Meet the Lab:

Principal Investigator

 Dr. Katharina Maisel (she/her)

Assistant Professor
​Fischell Department of Bioengineering

B.S.E. Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan 2010
Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University 2014
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Chicago 2018

Dr. Maisel joined the University of Maryland in January 2019. Her interdisciplinary training combines nanotechnology, mucosal immunology, lymphatic immunology, and immunoengineering. Her graduate work under Drs. Justin Hanes and Richard Cone focused on designing nanomedicines and their delivery vehicles for treating diseases at mucosal surfaces, particularly the gastrointestinal and cervicovaginal tracts. She then ventured into the world of immunology, spending her postdoc studying the immunological roles of lymphatics in allergic airway inflammation and the immune involvement in the rare lung disease lymphangioleiomyomatosis. 
Dr. Maisel moved to Michigan from Germany as a teenager and loves going back to Europe to visit family and friends. In her free time she enjoys baking, singing, and traveling.

Post docs

​Dr. Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi (he/him)

PhD Biochemistry, CSIR IICB, India
​M.Sc. Biochemistry, Jamia Hamdard University, India

Sarfaraz holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry with a focus on immunology from the CSIR-IICB in India. After receiving his Ph.D., he worked as a postdoctoral fellow on the CSIR's fast-track translational project to develop rapid diagnostic tools for infectious diseases. He was subsequently chosen as a postdoctoral research associate for an international consortium project on global challenges, funded by the UK, where he worked on CRISPR technology for drug target discovery. In Dr. Maisel's lab, Sarfaraz's interest is to understand the transportation across various cell barriers of the GI and its associated lymphatics employing in-vitro 3D models and nanotechnology. Outside of the lab, Sarfaraz likes to read, listen to, and write Urdu and Hindi literature, as well as spend time with his family.​
Connect with Sarfaraz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarfaraz-ahmad-ejazi-14416a52/

Dr. Suh Hee Cook (she/her)

PhD Fiber and Polymer Science, NC State University 2024
M.S. Textile Engineering, NC State University 2019
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, NC State University, 2016

Currently in the MAISEL Lab, Suh uses engineering tools to probe structure-function changes in the lymph node during aging. Suh's PhD focused on in vitro maturation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for tissue engineering applications; MS focused on the invention of a novel hernia mesh; and during her BS she participated in undergraduate research exploring robotic exoskeletons and bone regeneration. Suh enjoys poetry, literature, history, music, and martial arts. (She two black belts, in Taekwondo and Hapkido!)
Connect with Suh: LinkedIn.com/tacook3

Graduate Students

​Aisha Abdulkarimu (she/her)

PhD Student, Biological Sciences Graduate Program

B.S. Biology, Lehigh University 2020

 Aisha is interested in how mechanical stimuli regulate lymphatic permeability using in vitro models and computational analysis. She studies explicitly flow-induced changes in morphology and function in lymphatic endothelial cells. When not in the lab, she enjoys reading, cooking, painting, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. 
Connect with Aisha: www.linkedin.com/in/aisha-abdulkarimu/

Vedanth Sriram (he/him)

PhD Student, Biophysics
​
B.S., M.S. Chemical Sciences,  Indian Institute of Science Education & Research Kolkata (IISER-K), 2022

Vedanth is Interested in characterizing lymph node biophysical properties in healthy and inflamed states using ex vivo models and particle tracking microrheology. Exploring the effects of sex differences and aging on lymph node biomechanics and its consequent role in differential immune responses. When not at work, he enjoys traveling, watching sports, cooking and learning/sharing trivia. 
Connect with Vedanth: www.linkedin.com/in/vedanthsriram/

Rebecca Louisthelmy (she/her)

PhD Student, Fischell Department of Bioengineering

​B.S. Biomedical Engineering, UMass Amherst 2022

Becca's research focuses on understanding how nanoparticle shape influences lymphatic transport and lymph node accumulation to optimize targeted drug delivery. Her work combines in vitro studies on lymphatic endothelial cell interactions and in vivo investigations to advance the design of shape-engineered nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Outside of the lab, Becca loves expressing my creativity through songwriting, singing, and composing musical arrangements, as well as journaling and writing to capture and explore my thoughts.
Connect with Becca: www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-louisthelmy-35685218b

Ashleigh Jankowski (she/her)

​PhD Student, Fischell Department of Bioengineering

​B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University 2023

Ashleigh's research focuses on development of novel drug delivery systems to improve clinical outcomes in diseases ranging from cervical cancer to rare diseases like lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). Her work uses nanomedicines to target the immune system and lymphatics, enhancing  drug efficacy. Outside of the lab, Ashleigh enjoys running, painting, kayaking, and reading-- she'd love to talk to you about your favorite books!
Connect with Ashleigh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-jankowski-106942196/

Bella Horton (she/her)

MD/PhD Student, Co-advised Fishell Department of Bioengineering/NIBIB

B.S. Chemical and Biological Engineering, CU Boulder

Bella is studying the role of the immune response in promoting wound healing and soft tissue regeneration after acute traumatic injury. Her broad interests are immunoengineering, biomaterial development, and clinical immunology. Outside of lab, Bella likes to stay active by running, swimming, hiking, or traveling back home to Colorado to ski.
​Connect with Bella: www.linkedin.com/in/isabella-horton/

Staff

Michele Kaluzienski (she/her)

Research Technician/Faculty Specialist​

Undergraduate Students

Matthew Ensign (he/him)

B.S. Candidate ('25) Fischell Department of Bioengineering 

Matthew is an honors undergraduate currently designing PEGylated and cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated nanoparticles with enhanced mucus and cell penetration to explore their potential as an oral delivery vehicle. Matthew is very active in the Bioengineering department as a student leader and mentor, and in his free time, he enjoys cooking, baking, reading, and wandering around cities.

Yassmin Abbouchi (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('26). Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Yassmin is an honors undergraduate researching how the mechanical properties of lymph nodes change. She is interested in the field of biomaterials, especially those with immunomodulatory properties. Yassmin enjoys cooking, baking, hiking, and attempting pottery in her free time!

Theo Hsiao (he/him)

B.S. Candidate ('24). Fischell Department of Bioengineering​

I’m a bioengineering major who's interested in drug delivery and the development of in vitro models. In my spare time I enjoy biking, playing piano, and spending time with my friends. 

Hannah Lee (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('23). Fischell Department of Bioengineering​

Hannah is a Bioengineering major and Sustainability minor from Bel Air, MD. She is involved in the Society of Women Engineers and was a part of the FLEXUS Living and Learning community on campus. Her research interests include understanding targeted drug delivery through mapping lymph node structures. She loves to travel, read, and hang out with friends in her free time.

Ritika Naiknavare (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('23), Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Ritika is a Bioengineering major and Global Engineering Leadership minor from Rockville, MD. Her research interests center around nanoparticle formulation to enhance drug delivery as well as understanding how diseases affect lymphatic transport. In her free time, she loves to travel, read fantasy novels, and hit the gym.

Reuben Spencer (he/him)

B.S. Candidate ('24), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering​

Reuben is a Chemical Engineering major from Aspen Hill, Maryland. He is interested in drug development and improvement of its delivery as well as manipulating metabolic pathways. Sometimes, he enjoys exploring the area, watching good movies/shows, and working out.

Jenny Yarmovsky (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('23), Department of Bioengineering

Jenny is a Bioengineering major from Rockville, MD. She is in the Integrated Life Sciences Honors College and on a pre-health track. She is interested in improving drug delivery through formulation of nanoparticles. She enjoys playing piano, dancing, and listening to podcasts in her free time.

Graduate Program Alumni

Dr. Jake McCright (he/him)
Scientist at Deka Biosciences

PhD Bioengineering, University of Maryland 2023
B.S. Bioengineering, Unviersity of Maryland 2018

Connect with Jake: www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-mccright-aaa37ab2/

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Dr. Mayowa Amosu (she/her)
Postdoctoral Fellow at NIH
​
PhD  Biological Sciences, University of Maryland 2024
B.S. Biology, University of Georgia 2012
MPH Epidemiology, University of Georgia 2016
NIH Intramural Research Fellow,  NIAID 2018

Connect with Mayowa: www.linkedin.com/in/mayowaamosu/

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Dr. Ann Ramirez (she/her)
Postdoctoral Associate at UMD

PhD Bioengineering, University of Maryland 2024
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology 2019

​Connect with Ann: ​www.linkedin.com/in/ann--ramirez/

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Undergraduate Program Alumni

Juan Grano de Oro (he/him)

B.S. Bioengineering ('23). Fischell Department of Bioengineering​

Kaitlyn Moore (she/her)

B.S. Bioengineering ('23), Fischell Department of Bioengineering​
Current: PhD Student, Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Anna (Anya) Filatova (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('22), Fischell Department of Bioengineering
A.S. Life Science, Howard Community College 2018

Ashleigh Jankowski (she/her)

2021 REU Student; B.S. (’23), Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rowan University

Dalia Kassas (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('22), Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Priscilla Lee (she/her)

B.S. 2021, Fischell Department of Bioengineering; currently: MS '22 Bioengineering 

Brooke Merwitz (she/her)

B.S. Candidate ('22), Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Arnav Sinha

B.S. Candidate ('22), Department of Psychology and Neurobiology & Physiology

Colin Skeen (he/his)

B.S. 21, Fischell Department of Bioengineering; currently: PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University

Erik Vaughan

B.S. Candidate ('22), Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Bennett Yang

B.S. Candidate ('22), Department of Psychology and Neurobiology & Physiology

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CONTACT

Fischell Department of Bioengineering
3121 A. James Clark Hall
8278 Paint Branch Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

For General Lab Inquiries:
[email protected] 

To reach Dr. Maisel:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-405-9805

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