Author: Lightsey, Suzanne

In March, Jessica was invited to speak as a FAB at the annual Silicon Valley Meetup hosted by the University Innovation Fellows at Stanford University. The University Innovation Fellows program seeks to empower students and faculty to become leaders of change in higher education. Jessica became a fellow in 2018 and has since participated in…

A HUGE congratulations to Jillian for earning an engineering co-op position at Edwards Lifesciences in Irvine, California. Jillian will be joining a team led by Austin Griewe where she will continue the development of cutting-edge solutions for individuals battling cardiovascular disease. Although we are sad to lose Jillian this fall, we are excited to see…

On Friday, March 24th, Jessica Aldrich, a fourth year PhD student, disseminated her research at the 12th Annual UF Biomaterials Day. The theme of this year’s Biomaterials Day was “Differentiating Scientists.” Jessica’s work titled “Cellular Uptake and Retention of an ROS Scavenging Biomaterial as a Chondroprotective Therapy for Osteoarthritis“ was one of twelve students selected…

In March, Tolulope Ajayi attended the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) 49th Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. NSBE is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology. Tolu stated that “it was…

Tolulope Ajayi presented her work at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) World Congress in Denver, CO! OARSI is the premier international organization for scientists and health care professionals focused on the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis. At this conference, Tolu shared her research titled, “Non-Invasive ACL Rupture and Surgical Transection ACL Model Produce Unique…

In February, Suzanne completed her first half marathon! The Gasparilla Distance Classic Half Marathon was held in Tampa, FL. It’s great to see the Sharma Lab students completing milestones both in and out of the laboratory.  

Undergraduate researcher, Jillian Jacek, was selected as a part of the 2023 University Scholars Program. This prestigious award is given to 200 undergraduate students across all disciplines at UF. Those selected are paired with faculty mentors to complete a research project throughout the year. Students who receive the award are expected to present their research…

In February, Dr. Sharma and several lab members attend the Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) annual meeting in Dallas, TX. Jessica Aldrich presented her research via a podium presentation titled, “Cellular Uptake and Retention of an ROS Scavenging Biomaterial as a Chondroprotective Therapy for Osteoarthritis.” Jessica also presented a poster on former Master’s student, Tiffany Conklin’s…

Kicking off 2023, Jillian, a Junior undergraduate student, was awarded the 2023 Luby Microgrant from the Warrington College of Business and Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center. Jillian received the maximum funding of $10,000 to kick start her company J2 Medical Technology. Her company will aim at building medical products to revolutionize the lives of individuals with…

Long-time Sharma Lab members Quincy Barton and Tiffany Conklin graduated with their Master’s degree this past December 2022. We look forward to following their work and impact in the industry! Congratulations!