Principal Investigator

Vipuil Kishore, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE)

vkishore@fit.edu

Dr. Kishore is the principal investigator of the Functional Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory at Florida Tech. He received his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Madras University, Chennai, India in 2000, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI in 2009. After completing his doctoral degree, Dr. Kishore acquired his postdoctoral training at Purdue University and Case Western Reserve University. Research in his laboratory focuses on developing novel biomaterial processing strategies to generate biomimetic functional scaffolds and investigating the effects of extracellular matrix (ECM) cues on tissue specific cellular response for use in a variety of different tissue engineering applications. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal publications, two book chapters, and over 70 conference abstracts.

Graduate Students

Nithya Muthuvijayan
MS Student - Biomedical Engineering

nmuthuvijaya2023@my.fit.edu

I am currently pursuing a master’s degree with thesis option in Kishore Lab in the Biomedical Engineering department at Florida Institute of Technology, where my research focuses on enhancing the mechanical properties of collagen-based hydrogels via riboflavin-mediated crosslinking and silk fibroin incorporation. With a deep-rooted curiosity and a drive for innovation, I am dedicated to leveraging my skills to contribute meaningfully to advancements in medical science. My academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from The Oxford College of Engineering, Bangalore, where I developed a solid foundation in life sciences. I later worked at Indegene Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, as a Medical Documentation Coordinator for Union Chimique Belge, where I managed information flow to ensure on-time content availability for documentation departments.

Diya Pillai
Ph.D. Student - Biomedical Engineering

dpillaib2025@fit.edu

I hold a Master’s degree in Physics from Vellore Institute of Technology, where I discovered my passion for interdisciplinary research. This enthusiasm led me to transition into the field of biomaterials research. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering under the guidance of Dr. Vipuil Kishore at the Florida Institute of Technology. My current research focuses on developing  collagen-based gradient scaffolds that provide the essential biophysical and biochemical cues to guide cell function for ACL reconstruction applications. A notable milestone in my career was my experience conducting research at the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), India. Looking ahead, I aspire to make significant contributions to the field of biomedical engineering and assume a leadership role within the industry.

Vinicius da Silva
Ph.D. Student - Biomedical Engineering

vsilva2023@my.fit.edu

Vinicius Silva is a dental surgeon specialized in different aspects of the field: Implant Dentistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and a master's professional in Lasers in Dentistry. He founded a biotechnology company in Brazil and received competitive grants to develop cell therapy collagen scaffolds, performing tests under certified ISO 10993 conditions with complete approval. His research experience fits with Kishore Lab's current research with 3D scaffold constructs and photobiomodulation strategies to augment growth and differentiation of stem cells for bone regeneration applications. As an experienced member of the organizing committee for one of the most important dental implant meetings in Brazil, Vinicius volunteers for TEDxFloridaTech Women2023. He also intends to participate in organizing events for the years to come, aiming to construct the future technology and a better world.

Kristen Brenner
Ph.D. Student - Biomedical Engineering

kbrenner2014@my.fit.edu

Kristen Brenner attained her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Florida Tech in May 2018 and May 2019 respectively, then launched the water quality startup Kationx with Bill Cox to improve the southeastern US municipalities' water and wastewater effluent.  Currently, Kristen pursues her Ph.D. in BME in Dr. Kishore's lab with a focus on the osteoinductive capability of bioceramic in an attempt to create a method to not only slow but reverse osteoporosis, which runs through the family!  She also continues to work part time for Kationx, developing, testing and implementing new, nontoxic flocculants, chelators, and dispersants.  Kristen enjoys teaching, both in academia as a GSA and at various state water conferences for the benefit of the city water operators.

Undergraduate Students

Ananiah Piango

I am an international student from Trinidad and Tobago pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering at Florida Tech while completing my Associate of Science in Natural Science. I have extensive laboratory experience, including expertise in spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, enzyme assays, and operating advanced equipment such as 3D bioprinters and rheometers. My interests in biomaterials and tissue engineering align with the research conducted in Dr. Kishore’s Functional Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory. As the Community Engagement Support Lead for Relay for Life and an active member of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), I combine my technical skills with a passion for philanthropy, organizing outreach initiatives and healthcare-focused campaigns. I am committed to leveraging my skills to advance biomedical technologies that improve patient outcomes and address healthcare disparities.

Alumni

Ph.D. Students

1. Thuy-Uyen Nguyen, PhD in Chemical Engineering (Summer 2019). Dissertation Title: Electrochemical Fabrication of Elastin Containing Bi-layered Scaffold for Vascular Tissue Engineering Applications. Current Position: Scientist III, Matica Biotechnology, TX

2. Likitha Somasekhar, PhD in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2021). Dissertation Title: Bioink Optimization and Effects of Microgravity of 3D Bioprinted Cell Laden Constructs. Current Position: Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (Coadvisor)

3. Nilabh S. Kajave, PhD in Chemical Engineering (Fall 2021). Dissertation Title: 3D Printed Bioglass Incorporated Collagen Matrices for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering. Current Position: Product Development Lead Scientist, Humabiologics, AZ

4. Maria Albaqami, PhD in Biomedical Engineering (Fall 2022). Dissertation Title:  Investigating the Role of Cryptochrome Activity in Arabidopsis Plant and Blue light exposure in Saos-2 Cell-Mediated Mineralization.

5. Nashaita Patrawalla, PhD in Biomedical Engineering (Fall 2024). Dissertation Title: Advancing Biofabrication Methodologies to Develop Biomimetic Tissue Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Applications. Current Position: Scientist, Poseidon Medical, Inc

M.S. Thesis Students

1. Gengbo Liu, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2015). Thesis Title: Saos-2 Cell Mediated Mineralization on Collagen Gels: Effect of Densification and Bioglass Incorporation. Current Position: AI Scientist, Genentech, San Francisco, CA

2. Ranjani Iyer, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2015). Thesis Title: Electrochemically Compacted Collagen Matrices for Corneal Repair. Current Position: Staff Systems Engineer, BD-RCI, Galway, Ireland

3. Thuy-Uyen Nguyen, MS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2016). Thesis Title: Elastin Incorporated Electrochemically Aligned Collagen Fibers for Vascular Applications. Current Position: Scientist III, Matica Biotechnology, TX

4. Christopher Bridgeman, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2017). Thesis Title: Effect of Tannic Acid on Mechanical Properties of Collagen Scaffolds and Melanoma Cell Proliferation. Current Position: Graduate Student, University of Maryland

5. Madhura Nijsure, MS in Chemical Engineering (Fall 2017). Thesis Title: Effect of Bioglass Incorporation into Electrochemically Aligned Collagen Threads on Mechanical Properties and Cell-Mediated Mineralization. Current Position: Graduate Student, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania

6. Kori Watkins, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2018).  Thesis Title: Photochemical Crosslinking of Methacrylated Collagen Hydrogels: Effect of I2959 vs. VA086 on Mechanics and Cellular Response. Current Position: Optometric Resident, Salt Lake City VA and Moran Eye Center

7. Thais Sousa, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Fall 2020). Thesis Title: 3D Printed Microporous Collagen Constructs Using the Freeze-FRESH Methodology. Current Position: Production Engineer, Advanced Biomatrix, CA

8. Nashaita Patrawalla, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2021). Thesis Title: A Comparative Study to Assess the Osteogenic Potential of Competing Bioceramics for Bone Tissue Engineering. Current Position: Scientist, Poseidon Medical, Inc

9. Bayan Saleh, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2023). Thesis Title: Xeno-Free Biomimetic ECM Model for Investigation of Matrix Properties on Astrocyte Cell Response. Current Position: QA Engineer at ReactDx, Melbourne, FL

10. Kathryn Bock, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2023). Thesis Title: Investigating the effects of collagen alignment and tricalcium phosphate incorporation on osteoblast cell response​. Current Position: Project Engineer for Jacobs/ERC at Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

11. Karly Liebendorfer, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2024). Thesis Title: Innovative 4D Printing of Biomimeic Collagen-TCP Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration. Current Position: Graduate Student, Bioengineering, Georgia Tech

 12. Jamielyn Jarvis, MS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2025). Thesis Title: Effects of Different Blue Light Conditions on Saos-2 Cell Viability, Differentiation, and Mineralization. Current Position: Materials Scientist, DuPont

M.S. Project Students

1. Sheetal Tiwari, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2016). Project Title: Elecrochemically Aligned Collagen Fibers Crosslinked with Chemical and Natural Agents. Current Position: Product Development Engineer II, Siemens, New York

2. Athela Frandsen, MS in Biomedical Engineering (Fall 2017). Project Title: Electrocompacted Collagen Matrices for Corneal Repair. Current Position: Investigative Chemist/Engineer, NASA, FL

3. Nilabh S. Kajave, MS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2018). Current Position: Product Development Lead Scientist, Humabiologics, AZ

Undergraduate Students

1. Ryan Mclay, BS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2014). 

2. Meet Pastakia, BS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2016). Current Position: Staff Engineer, BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA

3. Jillian Collins, BS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2019). Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA

4. Thais Sousa, BS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2019). Current Position: Production Engineer, Advanced Biomatrix, CA

5. Clay Womack, BS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2020).

6. Kjel Johnson, BS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2020). Current Position: Engineer, Olympus, Tampa, FL

7. Sharon Adkins, BS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2020). Current Position: Medical Scribe, Brevard Physician Associates, PLLC

8. Marcello Mattei, BS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2022). Current Position: Junior Engineer, ReactDx, Melbourne, FL

9. Sarah Ali, BS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2022). Current Position: Graduate Student, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech

10. Jamielyn Jarvis, BS in Chemical Engineering (Spring 2023). Current Position: Materials Scientist, DuPont

11. Ravi Raj, BS in Biomedical Science (Spring 2024). Current Position: Graduate Student at Florida Tech

12. Karly Liebendorfer, BS in Biomedical Engineering (Spring 2024). Current Position: Graduate Student, Bioengineering, Georgia Tech