I received my Ph.D. in 2024 from the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. My thesis work in Prof. Cole DeForest’s lab focused on developing dynamic biomaterial platforms to study the effects of matrix mechanics and biochemical cues on cell behavior and morphology. In particular, I leveraged these materials to understand how these variables affect colon cancer cell line proliferation and signalling in vitro. In the Fischbach lab, I’m looking forward to applying advanced materials toward better understanding how obesity remodels the extracellular matrix and promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis. In my spare time, I enjoy skiing, whitewater kayaking, swimming, and curling up with a good mystery book!

ivk4[at]cornell.edu