The Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows are a select group of graduate trainees that participate in the Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows Program. The year-long educational experience introduces Fellows to people, programs, and resources that influence creating solutions to societies unmet needs in healthcare.
Meet our Fellows
Lauren Lavin
Lauren's passion for innovation comes from a natural curiosity and love for exploring new ideas. She focuses on virtual care, especially how technology in healthcare settings can impact cost. Lauren hopes to create a unique healthcare product or work in venture capital supporting healthcare startups.
George Barrera
George has always enjoyed understanding how things work, often taking things apart to see their inner workings. Now pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering, his research focuses on optimizing coatings for cochlear implants. George is passionate about improving brain-computer interfaces and reducing issues like fibrotic response.
Ayushi Sood
Ayushi has always been passionate about science and research. Her graduate studies focus on biomedical sciences, with a long-term goal of bridging the gap between science and society, making complex concepts understandable for everyone.
Kaleb Bierstedt
Kaleb grew up surrounded by entrepreneurs in the financial sector. Drawn more to science and engineering, he’s now pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, focusing on pulmonary microfluidics. Kaleb enjoys solving complex problems and aims to develop innovative models for personalized medicine in treating pulmonary diseases.
Vishuka Pathirana
Vishuka is passionate about innovation and creativity, currently focusing on increasing crop yields through sulfide-based treatments, a project with global impact potential. She aims to advance medicinal chemistry by developing sustainable and accessible healthcare solutions.
Garret Caltrider
Garret loves the challenge of innovation, comparing it to solving a puzzle by combining resources to create new devices. His Senior Design project and graduate research have led to two patent-pending devices he hopes to bring to market.
Abby Morrison
Abby developed a passion for cancer research during her undergraduate studies, where she explored cell death mechanisms in leukemia. Inspired by her grandmother's battle with cervical cancer, Abby is pursuing a PhD in Cancer Biology at the Carver College of Medicine. Her thesis focuses on overcoming hormone therapy resistance in endometrial cancer.
Ashley Cooney, PhD
Ashley is passionate about developing therapies for genetic diseases, especially genetic lung disorders. A Postdoctoral scholar in Pediatric Pulmonology, she has filed an invention disclosure and a provisional patent for her recent discovery.
Siddhanth Hejmady
Siddhanth grew up with a deep curiosity about how medicines work in the human body. His passion for pharmaceutical biotechnology led him to pursue advanced studies, and his research focuses on improving the stability and formulation of monoclonal antibodies. He aims to work as a Biologics Scientist, advancing the development of safe and effective biologics.
Mikayla Kamon
Mikayla's experience working in Emergency Medical Services has fueled her interest in innovation and developing multi-functional medical devices. She transitioned her studies from biological anthropology to biomedical engineering, driven by her desire to use knowledge of the past to enhance the future of medicine.
Maleeha Naseem
Maleeha is a clinician scientist whose passion for innovation began during her residency, where she helped develop a pediatric resuscitation device that later earned a patent. She aims to bridge clinical practice and research to advance trauma care.
Meet Our Alumni Fellows
Lola Lozano
MD/Ph.D. Candidate, Genetics, Carver College of Medicine and Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
Tristan Miller
MS, Biomedical/Medical Engineering
After graduation: Bioengineering Research, Legacy Health
Winter Philibert
Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa Graduate College
Austin McKee
Ph.D., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
After Graduation: Innovation Coordinator, UI Ventures and Protostudios; Electrochemical engineering innovation research under Dr. Syed Mubeen
Konna Zoga
PhD., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
After Graduation: Development Engineer, Field Medical
Andrew Jezewski
Postdoctoral Fellow & Scholar, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
After Postdoctoral Appointment: Assistant Professor, Genetics and Biochemistry and nd Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Clemson University
