Dr. R. Lyle Hood is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UTSA. He received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Houston, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Tech. He conducted his postdoctoral work at Houston Methodist Research Institute. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Department of Defense, and National Science Foundation, among others. His work has focused on medical device development, resulting in over a dozen peer-reviewed articles on the topic from journals including Nanoscale, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, and the Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology. He has also had the privilege of mentoring several talented graduate and undergraduate students. His expertise includes controlled drug delivery systems, medical fiberoptics, and BioMEMS/NEMS technologies.

Alejandro Medina is an undergraduate student at UTSA pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Within the laboratory he has taken part in developing the Battlefield Ready Innovative Suction with his team. In the project he was responsible for the 3D modeling of the upper enclosure that contained the electronics package, assisted in the mechanical design of the proprietary components along with the testing/characterization of the device, he also developed the engineering drawings for all parts of the device along with its respective bill of materials. While with the team he published two abstracts as a primary author, gave a poster presentation, and a podium presentation showcasing the device; he was also a co-author in 2 other abstracts written by other members in the team. While at UTSA he has been the Treasurer for Advanced Robotics, Vice President of RSO Relations in the Engineering Student Council, President of the Sigma Chi Mu Iota Chapter, and took part in the College of Engineering Leadership Academy. Outside of his research involvement and academic development he has had a variety of professional positions in various engineering industries. He was a Mechanical Engineering Intern at BHE & Associates which is an aeronautical engineering firm that focuses on the upgrading of aircraft equipment. He was a CAD Drafter for SaniSafe products, a company with a focus in plastics & metal sheet product manufacturing. He is currently a Construction Engineer II at Freedom Forever a solar design company, in which he currently drafts up plans that include electrical diagrams, structural installation, and overall city/state compliant documentation for the installation of photovoltaic systems on homes.

Sophia Cavanaugh is a dedicated undergraduate student pursuing a Biomedical Engineering degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Proficient in software like AutoCAD Inventor and SolidWorks, she contributes as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Medical Device Innovations Laboratory, focusing on the development of a Novel Endotracheal Tube System. Sophia’s skills include 3D design, printing, and comprehensive research. Active in engineering competitions and collaborative events, she is a founding officer of Quality of Life Plus and a member of various professional societies. Beyond academics, Sophia engages in community service with organizations like the ASPCA Humane Society.

Aamod is currently pursuing an MSME at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, he completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at the Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bangalore, India. During his undergraduate studies, Aamod focused on design and research, specifically enhancing cross-flow heat exchangers using nanofluids.

With his passion for design, testing, and manufacturing, Aamod is currently a Graduate Research Assistant in the Medical Design Innovations Lab. He leads the team responsible for developing the battlefield-ready portable suction device (BRISK). He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). In his free time, Aamod enjoys running, playing chess, and soccer.

In October 2009, Forhad received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Tech (BUET), Bangladesh. He worked for Unilever as a Process Engineer until joining UTSA as a Ph.D. student in August 2016. His current research interests include photothermal therapies, minimally-invasive drug delivery implants, and emergency intervention devices. He worked as a project lead on the Emergency Suction Device Team and contributes on the Multistage Polymer Team. Currently, he is leading the Fiberoptic Microneedle Device (FMD) team.

Corinne Nawn is a Biomedical Engineering graduate research fellow at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research in Fort Sam Houston, TX, supported through the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education. She received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the joint Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. program at the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her previous experience has focused in biosensors and bioinstrumentation, with particular experience in large animal models and military medical research. Presently, Cori’s present work for both the Army and her dissertation focuses on developing a practical prehospital airway management solution for minimally skilled providers and she is the project lead for Intubation Team.

Priya Jain is working on her Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering in a joint program between UTSA and UTHSCSA. She is currently leading the Multistage Polymer Device team in fabricating a biodegradable, polymer implant for localized drug delivery. She also contributed on the Suction Device project and the Digital Extenders project. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and then worked at Houston Methodist Research Institute for 2.5 years as a Research Assistant. While she was there, she helped collect and analyze data for an R01 on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis that ended up receiving close to $4 million in funding. Her research interests include developing new and innovative platforms and devices for drug delivery in nanomedicine, biomaterials, and cell culture. Currently, Priya is project lead for the Multistage Polymer Device team and contributes on the Suction Device Team. In her free time, Priya is learning how to play the guitar and enjoys painting and baking.

Sorush Ranjbar is an Electrical Engineering master’s student at UTSA who leverages his Biotechnology background to approach engineering from a different perspective. Sorush obtained his B.Sc. in Biochemistry at UTSA and went on to work in Silicon Valley as a junior scientist at a startup company called Koniku. There, Sorush was surrounded by engineers and scientists and absorbed valuable information about startup companies, biotech research, designing and delivering devices. He quickly became fascinated by the broad field of electrical engineering and the possibilities for applications in Biotechnology. Sorush has a solid background in bioengineering, technology development, and he loves working with teams to realize tangible results. He is excited to further develop his engineering skill set as a team lead in the Bladder Vision project. Sorush also runs and produces music for a local musical act called “Granite Hands” that has made rounds in music blogs, spotify playlists, and live concerts. Sorush is a huge fan of working on motorcycles, doing math, building guitar stomp boxes and creating things that have not existed in the present past.

Daniel Portillo is a Ph.D. student focused on optimizing thermal and fluid systems within medical devices. Currently, his research is primarily focused on designing a tissue preservation device.

David Berard is a Mechanical Engineering graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. After graduating high school in 2006 he entered the workforce and has gained experience working in both service and manufacturing industries. His roles have included team leadership, supervising, training, sales, as well as direct customer complaint resolution. Since reentering academia full time in the spring of 2015 he has completed two associate’s degrees, graduated Summa Cum Laude with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in the spring of 2018, and is currently in pursuit of a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree. He has made contributions to various projects in the lab including the Suction Device project and is currently leading the Novel Endotracheal Tube System project. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with family, writing music, and reading.

Isaac Trevino is a Electrical Engineering graduate student at the University of Texas San Antonio. He received is undergraduate degree at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2015 and transferred to UTSA in 2016 to begin his Masters. Isaac is currently the project lead for a new Sensor Design for Endotracheal tubes, He currently works along side David Berard, B.S. and Darnell Campbell, B.S. 

Santiago was born and raised in Medellín, Colombia. He received his B.S in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) back in the Fall of 2015. During his time as an undergrad, Santiago was interested in the development of medical devices as well as developing leadership skills, so he used medical devices to inspire class projects and became the student representative for the 2014-2015 period. During his last semester of undergrad, Santiago joined the Computational Bioengineering and Controls (CBC) lab at UTSA as an intern and worked under Dr. Yusheng Feng in the development of a computational model for pancreatic parenchyma, as well as the development of a computational model of gold nano-bipyramids aided by Dr. Kathryn Mayer. In the Fall of 2016, Santiago joined the Ph.D program in Mechanical Engineering and started working on the development of a computational model of plasmonic photothermal therapy, using gold nanoparticles and laser light to aid in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Santiago earned his M.S in the Fall of 2019 and joined Dr. Hood’s lab to work in the experimental validation and characterization of thermal and optical properties of pancreatic tissue. Outside of school, Santiago enjoys drawing, swimming, reading, and cooking.

Grant Copeland is Graduate Research Assistant in the Medical Device Innovations (MDI Lab) Lab run by Dr. Robert Hood in the Mechanical Engineering Department at UT San Antonio. Grant comes from DFW, Texas where he attended UT Arlington from 2013- 2017, competed in Cross Country and Track and Field all four years, and received his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. In Spring 2018, Grant started back at UT Arlington in Mechanical Engineering began working in the service industry. After taking undergraduate Mechanical Engineering courses Spring and Summer 2018, he started graduate school in Mechanical Engineering at UT Arlington in Fall 2018. At the same time, he began an internship at the UT Arlington Research Institute (UTARI) where he worked extensively with silicone and elastomers, mold design, and test engineering. Looking to find better opportunities for his desired career, Medical Device Industry, he applied to UT San Antonio. In Spring 2019, he was admitted and made contact with Dr. Hood. In August 2019, Grant became a Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Hood. The MDI Lab, Grant is project lead on the IV Patency and DHA 6.7: Supraglottic Airway Device projects. He plans to finish his graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at UTSA in Summer 2020.

Danielius “Danny” Zilevicius is a graduate student within the Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering (AMEE) program at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Originally, Danny is from Maryland and attended the University of Maryland – College Park (UMD) where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2018. After graduation, he began working with Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as a System Safety Engineer. Danny is currently a Graduate Research Assistant in the Medical Design Innovations Lab where he is the co-lead for the Supraglottic Airway Device project.

Carlos Bedolla was born and raised in Durango, Mexico and moved to San Antonio in 2012. Carlos graduated Cum Laude from UTSA with his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, with a concentration in Biomechanics and Biomaterials, in the spring of 2019. During his undergraduate studies Carlos worked with Dr. Gabriela Romero-Uribe in the Macromolecular Bio-Interfaces Lab. Carlos began his graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering the Fall of 2019 at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Currently, he is co-leading the Supraglottic Airway Device (SGA) project. Outside of engineering, he enjoys reading and drawing.

Monica Elbjorn is a current lead project of the Medical Design Innovations Laboratory (MDI Lab). She has been nominated as the Graduate Student Association (GSA) chair for Fall 2022.

Monica is an Advance Manufacture Enterprise Engineering senior graduate student at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). Currently, she’s pursuing a Thesis on Multi-Stage Polymer Drug Delivery System for Cervical Cancer. Her project includes a controlled release micro implant, which is manufactured using 3D CAD modeling, as well as an aluminum metal mold fabrication using different biomaterials such as polycaprolactone (PCL), poly lactic acid (PLA), and polyethylene (PE) polymers. She has experience using incubators to produce a controlled environment and taking samples by measuring the absorption of Rhodamine using a UV Spectrometer to analyze the sustained release rate per surface area.

Monica Elbjorn enjoys working in healthcare as a Quality Systems Engineer for Arjo, a Global Medical Device Company. In the future, Monica Elbjorn hopes to continue her passion for leading projects though by improving current medical devices through biotechnology.

Emmanuel Oluga is the current Graduate Student Association (GSA) Chair in the Medical Design Innovations Laboratory for Spring 2023. He is currently pursuing an M.S. in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the College of Engineering and Integrated Design at The University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from UTSA as well. His current M.S. is focused on Image Processing and signal processing for Data-Intensive Computer vision applications.

Emmanuel is very passionate about medical device design and has been a proud member of the MDI lab since 2021. In 2021, he designed the Electrical system for the BRISK airway clearance device project and contributed to the development of the Machine learning algorithms for the Bladder Vision 3D image reconstruction Project. In 2021, he began his M.S. Project on Computer vision-based Markerless Motion capture of human Biomechanics for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Lower Limb Musculoskeletal disorders.

Emmanuel is currently working toward completing his Project for which he won a 2022 National Science Foundations ICorps Funding award, and was recognized with the 2022 UTSA Annual Innovation Awards. His current project focuses on Image processing and builds on the knowledge from his 4+ years of experience in the Medical device design and healthcare fields. This began from his internship at Incube Labs where he tested/validated Implantable pulse generators for organ stimulation, after which he led the Cloud native and data-driven information technology division at Insight Mental Wellness. Ultimately, Emmanuel hopes to be a good role model of human excellence in the MDI Lab and beyond.

Joshua Gale is an undergraduate Biomedical Engineering student at UTSA currently entering his senior year. He is passionate about 3D-printing, biomaterials, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. For roughly 8 years Joshua managed a top chain jewelry store in Chicago, and Texas and he was awarded several awards for his management and selling skills. Meshing his leadership skills together with his passion for Biomedical Engineering Joshua now leads the Chronic Wound Bandage Project in which he is developing an integrated bandage for patient at-home use that not only focuses on tissue regeneration and maturation, but also promotes healing for diabetic foot lesions. Joshua also plays an integral role in the Multistage Polymer Project. This project focuses on developing a minimally invasive 3-D printed implantable device for long-term drug delivery. After graduating, it is his hope to pursue a PhD while researching artificial kidney design and implantation. In his free time, Joshua enjoys playing basketball and moding his Mustang.

David Di Rocco was working for Mercedes-Benz when he decided to go back to school and complete his degree and move from Florida to Texas. He is currently seeking his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering with a Certificate in Industrail and Manufacturing Engineering. In 2018, he interned with Acelity (now 3M) in the Validation and Verification Department where he worked on the Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Project contributing to the data collection for Food and Drug Administration Certifications. In 2019, he interned with InCube Labs in the Research and Development and Manufacturing Departments where he worked on two drug delivery projects, and one implantable device to control bladder functions for spinal injury patients. In 2022, he received the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design Undergraduate Research Internship where he worked with the Medical Designs Innovations Lab to manufacture and fabricate proof of concepts for the Mobile Organ Preservation System, The Intrathecal Drug Delviery System, and Multi Stage Polymer Drug Delivery System Projects. m 2022-2023, he interned with Indo-MIM where he worked on Process Development Engineering in the 3D Metal Additive Manufacturing Department, with a focus on was determining the shrink rate during the various heat treatment processes. In 2018, he participated in the Charter Class for the Quality of Life Plus Organization, where he collaborated on electromyography sensors for mechanized prosthetics. In 2019 and 2020, David was elected to a Senior Officer position for the Formula Society Automotive Engineering Race Team. David has picked up blacksmithing as a hobby, forging knives and axes for camping. He aspires to owning and operating Machine shop and Forge of his own.

Oumar Bah is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering. It is his goal to use the knowledge and experience he gains through his academic and professional careers to establish his own factory in West Africa. Oumar worked in the MDI lab as an intern through the CIMA-LSAMP program. He contributes to the Suction Device Team through helping to program the Arduino Controller for controlling the pump and light, as well as aiding with the CAD designs in SolidWorks.

Carlyn Abbott is an undergraduate student at UTSA pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering in addition to a Pre-Medicine track. She recently transferred from San Antonio College (under the Alamo Colleges) and while there she was President of the Mathematics Society and member of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. While pursuing her degree, she worked as a childcare provider, and Physician’s Scribe at Northeast Baptist Hospital. She also is spending the summer of 2017 shadowing under ENT Surgeon Dr. Patrick Brown. She is a member of the Intubation and ConDis teams.

Stephanie Andrieu is originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela and is currently in her senior year of Biomedical Engineering at UTSA. She is part of the Intubation team and is working on novel methods of mechanical securement of the airway. In the future, Stephanie hopes to expand her interest in medical device design and develop her design engineering skills.

Andrea Afanador is an undergraduate student at UTSA pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. She is actively involved with Airway Intubation project.

Marcus Haraway is an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at San Antonio, pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He is also the Secretary of both the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and the Texas Boomers Energy Organization. While pursuing his degree Marcus has worked many different part time jobs form Athletic Training for i9 Sports Inc. to Sales, Marketing, and Management for Vector Marketing Corporation. In the MDI lab, he is a member of the ConDis Team.

Adrian Joseph Alapag is an undergraduate student at University of Texas San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He recently transferred from Alamo College. While there he earned his Associate Degree in Engineering with honors and was member of the Math club. Prior to pursuing his degree, he worked as Dental Assistant at Randolph Family Dental and private Math tutor scaling from Elementary Math all the way up to Calculus. He is part of the ConDis and Suction Device Teams.

Hector Mellen is an undergraduate student at UTSA pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Biomedical Engineering specialization. His skills are in R-studio, MATLAB, Microsoft Office, and  he is bilingual in both English and Spanish.   At UTSA, he is a member of the Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society, which recognizes students with disabilities who excel academically, and he is also a member of the MDI lab. Prior to transferring to UTSA, he was a student at the University of the Incarnate Word majoring in Engineering Management, and at Incarnate Word was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Society which is designed for students who excel in academics their first year in college. After graduating from UTSA, his future aspirations  pursue a doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering and teach as a professor in Mechanical Engineering and work on research that enhances the biocompatibility of implants that go into human bone. He is a member of the Multistage Polymer team

Ignacio Aguilera is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a focus in biomaterials and nanotechnology. He is currently working in the MDI Lab as a project lead for developing a microfluidic device designed for automating cell culture. Besides working under Dr. Hood, he is a tutor for the Tomás Rivera Center at UTSA where he helps students with mathematics and chemistry courses. After graduating, he would like to work for a medical device company while continuing his education, and eventually go back to México to open his own business.

Victor Palos is an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at San Antonio, pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. As a member of the MDI lab, he is interested in gaining the lab experience necessary for success in graduate school and in the field. Though principally interested in the field of aerodynamics, he has a growing interest in the biomedical engineering field and sees the importance in the research itself and the experience to be gained through teamwork and presentation. His goal is to earn a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering and advance the field through research as a professor. Victor is a member of the ConDis team.

Austin Schoppe is a biomedical engineering student at UTSA. His research in the MDI Lab involves developing a biodegradable polymer implant that releases drug to the surrounding tissue at a desired rate. He is also contributing on developing a suction device for use by military medics in combat situations. In the future, Austin intends to make a career in the Biomedical Engineering field, possibly in the divisions of either prosthetics or medical imaging. Prosthetic technology is what initially led him to pursue a BME degree, and so he would like to work with artificial limbs as part of his vocation. However, he has found that the processes by which CT scanners, ultrasounds, and other medical imaging systems function to be very interesting.

Farris Adra is an undergraduate student at University of Texas at San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. He is currently a first year freshman in search of research opportunities and experience in the Biomedical field. His hobbies are working out, traveling, and engaging in political discussions.

Brandon Durham is a post-baccalaureate student at The University of Texas at San Antonio, pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He graduated from Georgetown University where he received a B.A. in Theology with a minor in Mathematics. While pursuing his degree, he was a participant for the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers. In the MDI lab, he is a member of the ConDis project and contributes to the Emergency Airway Suction Device team.

Bryant Le is from San Francisco, CA and is currently living in Austin, Texas. He is most interested in the Multistage Polymer project.

Omar Navarro is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio pursuing a B.S in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. A UTSA student native to San Antonio, Omar is the Vice President of the College of Engineering Student Council, and Academic Head of the Hispanic Student Association while being an active member of the UTSA chapters for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Ambassadors, Texas Society of Professional Engineers, Honors Student Leadership Council, and VOICES volunteering. He seeks to work on projects over his undergraduate career that will prepare him for a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and a future industry career. He is a member of the Suction Device Team.

Nestor Falcon moved to San Antonio from Austin to gain experience and a computer engineering degree from UTSA. Gained leadership experience as the Workbench Coordinator and Trip leader for UTSA Campus Recreation leading other students learning white water kayaking and served several hundred students through collaboration with UTSA PD for Bike Maintenance events on campus. Learned PCB design through experience contracting for a startup company dialaninsect, and with the endotracheal detection device at MDI Lab. Patent pending, first author, and podium presenter for SPIE Paper 10852-6 “Innovative Computer Vision Approach to 3D Bladder Model Reconstruction from Flexible Cystoscopy”. Additionally, helped develop and found a startup company EnVault that provides companies a replace for mobile gas generators with a seamless green power option using current battery technology. Has ambitious goals in life to pursue a doctoral degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics, work in the space industry, and become an astronaut.

Sarah Robinson is an undergraduate student at University of Texas San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. She recently transferred from University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. While there she was a TA in the Prototype Lab, providing assistance to professors, senior design and shop students. Prior to pursuing her degree, she worked as a business developer and Sales Manager for a large-scale community solar start-up based in Denver, CO and as an NDS/GPS systems analyst in the United States Air Force. She is a member of the Intubation and Suction Device teams.

My name is Gabriela Pineda and I am a Mechanical Engineer junior at UTSA. I was born in Peru and moved here going into third grade. Ever since, I have resided in San Antonio, Texas. After my freshman year in college, I was an intern in Mission Pharmacal where they concentrate in producing over-the-counter and dietary supplement products. Consequently, I worked at the Built Environment Science & Technology (BEST) Laboratory at UTSA during my sophomore year where I worked on modeling and simulating energy supply and demand systems of large-scale buildings. I joined the Medical Design Innovations (MDI) Laboratory in the Spring of 2019 and took part of the Limb Preservation and IV Patency Monitoring Device projects [need links]. I have been fortunate enough to have received three engineering scholar awards during the Spring of 2019. After a long time of seeking a specialization that I love in my major, I have decided to specialize in Design and Control of Mechanical Systems. I will be graduating in Spring 2020 and will continue on with my master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering Design.

Bruno Amaro is an undergraduate student at Universityof Texas at San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Bruno is the team leader of his Senior Design One Class. He is currently contributing to ConDis project under the supervision of Dr. Lyle Hood. In the future, Bruno hopes to broaden his experience and knowledge on mechanical engineering processes. He hopes to eventually start a company in his home country Angola in the manufacturing field.

Chris is a mechanical engineering student at UTSA currently working on a bachelors degree. He has plans to incorporate sustainability into the medical device field upon graduation. His current project is optimizing the electrical system of the suction device.

Gregg Bascos is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas of San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. He began his experience in research in 2018 at Medical Device Innovations Labs and has since then assisted in a variety of projects including the treatment of cancer using fiber optics and biodegradable implants. His current research is in novel endotracheal tubes for use in the field.

My name is Exal Enrique Cisneros Tuch, currently a sophomore majoring in Biomedical Engineering. I came to UTSA right after finishing high school, pursuing a bachelor degree in Biomedical Engineering. Starting the summer of 2017, I have been working in the Math department’s “Math lab” tutoring center up to this day, helping students with topics ranging from College Algebra to Calculus 3. I joined the Bladder vision team at the beginning of the Spring 2018 semester, focusing on the computer recognition aspect of the project. I would like to eventually use my biology and computer skills to work on the development of computational models for physiological processes. If done right, a good computer model would reduce the need for expensive experimentation to try and predict the behavior of therapies and could even lead to a better understanding of how our body works. Some of my hobbies are cooking, coding, and running. I enjoy learning skills and hope to learn more as my college career progresses.

Marisa Guerra is from San Antonio, TX and is currently an undergraduate student at UTSA seeking a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Philosophy. She became a member of the Medical Design Innovations Laboratory in Fall 2019 working on the IV Patency Monitoring Device project which was focused on monitoring the status of the intravenous line in use. She is currently working on the DHA 6.7: Supraglottic Airway Device project geared to optimize the design of alternative airway management to provide patent airflow to the patient versus endotracheal tube intubation. In the future, Marisa hopes to pursue her passion for optimization of medical devices and continue on with a masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. 

Bao Vu is a Mechanical Engineering student at UTSA, whom transferred from the University of Houston in the Spring of 2017. He is currently volunteering in the Medical Design Innovations Laboratory, where he is working on the IV Patency Monitoring Device project [link this]. The objective of this project is to design a device that will monitor the status of intravenous line (IV) in use. His previous project was focused on modifying and improving the existing cystoscope technology that is used for visualizing intra-bladder cancers. In the future, Bao hopes to pursue his passion for cancer treatment, by improving current medical devices or creating new ones.

Sophia Salazar is an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at San Antonio, pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. She is from Houston, TX, and transferred to UTSA in the Fall of 2019 with her Associates of Science degree from Lone Star College. She is a member of the UTSA chapters of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Society of Women Engineers. She started working as a part of the Medical Design Innovations Laboratory in September 2020, on the Supraglottic Airway Device project. In the future, Sophia plans to work with robotics and the innovation of medical devices

My name is Brandon Kasinger and I am a full-time mechanical engineering student here at UTSA. I gladly invest all of my time to UTSA through research projects and of course my wonderful ME courses. I aspire to become a great mechanical engineer either working in aeronautics or diving into some really interesting research after graduation.

Misael Moreno was born and raised in Escondido, CA. He enlisted in the military, active duty as a Combat Medic / Health Care Specialist for five years and continues his service in the Army Reserves. Now a Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate, contributing to the Medical Design Innovation Laboratory by applying his experiences as Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Instructor and Medic to his projects. As a Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society member, Misael will graduate in Spring 2021 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

Brenton Clark is an undergraduate student at University of Texas San Antonio pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Currently, he is a member of the MDI lab on the Suction Device Team. While pursuing his degree, he has worked in the food industry as a server and a bar back.

Paige Phillips is a military child from Sacramento, California who is currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She will be attending the joint PhD/BME program at Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences in Fall 2023. Her research interests include drug delivery systems, traumatic brain injury, translational cancer research, and polymer chemistry. She has a strong background in Mathematics, including Calculus Three, Differential Equations, and Physics One and Two for Engineers. In her Microbiology Lab course, she worked with the TinyEarth Research Network to aid in the discovery of novel antibiotics from soil bacteria. In the MDI Lab, she is the Graduate Student Alliance Undergraduate Chair. Furthermore, she is working on the Multistage Polymer Project, which is developing a novel biodegradable, 3D-printed, polymeric implant. The primary treatment goals for the platform are; drug administration via minimally invasive injectable techniques, to provide molecule agnostic controlled release, and to biodegrade once delivery is completed. In her free time, she has a passion to help those in need by pursuing avocations with various community outreach ministries including Thrive Outreach, University of Texas at San Antonio Chi Alpha, and 127 True Light.