Utari Santosa
Graduate Research Assistant
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About
Advisor: Nathaniel Huebsch, Ph.D.
Experience
Graduate Research Assistant - Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO
(2024-08)
Advisor: Nathaniel Huebsch, Ph.D.
- Engineering microfluidic vessel-on-a-chip devices to study endothelial-smooth muscle cell crosstalk in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.
- Developing sacrificial polymers to increase microfluidic device production and throughput.
Graduate Research Assistant - Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO
(2024-01 - 2024-08)
Advisor: Michelle Oyen, Ph.D.
- Synthesized a biomaterials suite for uteroplacental tissue engineering and characterized their properties through chemical, mechanical, and cell studies.
- Investigated methods to develop a novel 3D collagen IV-based hydrogel to replicate collagen IV structures in the native endometrium.
Graduate Research Assistant - Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO
(2023-08 - 2023-12)
Advisor: Alexandra Rutz, Ph.D.
- Investigated the effects of ionic liquid type and concentration on the gelling mechanics of PEDOT:PSS conductive hydrogels.
Biomaterials Intern - Systemic Bio - Houston, TX
(2023-05 - 2023-08)
- Optimized print and material properties to achieve micron-scale print resolution for 3D-printing vasculature within synthetic hydrogels.
- Developed a profile of resilient synthetic hydrogels and characterized their mechanical properties through rheometry.
Applications Engineering Intern - 3D Systems - Houston, TX
(2022-05 - 2022-08)
- Designed a 3D-bioprinted vascularized hydrogel tissue scaffold and demonstrated complete perfusion of the vascular architecture.
- Optimized print parameters to ensure reproducibility and mechanical stability of printed hydrogel and vasculature.
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA
(2021-09 - 2023-05)
Advisor: Michael Davis, Ph.D.
- Improved bioprinted hydrogel scaffold mechanical durability and structure through bioink optimization and demonstrated increased viability of encapsulated cells over 14 days.
- Developed strategies to improve interfacial adhesion between biomaterials.
- Performed RT-qPCR to assess gene expression of induced-mesenchymal stem cells after dynamic culture conditions.
Undergraduate Research Assistant - University of North Texas - Denton, TX
(2018-11 - 2020-05)
Advisor: Mauricio Antunes, Ph.D.
- Designed primers to clone DNA fragments of a naringenin-sensitive bacterial biosensor and reporter gene transcriptional factors into plasmids and verified cloning.
- Transformed plasmids into plant protoplasts and quantified fluorescence through the NightOwl imaging system to verify naringenin-dependent gene expression.
Graduate Assistant Instructor - Washington University - St. Louis, MO
(2025-08 - 2025-12)
Course: BME 5780 Engineering for Women's Health
- Designed and graded quizzes, in-class activities, homework, and student projects.
- Developed and presented the lecture, 'An overview of tissue-engineered 3D models and their applications in women's health engineering'.
Education
Ph.D. - Biomedical Engineering - Washington University in St. Louis (2023-08 - 2029-05)
M.S. - Biomedical Engineering - Washington University in St. Louis (2023-08 - 2025-12)
B.S. - Biomedical Engineering - Georgia Institute of Technology (2020-08 - 2023-05)
