Tabitha Derr

• Ph.D. Student, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems
• B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Geneva College, 2018

Email: td627@drexel.edu

Research Focus: Additive manufacturing of 3D printing of PEEK and PEKK; retrieval analysis of patellas and other orthopaedic components; porous structure 3D printing.

Paul DeSantis

• Ph.D. Student, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems
• B.S. / M.S., Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, 2020

Email: pmd67@drexel.edu

Research Focus: Biocompatibility testing of 3D printed materials; bacterial adhesion analysis; orthopaedic material characterization.

Abigail Tetteh

• Ph.D. Student, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems
• M.S., Bioengineering, Temple University, 2020
• B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2017

Email: aat96@drexel.edu

Research Focus: Investigating the relationship between the structural and mechanical characteristics of lumbar spine cages created by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) of PEEK and PEKK. Previous research included optimizing print parameters for FFF printing of Fibertuff and assessing its mechanical properties for creating 3D printed synthetic bone, conducting retrieval analysis on megaprostheses implants, and utilizing 3D printing to create anatomical models for surgical training.

M.S. Thesis: Improving biodegradable polymers to enhance osteointegration and antibacterial property for orthopedic applications

Shabnam Aslani

• Ph.D. Student, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems
• M.S., Biomedical Engineering - Biomaterials, Iran University of Science & Technology, 2016
• B.S., Materials Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, 2013

Email: sa3825@drexel.edu

Research Focus: Medical image segmentation and design of patient-specific implants for 3D printing; Retrieval analysis of spinal total disc replacements; Metal ion analysis of tissue retrieved from joint arthroplasty patients.

Arjun Sharma

• Ph.D. Student, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems
• M.S., Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, 2022
  Concentration: Biomedical Technology Development
• MBA, Hospital Administration, Institute of Management Studies, DAVV, India, 2022
• BBA, Hospital Administration, Institute of Management Studies, DAVV, India, 2020

Email: as5753@drexel.edu

Research Focus: Mechanical testing of carbon fiber reinforced PEEK using Universal Testing Machines to assess the material's tensile, compressive, and flexural properties; Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using ANSYS simulating the behavior of the composites under different loads and conditions, enabling advanced analysis of stress distribution and deformation to optimize design and predict performance.