I
grew up in southern Louisiana, where I attended Southeastern Louisiana
University and earned B.S. degrees in physics, mathematics, and
microbiology (and a minor in chemistry). Biomedical engineering
seemed like a logical way to integrate what I had learned as an
undergraduate. I headed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, where I earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in BME, with specialization
in cardiac electrophysiology. I then spent two years performing
research under a clinical electrophysiologist at the VA hospital
in Brooklyn, NY. I recently returned to the triangle area to join
Dr. Bursac’s group and learn more about their micropatterning and
cell culture methods, and to help with further development of their
optical mapping systems.
Originally
from South Korea, I got my PhD in Cell Biology at Duke studying
the membrane adaptor protein, ankyrin. I then moved to human genetics
research for epilepsy and HIV/AIDS. Recently I joined Dr. Bursac's
lab to study adult stem cell differentiation toward cardiomyocytes
using a lentiviral system.
Originally
from Northern California, I graduated from UCLA in 2003 with a BS
in Electrical Engineering (BME emphasis). I am currently working
on my final year as a graduate student here at Duke.
When I'm not busy pushing the frontiers of cardiac micropatterning
and electrophysiology, I enjoy cooking (immediately followed by
eating), music, and spending quality time with my friends. Ultimately,
I would like to return to Northern California to be closer to my
family and friends.
Weining
Bian, MS Born
in Shanghai, one of the largest cities in China, I spent 18 years
of my prime life time in this prosperous metropolis, a place used
to be called ‘Oriental Paris’ and now a rising economic and financial
center in the asia-pacific region. In 1999, I was unexpectedly admitted
by Tsinghua University, one of the most prestigious colleges in
China. As a result of this surprising accident, I moved to Beijing,
the capital of the People’s Republic of China, and graduated with
a major in Electrical Engineering after 4 years of memorable college
life. Deeply attracted by the beautiful magic of the marriage between
biology and engineering, I came to the United States for my graduate
studies in the exciting field of Biomedical Engineering. I spent
2 years at Johns Hopkins and obtained my master degree with a thesis
on cardiac reentrant arrhythmias. In the summer of 2005, I joined
Dr. Bursac’s cardiac electrophysiology and tissue engineering lab
at Duke to pursue my Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering. Outside
the lab, I like to hang out with my lovely friends and have fun.
I also enjoy spending my limited amount of leisure time on a variety
of fun activities, such as traveling, dancing, hiking, swimming,
playing badminton, yoga, Karaoke and cooking.
Sara
Hinds, BS
Born and raised
in sunny Miami, Florida, I started my career in science during my
freshman year of high school when I earned a research opportunity
with the organic chemistry department at the University of Miami.
I graduated from Ransom Everglades high school in Coconut Grove
and was accepted early to the undergraduate program at Duke’s Pratt
School of Engineering. I spent a summer working as a neurology lab
assistant in Dr. Dalton Dietrich’s laboratory at the Miami Project
to Cure Paralysis and in my junior year, I was given a Duke Pratt
fellowship, which is when I began my work in Dr. Bursac’s lab. Under
his guidance, my research primarily concentrated on engineering
bio-artificial muscle constructs for experimental studies and tissue
replacement therapy. Upon graduating from Duke, I was awarded the
Pilkington Memorial Award for my accomplishments in the study of
BME and have since enrolled in Duke’s graduate School of Engineering
where I am currently pursuing a thesis Masters.
I grew up in rural central Ohio and then attended Denison University
in Granville, Ohio
where I received a BS in Biology in 2001. I accepted a scientific
research position at
Cogent Neuroscience, a startup biotech company, in Durham, NC. After
1.5 years at
Cogent, I then spent 2.5 years working on ion channel research at
BASF Corporation in RTP, NC. After spending four years in industry
I was awarded an NSF Graduate Fellowship and joined Dr. Bursac's
lab in the summer of 2005 to pursue my PhD in Biomedical Engineering.
Brian
Liau, BS
I did my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at Johns
Hopkins. I am from Singapore. My non-scientific interests include
movies, playing tennis, judo, and organizing events for the Singaporean
community here at Duke.
Luke
McSpadden, BS
I grew
up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, a small town in the northeast corner
of the state and home of the Price Tower. I attended college at
The University of Oklahoma where I studied electrical engineering
and received a BS in 2004. After graduating, I decided to switch
my focus to Biomedical Engineering and came to North Carolina to
study cardiac electrophysiology in Dr. Bursac's lab at Duke. I'm
currently in my 6th year of graduate school and hope to receive
my PhD within the next year. Outside of lab I like to run, play
IM sports, read novels, follow OU football and Duke basketball,
and explore what the Triangle has to offer.
Originally
from Cincinnati, Ohio, I came to Duke University Pratt School of
Engineering as an undergraduate student in 2007. I am currently
pursing a BS in biomedical engineering with a minor in chemistry.
In the summer of 2008, I became interested in academic research
after working as a Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellow. This past
fall, I joined the Bursac Lab as an independent study student. Outside
of lab and schoolwork, I enjoy traveling, playing cello, community
service, and skiing.
I
grew up in southern Louisiana, where I attended Southeastern Louisiana
University and earned B.S. degrees in physics, mathematics, and
microbiology (and a minor in chemistry). Biomedical engineering
seemed like a logical way to integrate what I had learned as an
undergraduate. I headed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, where I earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in BME, with specialization
in cardiac electrophysiology. I then spent two years performing
research under a clinical electrophysiologist at the VA hospital
in Brooklyn, NY. I recently returned to the triangle area to join
Dr. Bursac’s group and learn more about their micropatterning and
cell culture methods, and to help with further development of their
optical mapping systems.
Originally
from South Korea, I got my PhD in Cell Biology at Duke studying
the membrane adaptor protein, ankyrin. I then moved to human genetics
research for epilepsy and HIV/AIDS. Recently I joined Dr. Bursac's
lab to study adult stem cell differentiation toward cardiomyocytes
using a lentiviral system.
O
Originally
from Northern California, I graduated from UCLA in 2003 with a BS
in Electrical Engineering (BME emphasis). I am currently working
on my final year as a graduate student here at Duke.
When I'm not busy pushing the frontiers of cardiac micropatterning
and electrophysiology, I enjoy cooking (immediately followed by
eating), music, and spending quality time with my friends. Ultimately,
I would like to return to Northern California to be closer to my
family and friends.
Born
in Shanghai, one of the largest cities in China, I spent 18 years
of my prime life time in this prosperous metropolis, a place used
to be called ‘Oriental Paris’ and now a rising economic and financial
center in the asia-pacific region. In 1999, I was unexpectedly admitted
by Tsinghua University, one of the most prestigious colleges in
China. As a result of this surprising accident, I moved to Beijing,
the capital of the People’s Republic of China, and graduated with
a major in Electrical Engineering after 4 years of memorable college
life. Deeply attracted by the beautiful magic of the marriage between
biology and engineering, I came to the United States for my graduate
studies in the exciting field of Biomedical Engineering. I spent
2 years at Johns Hopkins and obtained my master degree with a thesis
on cardiac reentrant arrhythmias. In the summer of 2005, I joined
Dr. Bursac’s cardiac electrophysiology and tissue engineering lab
at Duke to pursue my Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering. Outside
the lab, I like to hang out with my lovely friends and have fun.
I also enjoy spending my limited amount of leisure time on a variety
of fun activities, such as traveling, dancing, hiking, swimming,
playing badminton, yoga, Karaoke and cooking. 
I grew up in rural central Ohio and then attended Denison University
in Granville, Ohio
Originally
from Cincinnati, Ohio, I came to Duke University Pratt School of
Engineering as an undergraduate student in 2007. I am currently
pursing a BS in biomedical engineering with a minor in chemistry.
In the summer of 2008, I became interested in academic research
after working as a Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellow. This past
fall, I joined the Bursac Lab as an independent study student. Outside
of lab and schoolwork, I enjoy traveling, playing cello, community
service, and skiing.