Laboratory Directory

Karin Wuertz-Kozak, PhD

Kate Gleason Endowed Full Professor,
Biomedical Engineering
585-475-7355
kwbme@rit.edu

Dr. Wuertz-Kozak is a pharmacist by training, holds a Ph.D. in Human Biology from the University of Ulm in Germany, and holds an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability from the University of Cumbria in the UK. After a Postdoc at the University of Vermont in the US, Dr. Wuertz-Kozak was a group leader at the University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich in Switzerland. Before joining RIT in October, 2019, she was appointed as Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich for 3 years, where she was the recipient of the Swiss National Science Foundation Professorship Award. At RIT, Dr. Wuertz-Kozak currently holds the position of Kate Gleason Endowed Full Professor of Biomedical Engineering and leads the Tissue Regeneration and Mechanobiology (TRAM) Laboratory.

Iker Martinez Zalbidea, MS

Iker obtained a BS in Biochemistry, an MSc in Biomedical Engineering and an additional MSc in Pharmacology from the University of BSQUE Country, Spain. Thereafter, he worked as a Research Assistant in Santiago de Chile (Chile), Cambridge (UK) and Cardiff (UK), where he gained extensive experience in genome engineering. Iker will conduct his PhD Thesis on the topic of extracellular vesicles from CRISPR-modified stem cell for the treatment of back pain. im5865@g.rit.edu

Janitri Venkatachala Babu, MS

Janitri has a Bachelor’s of Technology in Genetic engineering from SRM University, India. She conducted her bachelor’s thesis at the University of Zurich, Switzerland where she studied the role of transporters in cataract. She then went ahead to obtain her Master’s degree in Regenerative Medicine from Manipal University, India. The research for her Master’s thesis was focused on Exosomes derived from multiple stem cell sources, it's neurotoxic potential and also, it’s therapeutic potential. Her Ph.D. project at RIT is on the role of the ion channel TRPC6 in mechanosensing of the intervertebral disc and its relevance as a therapeutic target in degenerative disc disease. jv3384@g.rit.edu

Patricia Alvaro Llopis, MSc

Patricia received her BSc in Biological Sciences and an MSc Molecular Biology from the University of Valencia (Spain). Thereafter, she worked as a Research Assistant in both, hospitals and private companies in the Czech Republic and Spain, which allowed her to obtain a wide experience in Cell and Molecular Biology. Currently, Patricia is a PhD student at RIT where she conducts her doctoral thesis on the design of a 3D model for scleroderma to test inhibition of the ion channel TRPC6 as a new therapeutic option. pa3685@g.rit.edu

Johannes Hasler, MSc

Johannes holds a MSc in Health Science and Technology from ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He completed his master’s thesis at the AO Foundation, a research institute in Switzerland, where he gained experience in molecular biology and regenerative medicine. After graduation, he worked as a development engineer in medical technology. Currently, Johannes is a PhD student at RIT, focusing on the role of the mechanoreceptor TRPV4 in intervertebral disc health. His research aims to engineer a degenerative substrate model to investigate how substrate stiffness, mechanical loading and topography affect TRPV4-related mechanotransduction and contribute to degenerative disc disease. jh4324@g.rit.edu

Lucia Morales, BSc

Lucia Morales graduated with a BSc in Biology from Harvey Mudd College in 2024, during which she pursued research opportunities in tissue engineering and biotechnology. She will be conducting her PhD on using extracellular vesicles harvested from CRISPR-modified stem cells and investigating their potential to reduce inflammation in painful intervertebral discs. lmm9650@g.rit.edu

Camila Ceballos, BSc

Camila received her BSc in Biomedical Engineering from EIA University in Medellín, Colombia. Her bachelor's thesis focused on isolating stem cells from the Bichat bag and their subsequent osteogenic differentiation. She has broad research experience, obtained through her work at the Clinical Engineering Department of the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital, the Product Development Oncology and Hematology Department at Genentech (a member of the Roche Group in San Francisco, CA), and Cellular Vehicles (Palo Alto, CA). Currently, Camila is a Ph.D. Candidate at RIT, where she researches the isolation, characterization, and biological assessment of plant-derived extracellular vesicles for treating excessive scarring. ccc7651@g.rit.edu