College of Engineering’s Mechanobiology REU gives student practical experience in regenerative medicine
By: Jena Salem
Zoe Bastardi, a second-year biomedical engineering student, dedicated her summer to studying mechanobiology for the College of Engineering’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. After touring the campus during her senior year, Bastardi discovered the Mechanobiology REU and decided to apply.
“I was drawn to the Puetzer Lab because it’s a musculoskeletal tissue engineering lab. I’ve been a dancer since I was little and even went to a performing arts high school, so I’m very interested in the musculoskeletal system and researching solutions to the disease and injury of musculoskeletal tissues,” said Bastardi.
While working alongside Ph.D. students Kelly Ott and Leia Troop under Jennifer Puetzer, Ph.D., associate professor from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, she gathered information for a project revolving around how to make lab-grown ligaments more functional.
“My project focused on promoting the formation of hierarchically organized collagen fibers in engineered ligaments. These fibers are essential for the strength of native tendons and ligaments, but do not regenerate after injury. We found that applying a growth-inspired stretching regimen—transitioning from neonatal to postnatal growth rates—accelerated fiber maturation compared to previous single-rate approaches. This strategy offers a promising path toward producing functional engineered replacements in the future.”
Despite operating in separate labs, Bastardi affirmed that those who were a part of the mechanobiology cohort formed a deep bond with one another during the program. Students would often visit other labs as a way of getting to know their fellow researchers.
Bastardi credits her mentors for the positive impact they had on her experience at the REU. She expressed that they were always willing to walk her through foreign concepts and answered her questions using detailed illustrations.
“Zoe was a fantastic addition to the lab,” said Jennifer Puetzer, Ph.D., the Inez A. Caudill Junior Professorship in Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, “She picked up her project quickly and ran with it. We are excited about Zoe’s results and look forward to her presenting them in October at the Biomedical Engineering Society meeting in San Diego.”
The Department of Biomedical Engineering provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to perform real-world research as soon as they enroll. From delving into the intricacies of cell migration in cancer research to exploring tissue engineering in menisci, tendons and ligaments, our students pursue a diverse range of cutting-edge research topics. Browse videos and recent news from the Department of Biomedical Engineering to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.
Categories Biomedical Engineering, Student Stories, Undergraduate Student Stories