining the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in HGSC spheroids via the use of a 3D hanging drop plate.  

PhD Students

Eric Horst

Biomedical Engineering

horster@umich.edu

Taylor Repetto

Materials Science and Engineering

trepetto@umich.edu

Katie Burkhard

Biomedical Engineering

kmburk@umich.edu

Raneem Ahmad

Chemical Engineering

araneem@umich.edu

Raneem is interested in studying the role of the fluid mechanics and ECM of the fallopian tube in carcinogenesis of ovarian cancer. 

Nina Treacher

Biomedical Engineering

ntreach@umich.edu

Isha Bhorkar

Biomedical Engineering

ibhorkar@umich.edu

Zoe Meyer

Materials Science and Engineering

zoemeyer@umich.edu

Salma Abdelgawad

Materials Science and Engineering

abdels@umich.edu 

Masters Students

Vatsala Singh

Biomedical Engineering

ddavats@umich.edu 

Zequan Lin

Biomedical Engineering

zequan@umich.edu

Harshita Balamurugan

Biomedical Engineering

hbalamur@umich.edu 

Abbas Ajami

Biomedical Engineering

akajami@umich.edu

Undergraduate Students

Mihika Rayan, BME

Tara Ahmed, BME

Breanna Gallegos , BME

Isabelle Hopf, MSE

Sila Duzgun, CHE



Mason Teachman , BME

Arunima (Runi) Paul, BME



Dalia Flores, CHE



Huiyi Lin, BME



Rhea Nair, BME



Group Alumni

Post-Doc & Lab Staff Alumni

Shreya Raghavan, Ph.D Post-Doctoral Researcher https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreya-raghavan-165b9063/ 

Binita Shrestha, Ph.D Post-Doctoral Researcher https://www.linkedin.com/in/binita-shrestha-8049941b/ 

Kathleen Ignatoski, Ph.D Research Lab Specialist Intermediate https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenwoodsignatoski/ 

Brittany Gnewknowski Lab Technician

Pooja Mehta Research Staff

Masters Alumni

Kristina Chu         M.S. Biomedial Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/chkris/


Katarina Klusman M.S. Biomedical Engineering


Nicholas Cobane         M.S. Biomedial Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickcobane/


Radha Arghal M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/radha-arghal/


Pratik Holla M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratik-holla/


Nathan Tinetti M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-tinetti-118b32b8/


Elyse Fleck M.S. & B.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/elyse-fleck-928728b4/


Zainab Harissa M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-harissa-41439aa7/


Bashar Salah M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/basharsalah/


Maria Ward Rashidi M.S. Materials Science and Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-ward-rashidi/


Cameron Taylor M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-taylor-448b5a130/


Hina Aftab Khan M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/hina-aftab-khan-193b18161/


Sweta Sahoo M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/swetaswastika24/


Alison Garrett M.S. Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-g-095950129/


Zoe Gao M.S. Macromolecular Science & Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-gao-15b32b149/


Elena Moore M.S. Materials Science and Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-moore/


Siddharth Borsadia M.S. Materials Science and Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharth-borsadia-63237077/

Ph.D Alumni


Sarah Snyder, Ph.D Materials Science and Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-a-snyder-phd/


Caymen Novak, Ph.D Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/caymennovak/


Catherine Synder, Ph.D Materials Science and Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/cssnyder28mse/


Michael Bregenzer, Ph.D Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bregenzer-18188b94/


Ciara Davis, Ph.D Biomedical Engineering https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciara-davis-phd-4a0a58259/