Jenna Materna
Biomedical engineering
Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona, United States
Graduation date: Spring 2026
Additional details: Honors student
FURI | Fall 2024
Azide-PEG-SG Hydrogel Characterization through Rheological Assessments
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that impairs pancreatic islet function and causes chronic blood glucose dysregulation. Islet cell transplantation is a promising solution, but antigen recognition by the immune system necessitates toxic immunosuppressant therapies for graft viability. Literature suggests that trophoblast extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain immunomodulatory factors that could suppress the immune response locally. Hydrolytically degradable hydrogels are a promising delivery method of EVs because rate of delivery can be engineered to suit different clinical needs. This study aims to characterize hydrolytically degradable hydrogels by quantifying rheological data and degradation over time in vitro.
Mentor: Jessica Weaver
It’s hip to be square.
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Sponsored project | Fall 2024
Jenna Materna’s FURI project is sponsored by the Ahmad Family Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative Fund.
Jalal U. and Syeda F. Ahmad and their children — Jaheen N., Raisa N. and Nafisah N., all of whom attended the Fulton Schools — established a fund to give back and support undergraduate students in their pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of research. Their endowment, which funds a materials science, mechanical, biomedical or electrical engineering student, was created to help more students have the life-changing experience of conducting research through FURI.