Dr. Elizabeth Kies (geb. Wailes)

I was the head of production for a medical device which is transitioning to the clinic. I optimized the workflow of this labor-intensive product, increasing the rate of production to 800%. The device is a tissue-regenerating scaffold which functions via mechanobiology, supplying cells with tailored physical signals instead of chemical signals in order to control their function. I also did basic research with this material to expand its applications. My work was funded by the BCRT.

I studied the effects of mechanical forces in cancer, specifically as they affect the outcome of chemotherapy in lymphoma. In addition, I validated a highly biofidelic mouse model of lymphoma in its response to the preferred clinical therapies for the disease.

I coded a statistical program into the function library of SAP’s HANA system. The project was a collaboration between the Freie Universität Berlin and SAP that was organized by the Institute for Pure and Applied Math (IPAM). I worked in an 8-person team that focused on Big Data analytics for biological data sets such as mass spectroscopy of biological proteins, microarray data, and cell tracking videos. I also led the final presentation of our results, which won second place overall.

This competitive program within the technology transfer arm of my university trained me in the finer aspects of technology assessment from the business and legal perspectives, including product analysis, development, and protection (patents, copyrights). I then used these skills in an internship with the associate director of tech transfer to analyze holdings from university research and their relevant market conditions, search for potential licensees, and participate in contract negotiations.

Starting as an NSF-funded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow and later as a summer employee, I developed a superior method to characterize neoprene and polyethylene foams used as human tissue substitutes in stab-resistant body armor testing. I worked in the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Lab in the Office of Law Enforcement Standards Division and presented my results at a NIST-wide conference at the end of my internship.

During summers, I assisted the research and development and quality control labs with projects involving titration, IR spectra, vapor sorption, pH meter, dissolution, loss on drying tests, and glass washing. I also completed various clerical duties including filing, databasing, and other basic office duties.

I trained in tissue engineering with a focus on wound healing. My dissertation project addressed fibrosis using carbon nanotubes in a collagen matrix. This method treats cancer and promotes healing using physical means, a novel tactic with potentially wide applicability. I have a patent pending.

I graduated with a double major in Biomedical Engineering and Biology with a minor in Biophysics. I also completed an honors program in women's leadership in science, health, and medicine. Furthermore, I performed particularly well in robotics, besting the other 125 freshmen in a competition.

I graduated from the rigorous International Baccalaureate program. Due to my academic and linguistic success, I was inducted into the National Honor Society (NHS) and the Spanish NHS.