M.S. Biomedical Engineering
September 2010
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA

• Thesis entitled “Braided Collagen Microthreads as Cell Delivery System in Bioengineered Muscle Regeneration”
  
• Relevant Coursework: Tissue Engineering; Physiology; Probability and Statistics; Laboratory Animal Surgery; Cardiovascular Regeneration and Engineering; Biochemical Engineering
  

B.S. in Physics and B.S. in Biological Physics with Highest Honors
May 2007
Mathematics Minor
Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

• Dean’s List Spring 2006, Fall 2006, and Spring 2007
  
• Relevant Coursework: Biological Physics; Biostatistics; Analog and Digital Electronics; Advanced Calculus; Differential Equations; Electromagnetism; Thermodynamics; Quantum Mechanics
  

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Techniques: self-assembled collagen thread fabrication; unaxial mechanical testing of soft tissues with failure analysis; collagen processing, including purification, preparation, and crosslinking; small animal surgery; cell culture; immunocytochemistry; quantitative image analysis; histology
Microscopy: fluorescent; confocal
Software: AutoCAD; Image J; Photoshop; Adobe Illustrator; SigmaPlot; Quantity One; Mathematica; MATLAB, and Microsoft Office

ACADEMIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
December 2007 – Present
Research Assistant, Biomaterials/Tissue Engineering Laboratory, George Pins, Ph.D.

• Designed a method to create an braided collagen thread scaffold to be used for muscle regeneration
  
• Developed a novel cell seeding method for uniform cell coverage on thread based scaffolds
  
• Evaluated effects of growth factors on cellular proliferation on 3D scaffolds
  
• Characterized effects of surface conjugations on cell growth using image analysis
  
• Developed a method to test the mechanical properties of thread based scaffolds unaxially
  

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
May 2005 – August 2007
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biological Physics Laboratory, Azadeh Samadani, Ph.D.

• Studied biological questions involving eukaryotic cells from a physics perspective
  
• Researched the factors contributing to the mating-type switching in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  
• Utilized biological techniques used to extract DNA from cells in order to manipulate the cell’s genome
  
• Created new structural methods to facilitate in observing live cells through microscopy

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Microfluidics Laboratory, Seth Fraden, Ph.D.

• Studied high-throughput protein crystallization using microfluidic devices
  
• Designed and fabricated complicated microfluidic phase-chip devices used for experimentation
  
• Researched permeability of water through PDMS microfluidic device
  
• Developed more efficient and reproducible manufacturing techniques through experimentation
  

OTHER EXPERIENCE
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
August 2008 – May 2009
Teaching Assistant

• Designed and graded quizzes, papers, and exams, helped design active learning tasks, and assisted students with questions, assignments, and labs for the following undergraduate courses: Introduction to Biomedical Engineering; Foundations in Biomechanics; Biomaterial – Tissue Interactions; Foundations in Biological Transport Phenomena; Physiology for Engineers (graduate course)
  

Nipmuc Regional Middle/High School, Mendon/Upton, MA
September 2007 – June 2008
Substitute Teacher

• Managed classrooms for grades 8 to 12
  
• Experienced in teaching and implementing lesson plans in a wide variety of subject areas

PLATFORM PRESENTATIONS
Makridakis, J.L., Page, R.L., Dominko, T., Pins, G.D., Design of a Novel Engineered Muscle Construct Using Braided Collagen Threads. Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Fall Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA October 7-10, 2009.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Makridakis, J.L., Page, R.L., Dominko, T., Pins, G.D., Design of a Novel Engineered Muscle Construct Using Muscle Derived Fibroblastic Cells Seeded onto Braided Collagen Threads. 14th Annual Hilton Head Regenerative Medicine Workshop, Hilton Head Island, SC March 7-10, 2010.
Makridakis, J.L., Page, R.L., Dominko, T., Pins, G.D., Design of a Novel Engineered Muscle Construct Using Muscle Derived Fibroblastic Cells Seeded onto Braided Collagen Threads. 35th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference, Cambridge, MA April 3-5, 2009.