Featured speakers: Alexi Reed, Ariana Belton, Jason Boileau, Mauri Spendlove, Parvathy Hareesh and Sierra Chimene
Date: Friday, Aug. 21
Time: 1:30–2:20 p.m.
Location: SCOB 228
Abstract
Curious about the research happening across our department and how to navigate the grad school journey? Join us for a fast-paced series of five-minute student lightning talks featuring rapid-fire research overviews, hard-earned advice and practical takeaways for your own path.
Biosketches
Alexi Reed
Fourth-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering
Reed is a fourth- and final-year PhD candidate in Associate Professor Sydney Schaefer’s laboratory. Her research focuses on validating a novel performance-based test for preclinical Alzheimer’s disease screening. Prior to joining ASU, Reed earned her Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Long Beach State University and conducted research at Purdue University and the University of Michigan.
Ariana Belton
Third-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering
Belton is a third-year doctoral student in Associate Professor Jessica Weaver’s lab researching cell therapies for Type1diabetes. Belton earned her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from Rutgers University. Following graduation, she worked at Bristol Myers Squibb as a Cell Therapy associate developing CAR-T therapeutics for multiple myeloma.
Jason Boileau
Biomedical and Videographer AI Trainer, Handshake
’26 MS in biomedical engineering
Boileau earned his Master of Science in biomedical engineering at ASU in 2026. He has completed projects in biomaterial research and biocompatibility tests regarding a two-rod kyphosis correction device for Dr. Matthew Halanski of Phoenix Children’s. In Professor Jennifer Blain Christen’s lab at ASU, Jason has worked on measuring the deformation of proprietary ex vivo one-way hydrocephalus drainage valves.
His student work training neural networks has produced multiple cardiac and neural classification models, resulting in a position at Handshake as an AI Trainer for biomedical and videographer domains. His professional work is in the field of accident reconstruction as a technical animator for BioRec. His creation of 3D models and animations allows for better visualization of accidents within courtrooms during lawsuits.
Mauri Spendlove
Second-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering
Spendlove is a second-year doctoral student in the BioProtean Lab led by Assistant Professor Benjamin Bartelle. She uses spatial transcriptomic methods to investigate the role of microglia in neural regeneration. Spendlove earned her Bachelor of Science in cell biology and physiology at Brigham Young University and worked at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in the Spike Lab culturing patient-derived xenografted breast cancer organoids.
Although her past research experience includes both wet lab and dry lab work, she does primarily computational work in her PhD. Spendlove is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and loves hiking, reading and board games.
Parvathy Hareesh
Second-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering
Hareesh is a second-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering at Arizona State University and conducts her doctoral research at the Barrow Neuroimaging Innovation Center at Barrow Neurological Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Dortch. Her research focuses on developing and optimizing diffusion MRI techniques for improved visualization of cranial nerves in presence of skullbase tumors.
Sierra Chimene
Third-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering
Chimene is a third-year doctoral student in President’s Professor Sarah Stabenfeldt’s lab. Her research focuses on modulating the adaptive immune response after traumatic brain injury.
Before joining ASU, she earned her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
