Lab

Current graduate and Veterinary students

Anmol Madaan, Summer 2024

Current UnderGraduate students

Current High School students

Diego Cajiao, Summer 2023 - 2024

Diego Cajiao is a high school student at Wellington C. Mepham High School in the class of 2025. Starting in the summer of 2023 he worked in the Bone Biomechanics Lab at LIU CVM experimenting with 3D printing trabecular bone for mechanical testing in tension and compression. He hopes to pursue a career in the robotics field building life size automatons capable of completing human tasks.

Lab graduate Alumni

Vanessa Rhee 2022-23

Vanessa Rhee is a first-year student in LIU CVM. She graduated Columbia University in 2019. She is very interested in biomechanics and 3D modeling. She plans to continue to study the biomechanics applied to veterinary medicine with the concentration in the physical rehabilitation of small animals. 

Chance Rohter 2021-23

Chance Rohter is a veterinary student at the Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024. He graduated from the University of South Florida, class of 2017 (B.S. in Environmental Science). Some of his interests include working with exotic cats, 3D printing and movie prop building, and going to the gym.  

Giovanni Diaz 2021-23

Giovanni graduated in 2017 from Manhattan College with a B.S. in Biology and is currently a veterinary student at the Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024. He currently has an interest in orthopedic surgery and plans to get certified in canine physical rehabilitation and acupuncture in the long run as well.  

Laura Gundersen 2021-24

Laura Gundersen is a veterinary student at the Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024. She graduated with a degree in Animal Science from Cornell University in 2017. Her interests are varied, including physical rehabilitation and wildlife medicine.

Michael Mann 2021-24

Michael Mann is a veterinary student at the Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024, and a graduate (B.S. in Biology with a minor in Ecosystems and Human Impact) from Stony Brook University.  He is interested in pursuing a career in the field research as a veterinarian. 

Jeremy Pember 2020-24

Jeremy is a veterinary student at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Long Island University (LIU Post CVM), class of 2024, and a graduate (B.S. in Biology) from SUNY Oneonta. He is working on micro-CT bone segmentation (using the Dragonfly software), as part of a project that looks into the structure-function relationship of trabecular bone in the human tali.

Nicolette Madonna 2021

Nicolette is a veterinary student at the Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024, and a graduate (B.S. in Biological Science) from Rowan University. Nicolette started her research in the Bone Biomechanics Lab in Spring 2021. she is involved in multiple projects, studying the mechanical behavior and micro/macro structure of cortical and trabecular bone tissues.

Cassidy Marquette 2021

Cassidy Marquette is a veterinary student at Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024, and a graduate of Ithaca College with a B.S. in Biochemistry and minor in Exercise Science. She is very interested in continuing her education in the field of Biomechanics.

Gia Diaz 2021

Gia Diaz graduated with a degree in Biology and Spanish and is currently a veterinary student at LIU College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2024. Her long term goal is to be a board certified surgeon and she has a particular interest in orthopedics, as well as endoscopy and arthroscopy surgeries. 

Jack Nguyen 2018-19

ack is a Biology graduate student (former Biology major @ Winthrop University). Jack is studying the effect of cortical remodeling on bone stiffness in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) proximal humerus.
J.T. Nguyen and M.M. Barak. Secondary osteon structural heterogeneity between the cranial and caudal cortices of the proximal humerus in white-tailed deer. Journal of Experimental Biology. 223(11): jeb225482 (2020)
M.M. Barak and J. Nguyen. Quantifying regional variations of secondary osteons’ size from white-tailed deer proximal humeri as a tool to predict compressive vs. tensile loading. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 171(S69):17 (2020)

Ariel Kunde 2015-17

Ariel is a Biology graduate student (Co-advised with Dr. Vicky Frost), on her way to dental school (DMD). Her graduate thesis is on the effect of Staphylococcus aureus infection on the stiffness of cortical bone.
A.N. Kunde, V.J. Frost, M.M. Barak. Acute exposure of white-tailed deer cortical bone to Staphylococcus aureus did not result in reduced bone stiffness. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. 82: 329-37 (2018)

Lisa Baird 2014-16

Lisa is a Biology graduate student (Co-advised with Dr. Matt Stern); recipient of the "King's Fellowship" and the "Graduate Assistant Scholarship". She had graduate (B.S. in Biology and French) from Wofford College in 2014. Her graduate thesis is titled "Establishing a Novel 3D culture system to study Osteogenesis In Vitro". Lisa was accepted into PA school at Gardner-Webb University.

Emily Long 2018-20

Emily is a Biology graduate student (Co-advised with Dr. Vicky Frost). Her graduate thesis is on the effect of Staphylococcus aureus exposure on white-tailed deer trabecular bone stiffness and strength.
E.B. Long, M.M. Barak, V.J. Frost. The effect of Staphylococcus aureus exposure on white-tailed deer trabecular 4 bone stiffness and yield. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Submitted (2021)

Lab undergraduate Alumni

Michael Kurpisz, 2022-23

Michael Kurpisz ia a biology major at LIU post. He graduated from East Meadow high school class of 2020. His career goal is to become a veterinarian. Michael is a member of the cross country/track team and the esports team. 

Tara Lauther, 2022-23

Tara Lauther is an undergraduate Health Sciences student at Long Island University Post, class of 2023. Tara is an alumna of Suffolk County Community College (A.A. Liberal Arts), class of 2021, and Hampton Bays High School, class of 2021. Her career goal is to become a physician. At LIU, she is a member of Alpha Xi Delta, Tri Beta Biological Honor Society, and the equestrian team. 

Meha Patel 2017-18

eha is a Biology major. She is looking into the effect of 3D printing layer orientation on the mechanical properties of solid and porous printed models. 
Z. Wood, L. Lynn, J.T. Nguyen, M.A. Black, M. Patel and M.M. Barak. Are we crying Wolff? 3D printed replicas of trabecular bone structure demonstrate higher stiffness and strength during off-axis loading. Bone. 127: 635-45 (2019)
M.M. Barak and M. Patel. Studying trabecular bone tissue structure-function relationship using 3D printing. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 168(S68):12 (2019)

Nick Tucker, Spring 2018

Nick is a Biology major expected to graduate May 2018. During the Spring of 2018 Nick worked on determining the tensile stiffness and strength of trabecular bone structure along its 3 principle orientations using a 3D printed model. 

Naima Jackson, Summer 2017

Naima is a Biology major and a player in Winthrop's woman's basketball team. During the Summer of 2017 Naima investigated cortical bone stiffness in the cranial and caudal aspects of the proximal humeri of white-tailed deer. 

Michael DeLashmutt 2017

Michael is a Biology major. His summer project involved sectioning, embedding and polishing cross-sectional bone samples from the proximal humeri of white-tailed deer. These bone samples were then viewed and analyzed using a polarized microscope and a scanning electron microscope to evaluate bone remodeling in the cranial and caudal aspects of the bone. 

Jack Nguyen 2016-17

ack is a Biology major. Jack is involved in several projects: (1) investigating the variability of cortical bone stiffness along the femur shaft of growing white-tailed deer [Summer 2016], (2) the mechanical properties of tibial mid-diaphysis cortical bone in male/female and young/old mice [Fall 2016], and (3) studying bone remodeling in the humerus of growing white-tailed deer [Spring and Summer 2017]. 
Z. Wood, L. Lynn, J.T. Nguyen, M.A. Black, M. Patel and M.M. Barak. Are we crying Wolff? 3D printed replicas of trabecular bone structure demonstrate higher stiffness and strength during off-axis loading. Bone. 127: 635-45 (2019)

Arielle Black 2015-16

ch is an Athletic Training major, graduated Summa Cum Laude in the fall of 2016. Currently, he is working towards a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. During the summer of 2015 Zach worked with Lisa Howard on the contribution of trabecular bone tissue to bone's stiffness and strength using 3D printed models.clude Finite Element Modeling. Upon graduation, she plans to continue on to recieve her Doctorate of Chiropractic with a possible Masters in Neurology. 
Z. Wood, L. Lynn, J.T. Nguyen, M.A. Black, M. Patel and M.M. Barak. Are we crying Wolff? 3D printed replicas of trabecular bone structure demonstrate higher stiffness and strength during off-axis loading. Bone. 127: 635-45 (2019)
M.M. Barak, M.A. Black. A novel use of 3D printing model demonstrates the effects of deteriorated trabecular bone structure on bone stiffness and strength. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. 78: 455-64 (2018)
M.M. Barak and M.A. Black. Using 3D-Printing to Evaluate Trabecular Bone Mechanical Properties. FASEB Journal 31 902.23 (2017)

Ben Harrison, Summer 2016

Ben is a Biochemistry major. He is working on scaling effects of 3D printed models of trabecular tissue. 

Kristin Ramirez 2015-16

Kristin is a Biology major and an Honor's student; graduated Summa Cum Laude, spring 2016. Currently she is starting her graduate degree (Physical Therapy, PT) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kristin worked on the comparison of strength and stiffness between male and female mice Achilles tendon.

Roger Gonzalez 2015-16

Roger is a Biology major, graduated Spring 2016. Currently employed as a professional baseball player, playing with the Oakland Athletics. Roger worked on comparing cortical bone stiffness in the femur vs. humerus and the effect of mineral content. 

Emily Boggs Spring 2016

Emily is a Biology major and an Honor's student. Her project focused on 3D printed models of trabecular bone - testing structural stiffness during off-axis loading. 

Patton McClelland 2015

Patton is a Biology major (pre-med) from Carleton College, Northfield, MN. Patton worked in my lab during the summer of 2015 on the effect of temperature (cold and warm) on the orthotropic mechanical properties of cortical bone. Currently Patton is a biomedical research intern at the University of Virginia- working to determine the activation pathway for the ion channel Pannexin (Panx1) 

Hoskins Deshawn 2015

Shawn recently graduated with a BS in Bioengineering from Clemson University, SC; graduated 2016. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Science (M.S.) degree in Medical Device Innovation at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Shawn was a McNair scholar in my lab during the summer of 2015. His worked focused on comparing the tensile and compressive Young’s moduli of cortical bone. While in grad school he is working towards building a successful startup in the medical device industry.  

Zach Wood, Summer 2015

ach is an Athletic Training major, graduated Summa Cum Laude in the fall of 2016. Currently, he is working towards a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. During the summer of 2015 Zach worked with Lisa Howard on the contribution of trabecular bone tissue to bone's stiffness and strength using 3D printed models.
Z. Wood, L. Lynn, J.T. Nguyen, M.A. Black, M. Patel and M.M. Barak. Are we crying Wolff? 3D printed replicas of trabecular bone structure demonstrate higher stiffness and strength during off-axis loading. Bone. 127: 635-45 (2019)

Lisa Lynn, Summer 2015

isa is a Biology major, graduated Cum Laude, spring 2016. Currently she is at graduate school pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching degree (MAT5) at the University of Winthrop. During the summer of 2015 Lisa worked with Zach Wood on the contribution of trabecular bone tissue to bone's stiffness and strength using 3D printed models.
Z. Wood, L. Lynn, J.T. Nguyen, M.A. Black, M. Patel and M.M. Barak. Are we crying Wolff? 3D printed replicas of trabecular bone structure demonstrate higher stiffness and strength during off-axis loading. Bone. 127: 635-45 (2019)

NaiKesha Daniels 2014-16

Kesha is a Biology major (pre veterinary). Her project deals with osteocyte's lacunae size, shape and density in weight bearing vs. non-weight bearing bones.

Haley Lindner, Fall 2014

Haley is a Biology major which graduated December 2014. Currently she is at graduate school pursuing her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree (DMD). Her lab work was on the effect of dental caries and restorations on tooth stiffness.

Arlene Haskins, Fall 2014

Arlene is a Biology major which graduated Cum Laude, Fall 2015. Her lab work focused on the effect of formaldehyde on bone stiffness. 

JW Barrera 2014-15

JW is a Biology major which graduated summa Cum Laude, spring 2016. Currently he is starting his graduate degree (Doctor of Medicine, MD) at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville. During summer 2014 JW worked on the orthotropic elastic properties of fibrolamellar bone (plexiform bone) in juvenile white-tailed deer femora. His work was published in the Journal of anatomy. 
J.W. Barrera, A. Le Cabec and M.M. Barak. The orthotropic elastic properties of fibrolamellar bone tissue in juvenile white-tailed deer femora. Journal of Anatomy 229(4):568-76 (2016)

Lab High School Alumni

Sophie Liberman, Summer 2023

Sophie Liberman is a high school student at Half Hollow Hills East, class of 2025. She is currently investigating Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) in rabbits, and spent the summer segmenting medical CT scans of normal and GDV rabbits' stomachs. She hopes to pursue a career in neurosurgical oncology. 

Lihie Kalfa, Summer 2023

Lihie Kalfa is currently a student at Great Neck North High School. Her summer research investigates whether raloxifene improves bone mineral density in the tibia of OVX rats. She is interested in medicine and veterinary anatomy. Her long-term goals include becoming a board-certified surgeon, specializing in orthopedics.

Christiana Foufas, Summer 2023

Christiana Foufas is a high school student at Wellington C. Mepham High School in the class of 2024. Starting in the summer of 2023 she worked in the Bone Biomechanics Lab investigating structure-function relationship in the rabbit tali. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, along with continuing research.

Naomi Villoth, Summer 2021

Naomi Villoth is a High School student at the Roslyn High School, class of 2022. Naomi started her volunteer research in the Bone Biomechanics Lab in Summer 2021. She is involved in a project studying the segmentation and measurements of fish vertebrae.

Shirley Mathur, Summer 2017

Shirley is a rising Senior high school student at the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM). During the summer of 2017 Shirley worked in the lab as part of her research internship requirements. Her topic of research was investigating cortical bone stiffness in the lateral aspect of young white-tailed deer distal femur.