Biographical Sketch

Perpetual challenges are the beauty of biomedical engineering; they continue to be the benchmark for learning and my drive as a scientist and innovator. The question to answer, the puzzle to assemble, or finding the reason, cure or preventative measure, drives me. Solutions are not black and white, but through complex and thoughtful analysis, curiosity and creativity, the answers can be found.
My extensive research and hands-on experiences in acoustics, physiology and engineering have given me critical tools to tackle diverse challenges. Experience drives the development of new solutions; my partnerships with skilled scientists and novel technologies have given my lab the capability to design novel ultrasound systems, study ultrasound-assisted transport coupled with bioacoustic effects, improve upon clinical approaches for brain cancer and rehabilitation treatments and generate new tools to inspire biomedical research and improve human healthcare.

I have over 16 years of ultrasound research and development experience in industrial and medical uses of ultrasound. My bachelor and doctoral studies focused on ultrasonic applications for drug delivery, non-invasive surgical techniques and ultrasound fetal monitoring. A nominee from Cornell University for the Brilliant Ten Popular Science and MIT TR35 award, my work has pioneered the development of new therapeutic ultrasound applications. I have over 23 publications, 22 lectures at national medical engineering meetings, and 4 industrial research partnerships. I am the current chair of therapeutic ultrasound for the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and session chair for bioacoustics for the Acoustical Society of America. Additionally, I have owned and operated three successful small businesses Top of the Class Tutors LLC, Southern Tier Tutors LLC and Kool Kennel LLC with over twelve employees and founder of ZetrOZ LLC a spin-off from my university laboratory.

I have consulted and worked with companies such as Philips, GE, AngioDynamics, Transducer Engineering and Active Grid Technologies, and have been the investigator on multiple ultrasound related projects over the last decade. In my research position at Cornell University; my lab has translated ultrasound imaging, therapy and ablation technologies from the bench top into clinical evaluation in Central New York and New York City Hospitals. Currently my Lab is working with medical doctors to improve wireless maternal monitoring, develop ultrasound based treatments to reduce pharmaceutical use in patients with osteoarthritis, and design non-invasive surgical treatments for varicose veins. Most recently, my lab has begun work on a joint collaborative effort between Weill Cornell Medical Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell University BME to develop the first implantable ultrasound device for brain tumor therapy.

These unique research adventures into engineering, physics, biology, electronics, anatomy, mathematics and computers, makes my labs focus distinctive and clinically translatable. My work does not shy away from tough medical problems, but drives toward disentangling answers, armed with multidisciplinary approaches. My research blends the flavors of science and the physical world into medical solutions for a better tomorrow.