Undergraduate Research
At Saint Louis University’s School of Science and Engineering, students studies have the opportunity to team up with professors in order to gets hands-on experience applying the concepts they have been learning in the classroom.
Enrolling at SLU can be a huge benefit for students who want to participate in innovative work that is often featured in industry publications.
Read the profiles below to learn more about some of our undergraduates conducting research.
Danielle McTigue
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Program: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering
Expected Graduation: 2023
Lab: Tissue Scaffold Lab
Faculty Supervising: Scott Sell, Ph.D.
About Danielle's Research
Danielle is currently working on electrospun scaffolds, which are tissue scaffolds made by nanoscale fibers interconnected by pores. These scaffolds will be used in a microfluidic device, which is a fancy way of saying that we will be able to observe things on a micro-scale easily. The observations in the microfluidic device will be used to determine the effect of sheer stress on osteoblasts, bone creating cells in the body.
I got involved in research my freshman year of college, in Dr. Sell's tissue scaffold lab, and it was an opportunity for me to further my knowledge in chemistry. One of the best experiences I had freshman year was getting experience with MatLab. I will be graduating in May of 2023 with a bachelor's in biomedical engineering with a pre-med. In the future, I plan to attend medical school and use my biomedical engineering background to aid in my medical degree.”
— Danielle McTigue
Jahnavi Nadella
Hometown: Dublin, OH
Program: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering
Expected Graduation: 2022
Lab: Soft Tissue Engineering Lab
Faculty Supervising: Silviya Zustiak, Ph.D.
About Jahnavi's Research
In the past, Jahnavi was doing work in the soft tissue engineering lab around working on a microfluidic device to aid in drug testing. Currently, her research involves working with hydrogels and cell culture. She is working with a Ph.D. candidate to develop dual-stiffness hydrogels that can be used for drug testing.
I really enjoy doing research. It allows me to explore concepts that are discussed in my classes and put them to use. Participating in a research lab allows me to connect concepts that are taught in multiple biomedical engineering classes. Another thing I appreciate about doing research is that it allows to me connect with graduate students with similar interests. I can ask them questions about classes and opportunities that are available to me. After graduation, I will be attending Saint Louis University School of Medicine. I hope that my background in biomedical engineering will provide me a unique understanding of topics covered in medical school. In regards to research, I hope to continue participating in research throughout my time in medical school.”
— Jahnavi Nadella
Jackson Woodside-Miller
Hometown: Union, MO
Program: B.S. in Aerospace Engineering
Expected Graduation: 2023
Lab: Polysonic Wind Tunnel Lab
Faculty Supervising: Mark McQuilling, Ph.D.
About Jackson's Research
In the polysonic wind tunnel lab, Jackson is helping to conduct research on shockwave boundary layer interactions, as well as flow over turbine airfoils, and most of this research is conducted for aerospace companies.
Personally, I love helping with this research. It is very challenging, yet extremely rewarding. We are solving very tough problems which have never been solved before. I hope to continue this in the future and help improve the knowledge of fluid dynamics. I also hope I can work in the aerospace industry in a fluid dynamic related field, but eventually I would love to get my Ph.D. and teach at a college. Overall, I truly enjoy the research, and I am grateful for the opportunities Park College has provided me."
— Jackson Woodside