Michael entered Columbia University's Biomedical Engeering Department as an M.S.-to-Ph.D. candidate in Fall 2016. He began working the Cell and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory (CMBL) under Dr. Christopher R. Jacobs. Their lab studied how to use the body's natural bone remodeling process to develop more effective therapeutics for osteoporosis. Michael's project focused on understanding the degree to which the primary cilium of macrophages regulated osteoclast differentiation and function. In 2019, Michael joined the Microscale Biocomplexity Laboratory (MBL), directed by Dr. Lance C. Kam. The MBL focuses on using engineered surfaces and biomaterials to study T-cell mechanobiology. Michael's project hopes to elucidate the mechanism by which components of the cytoskeleton translocate during T-cell activation, an understanding that will hopefully lead to new immunotherapeutic targets. He received his B.S.E. from Duke University in 2016.
PhD student