Principal Investigator
Prof. Jingjie Hu, Ph.D.
Dr. Jingjie Hu is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She is also an associate faculty member of the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC–Chapel Hill and NC State, and a member of the Comparative Medicine Institute.
Dr. Hu completed her postdoctoral training at Mayo Clinic on biomaterials for embolization. She received her Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 2018, where she worked with Prof. Wole Soboyejo on tumor-specific nanocarriers and cell mechanics for the detection and treatment of breast cancer. Prior to that, she earned her B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2013, with minors in Multidisciplinary Design and Mathematics.
Dr. Hu’s broad research interests include materials, nanotechnology, and the mechanics of biomedical materials and devices.
Graduate Students
George Varghese P J (Ph.D. 2022 – Present)
George pursued his Bachelors (2017) from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), India in Polymer Science and Engineering and Masters (2021) from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna, India in Materials Science and Engineering. His research interests are in the field of materials characterization, materials for biomedical applications, synthesis of biopolymers, and synthesis of graphene and graphene-like materials. George likes hiking, driving and playing soccer during his free time.
Keren Zhao (Ph.D. 2022 – Present)
Keren Zhao possesses extensive knowledge in a variety of engineering fields, including industrial, mechanical, and civil engineering. Her research lies in the areas of manufacturing and mechanics. She focused on the mechanical properties of materials led by the structures and structure design. Her ultimate research goal is to make sustainable innovations that lead to disruptive breakthroughs.
Peng Chen (Ph.D. 2023 – Present)
Peng received his bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Guangdong University of Technology. After 7 years of working in the petroleum industry, he went to the University of Dayton and received his master’s degrees in chemical engineering and materials engineering. Currently his research focuses on mechanical properties of biocompatible materials. He is also interested in fabrication and application of micro and nanomaterials. Outside of work, he likes to travel.
Augusta Ekpemogu (Ph.D. 2024 – Present)
Augusta earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria (now Rivers State University), and worked briefly in the EPCC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning) sector before pursuing a master’s degree in Building Services Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Her research interests include materials design and development, characterization, and the mechanical properties of materials, with a focus on developing novel materials for biomedical applications. In her free time, she enjoys reading novels, going to the gym, house cleaning, and exploring new places.
Cong Meng (Ph.D. 2024 – Present, co-advised with Dr. Arun Kota)
Cong Meng has rich experience in designing in vivo and in vitro inflammation and tumor models. During her master’s degree, she studied cluster therapy for acute kidney injury and autoimmune hepatitis. The goal of her doctoral program is to learn more knowledge about materials and mechanics, and integrate animal models with materials mechanically.
Undergraduates
Caleb Leung (Undergraduate researcher, 2026 – Present)
Caleb is an undergraduate student studying Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University. He is interested in healthcare with research interests at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and biomedical materials. Caleb has gained clinical exposure through emergency medical training, which reinforces his interest in healthcare-focused research.
Setayesh Naseri (Undergraduate researcher, 2026 – Present)
Setayesh (Seta) is an undergraduate student studying Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University, with minors in Biological Sciences and English. Her research interests include a combination of mechanics, biomaterials, and healthcare. She has previous experience in researching biodegradable batteries for environmental applications. She also has had industry experience as a manufacturing and design intern.
Alumni
Zubin Chacko (MS, 2021 – 2022)
Caleb Overman (UG, 2022, MAE 496 Undergraduate Project Work in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
Alyssa Young (UG, 2024-2025, PEP Program)