Robert Claar

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Robert Claar
Biomedical Engineering
robert727@ufl.edu | LinkedIn
Multimodal Neural Imaging
Computational Modeling

Robert received his B.S. degree from UF in 2017. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering with Professors Lamb and Otto. His current work focuses MNI and CM.

David Hall

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David Hall
Biomedical Engineering
david.hall@ufl.edu | LinkedIn
Magnetic Nanoparticle Stimulation

 

David received his B.S. degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio in 2019. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering with Professors Otto and Dobson. His current work focuses on understanding how functionalized magnetic nanoparticles can be employed to modulate cellular activity.

Kelsey Sinclair

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Kelsey Sinclair

Biomedical Engineering | University of Florida 
kelseysinclair@ufl.edu | LinkedIn
Ultramicroelectrode Arrays

Kelsey received her B.S. degree from Florida Gulf Coast University and her M.S. from the University of Florida in 2023. Before she started her masters degree, she worked as a research tech in a computational biology lab, using semantic segmentation ML models to identify pigmentation patterns in fruit flies. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and is working on studying how ultramicroelectrode arrays (UMEAs) can be utilized to perform higher selectivity in neural stimulation via temporal and spatial current steering and recording neural responses from in vivo electrode implantations.

Qiwei (Alex) Dong

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Qiwei (Alex) Dong

Electrical & Computer Engineering | Purdue University 
dongqiwei@ufl.edu | LinkedIn 
Ultramicroelectrode arrays

 

 

Qiwei received his B.S. degree in Cognitive Science, specialized in Machine Learning and Neural Computation at the University of California, San Diego in 2019. He then received his M.S. degree in Neurobiology at the Northwestern University. His M.S. research with Dr. Lee Miller focused on single-cell level neural recordings of primates doing free-reaching upper limb movements. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Florida. He is focusing on understanding the properties of ultramicroelectrode arrays in vivo during recording and stimulating and using these novel tools to approach neuroscience questions.  Fun facts: Has a cat named Sucrose, is the first person in his family to continue into graduate school and study abroad. Likes cooking.

Esdras Camacho

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Esdras Camacho
Chemical Engineering
esdrascamacho@ulf.edu@ulf.edu

Esdras graduated with a BS in chemical engineering student at the University of Florida. He has collaborated on the MARTEENI project to develop an understanding of the applications and interactions of PEDOT:PSS on microelectrodes by assisting in implanting these devices in vivo into Lewis Rats. 

team

Going away party

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We had a blast bowling and Dr. Otto beat everyone.

 

Ben and Liz

Goodbye Ben and Liz! We will miss you!

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Ben Romanauski has been our lab tech all summer and has been a critical component in getting our surgeries back on track. He is headed to Case Western for graduate school.

Liz Su has been our SURF student this summer. She has been excellent working on our behavioral evaluation development and getting our animals trained. She will be applying to graduate school to attend next Fall.

Angelique Vela (2022-2023)

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Angelique Vela 
Electrical & Computer Engineering
avela1@ufl.edu | LinkedIn
Engineering the neuronal response to
electrical microstimulation/ULTRASTIM

Angelique completed her BS in Electrical Engineering at the University of Florida in 2022. Her interest in the electrical stimulation of stem cells from her undergraduate research experience with Dr. Erin Patrick led her to pursue graduate research with Dr. Kevin Otto working on the electrical stimulation of neural units. Currently, she is a PhD student in Dr. Otto’s Neuroprostheses Research Lab collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to engineer neural interfaces, specifically, multi-channel implantable microdevices in both the central and peripheral nervous systems.