NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Rachel joined the lab as a Ph.D. student in 2015 after completing her B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As an undergraduate, she researched nonviral substrate-mediated gene delivery systems for mammalian and algal transfection. During this time, she was an active member of Delta Gamma fraternity and the engineering student government. Her current research interests involve understanding the physical and molecular mechanisms regulating focal invasion and metastasis of breast and pancreatic cancer, especially within the cancer stem cell population. Rachel enjoys science fiction novels, board games and Taco Bell.