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The Stoppel Lab has openings for PhD students, MS students, and undergraduate students.
The Stoppel Lab is not accepting applications for postdoctoral positions at this time.
Interested UF undergraduates in ChE or BME or those interested in the application of biochemistry and entomology to an engineering project should fill out an application.
Students interested in summer undergraduate REUs should apply.
Students with a BS in ChE or closely related fields interested in the PhD program should apply to the UF ChE Department with information here. Fee waivers are provided to all PhD applicants. 

Principal   Investigator

whitney   L   Stoppel,   phd

Dr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Edie Term Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies in Chemical Engineering 
Affiliate Faculty in J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering
Affiliate Faculty in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology in the UF College of Medicine 
University of Florida

Postdoctoral   Researchers   &   Research   Scientists

Bryce  D.  Shirk,  PhD

  • Bryce is currently a Visiting Instructional Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering for 2026-2027​​
  • Bryce is graduated with his PhD in December 2025, remaining in the lab as a USDA Postdoctoral Fellow
  • 2024-2026 USDA Predoctoral Research Fellow
  • Bryce is working on a project aimed at developing new functional silk fibroin biopolymers through genetic engineering strategies
  • Joined the Stoppel Lab as a UF BME PhD student in Spring 2021
    • BS, Florida State University, Biochemistry 
    • MS, University of Florida, Entomology
    • Bryce is from Gainesville, FL and, when not studying silk fibroin proteins, he enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and spending time outdoors, especially with his wife, two kids, and pets

​PhD  Students

Jasmine   B.   McTyer,  BS

  • Jasmine joined the Stoppel Lab in Fall 2022 as a PhD student in the Chemical Engineering department
  • Jasmine is working on biomaterials formulations from novel silk sources as part of our NIH NIGMS MIRA Award, looking to understand cell-material interactions in these new biomaterials 
  • Jasmine is also working on a collaboration with local Florida industry, collaborating with scientists and engineers at NeXtGen, Inc. 
  • Jasmine obtained her Bachelors degree from Clemson University in 2022

William   Gross   IV,   BS

  • Will joined the Stoppel Lab in Fall 2023 as a PhD student in the Chemical Engineering department
  • Will's major focus is on the electrogelation of double network hydrogels, using silk fibroin from two main sources to understand the impact of protein sequence on hydrogel dynamics
  • Will also aids in analysis of new silk materials produced in Plodia interpunctella, assessing their properties and structures, to better understand fundamental differences in silk biopolymer structure as a function of protein sequence
  • Will is also an UF NCAA Track and Field team member as a hammer thrower
  • Will graduated with his Bachelors in Chemical Engineering from the University of Akron in 2023

Astrid  Juliana   Rincon   Lasprilla,  MS

  • Astrid joined the Stoppel lab in Fall 2025 as a PhD student in the Chemical Engineering Department
  • Artrid will be working on silk nanoparticle systems and their clinical applications
  • Astrid has industrial experience working with Telecom Infrastructure Partners Colombia (TIP Colombia)
  • Prior to starting her PhD, Astrid competed her MS degree in Chemical Engineering at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas and her BS in Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Industrial de Santander​
  • She moved to the US with her two kids, who are enjoying school in Gainesville, FL

Jesal   H.   Patel,   BS

  • Jesal joined the Stoppel lab in Fall 2025 as a PhD student in the Chemical Engineering Department, jointly mentored by Dr. Stoppel and Dr. Janani Sampath
  • Jesal works at the interface of genetic engineering and Molecular Dynamics simulations in silk fibroin systems, working to understand structure function relationships in fibroin proteins
  • Jesal completed is BS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware in May 2025, working in Dr. Kevin Solomon's group
  • Jesal enjoys playing sports and watching sports when he is not in the lab

Myah   Massiah,   BS

  • Myah joined the Stoppel lab as a PhD student in Fall 2026 through the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • Myah's first adventure in the lab was during Summer 2025, where she was an AHA REU Summer Researcher, mentored by Jasmine McTyer
  • Myah's research focuses on the interface between novel ECM materials and the human body and the methods for developing biomaterials using these novel ECMs

This   Could   Be   You !!

The Stoppel Lab may consider adding additional PhD students to the group from the Fall pool of candidates admitted by the Chemical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering PhD Programs. Apply by Dec. 5th for priority consideration. Matching for these students will take place after arrival at UF. 
  • Please apply to the UF Chemical Engineering Department if you are looking to start your PhD in the Fall! ​
  • Projects available include mechanical and thermal characterization of genetically engineered silk fibers, bioprocess engineering in insect cell systems, development of novel silk-based biomaterials for applications in healthcare and medicine, genetic engineering in insects, and evaluation of scale-up/GMP methods for silk production

Masters  Students

Nikita   M.   Patel,  BS

  • Nikita's work supports the advancement of our NIH MIRA award and genetic engineering efforts
  • Nikita joined the Stoppel Lab as a MS student in Fall 2024
  • Nikita earned a BS in Entomology from UF in May 2024, prior to exploring her interests in Chemical Engineering
  • Nikita's unique training is a perfect match for the Stoppel lab, where she will be working on engineered silk fusion proteins for applications in healthcare and medicine

This   Could   Be   You!!

  • On-going efforts within the lab are always in need of support from MS students
  • If you are interested in joining the lab, please reach out to Dr. Stoppel ​

UNdergraduate   Students

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Tatum Andreoli, Materials Science and Engineering, Class of 2029, 2026 UF Emerging Scholar
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Nicolina Bilella, Chemistry, Class of 2029
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Llia Byron, Biochemistry, Class of 2027, Summer 2022 SSTP HS Lab Member
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Fabianna Caballero, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2029
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Grace Gao, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2030
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Angeline Handel, Food Science, Class of 2028
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Melina Krulis, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2028
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Max Kuliyev, Biomedical Engineering, 2026-2027 University Scholar, 2025 CURE Student, Class of 2028
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Dayanna Lopez, Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2029
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Patricia Mariash, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2027, co-mentored with Janani Sampath
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Isabel Matias Cruz, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2027, 2024 UF Emerging Scholar
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Daniela Molina, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2028
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Anamaris Montanez, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2029
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Samarth Muralidhara, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2029
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Sarah Newcomb, Microbiology and Cell Science, Class of 2027, 2023 UF CURE Student
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Alec Nikic, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2028
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Carlos Olmedo Iniguez, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2028
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Casey Perez, Chemistry, Class of 2028, Lab Technician
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Shayna Pinthieve, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2028
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Ava Roberts, Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2028
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Liam Rodgers, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2026
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Zella Tavai, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2027, Lab Technician
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David Tran, Materials Science and Engineering, Class of 2028, 2023 UF CURE Student
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Lily Tran, Nutritional Sciences in IFAS, Class of 2030
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Jacob Urbina, Computer Science, Class of 2028
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Kaylie Verkon, Microbiology and Cell Science, Class of 2027

High   School   Students   and   the   SSTP   Program   at   UF

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Attisun Blackwell, class of 2024 from North Marion High School in Citra, FL joined the lab during Summer 2023 via the UF Summer Science Training Program. Attisun continues to work in the Stoppel Lab during the 2023-2024 academic year. Attisun is mentored by Lauren Eccles.
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The Stoppel Lab and the 2026 SSTP Participants following their end of summer research talks!
The UF Summer Science Training Program gives high school students the opportunity to stay on the UF campus and participate in research over the summer.
2026 Participants
  • Andy Fornos
  • Ayomide Onitiri
  • Joshua Inocencio
  • Suhani Patel
​2025 Participants
  • Jaidyn Williams
  • Mailin Weilage
  • Qize Ma
2024 Participants:
  • Kamilat Mustapha
  • Stella Duran Gonzalez
2023 Participants:
  • Rachel Oley
  • Attisun Blackwell
  • Qingyuan (Harry) Zhang
2022 Participants:
  • Isiri Kadambi
  • Llia Byron
Suhani, Joshua, Dr. Stoppel, Ayo, and Andy during Summer 2026
Suhani, Joshua, Dr. Stoppel, Ayo, and Andy during Summer 2026
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Harry Zhang presenting is poster at the 2023 SSTP Symposium in July 2023
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Rachel Oley presenting her work during the SSTP Final Presentations in July 2023

Stoppel   Lab   Alumni

PhD   Alumni

Lauren   E.   Eccles,  PhD   (May 2026)

  • Lauren defended her thesis in February 2026 and graduated in May 2026. During her PhD she: 
    • Established relationships between protein sequence, structure, and mechanical properties across silk-producing insect species.
    • Expanded the lab’s silk biomaterials research to include Plodia interpunctella and other non-Bombyx silks.
    • Advanced the use of natural silk diversity to inform the design of sequence-defined silk biomaterials.
  • She is also contributed to a large NSF Grant focused on understanding the connections between the genome, proteome, and silk fiber structure in 13+ insects in collaboration with the Florida Museum and Dr. Akito Kawahara, and many collaborators across the US
  • Lauren joined the Stoppel Lab in Fall 2022 as a PhD student in the Chemical Engineering department
  • Lauren obtained her Bachelors degree from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in May 2022
  • Lauren joined the Stoppel Lab for Summer 2021 as part of the UF ChE NSF REU program

Elizabeth   L.   aikman,  PhD   (May 2026)

  • Elizabeth defended her thesis in February 2026 and graduated with her PhD from UF in May 2026. During her PhD she: ​
    • Defined how crystalline domain formation and organization influence the mechanical properties and degradation of silk fibroin scaffolds.
    • Established methods to characterize the long-term mechanical performance of anisotropic silk fibroin scaffolds under cyclic loading.
    • Integrated experimental and computational approaches to connect molecular organization with bulk silk fibroin material properties.
    • Was recognized for graduate leadership, including the UF Chemical Engineering Excellence in Leadership Award.
  • 2022-2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
  • 2024 UF Chemical Engineering Leadership, Outreach, and Service Award Winner
  • Elizabeth is working to build platforms and 3D tissues for investigating the progression of rare muscular dystrophies
  • Joined the Stoppel Lab in Fall 2021 as a PhD student in Chemical Engineering
    • Graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas
    • Elizabeth is from Wichita, KS and enjoys hanging out with friends and family, playing board games, and spending time outdoors​​

Marisa   O.   Pacheco,  PhD    (May   2025)

  • Mari defended her thesis in February 2025 and graduated with her PhD in May 2025. During this time, she: 
    • Defined how silk fibroin processing influences protein structure, crystallinity, and resulting biomaterial properties.
    • Established quantitative relationships between silk fibroin structure and enzymatic degradation.
    • Advanced the design of silk fibroin scaffolds with tunable properties for tissue engineering applications. 
    • Published extensively from her doctoral work while mentoring numerous undergraduate and graduate researchers; she was also an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and received the ACS WCC Merck Research Award.
  • 2022-2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
  • 2024 ACS Women Chemists Committee Merck Research Award Winner
  • Named a 2022-2023 SEC Emerging Scholar  
  • 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025  UF ChE 1st Year PhD Student Mentor Award Recipient
  • 2021-2022 UF Chemical Engineering Excellence in Research Award Recipient
    • Mari was recognized for her many accomplishments as a scientist and researcher with an award from the UF ChE department
  • 2020 HWCOE Kirkland Fellow
  • Joined the Stoppel Lab as a PhD student in Fall 2020 after completing a BS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder
    • During summer 2019, Mari joined the Stoppel Lab as an REU student
    • Mari is from Boulder, Colorado and when not in lab, likes to be outside either hiking, playing tennis or camping with friends and family.

​Julie    F   Jameson   Dobry,  phd   (May   2022)

  • Julie defended her PhD in March 2022, and graduated with her PhD in May 2022. During this time, she: 
    • Established quantitative models to describe and predict enzymatic degradation of silk fibroin scaffolds.
    • Defined how scaffold formulation influences degradation, cellular infiltration, and tissue responses following implantation.
    • Advanced quantitative analysis of biomaterial–tissue interactions, including machine-learning approaches to analyze histological images. 
  • 2021-2022 UF Graduate School Graduate Mentoring Award Recipient
    • Julie discusses her mentoring philosophy here. Her impact on the growth and development of Stoppel Lab trainees will be felt for many years to come. 
  • 2021-2022 American Association of Women Emerging Scholars Dissertation Award Recipient from the UF AAW Chapter
  • 2021-2022 UF Chemical Engineering Excellence in Research Award Recipient
    • Julie was recognized for her many accomplishments as a scientist and researcher with an award from the UF ChE department, following nominations from Dr. Stoppel and Dr. Butler
  • 2019-2020 Attributes of a Gator Engineer for Leadership Award Recipient
    • The Attributes of a Gator Engineer Award is considered the most prestigious award bestowed on students within the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida
  • Julie joined the Stoppel Lab in Fall 2018 as a PhD Student in Chemical Engineering and defended her thesis on March 14, 2022. She graduated in May 2022
    • Institute for Cell and Tissue Science and Engineering Robert C. Pittman Fellow 2017-2018
    • HWCOE Graduate Preeminence Fellow
    • Chair of the University of Florida Graduate Student Council, 2019-2020
    • BS, University of Arkansas, Chemical Engineering
    • Julie is from Oklahoma City, OK and enjoys playing soccer, sharing science and engineering concepts with kids in K-12, and hanging out friends and family​

Medical   Student Alumni

Nickolas   Davies,   MD

  • Summer 2022 Research Grant Award Recipient from the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)
    • This short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant (T35) supports Nick's summer stipend and professional development!
    • Nick won 3rd place in the MSRP Symposium!
  • President Elect of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Medical Student Component
  • Joined the Stoppel Lab in Spring 2022 to work on our DoD CDMRP funded project on oxygen therapeutics

Master's   Alumni

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Tony Frimpong, MS August 2025 ChE Graduate
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Neeharicka Measala, MS Fall 2021 Graduate
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Riya Soni, MS BME Graduate May 2025
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Parth Patel, MS Spring 2021 ChE Graduate
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Hai Doan, MS May 2025 ChE Graduate
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Hanifah A. Yasin, MS Spring 2020 UF Graduate
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Nisha Kotta, MS August 2024 BME Graduate
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Raul G. Cruz Quintero, MS Summer 2020 UF Graduate, Pfizer
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Cong Sun, MS December 2022 ChE Graduate; Currently a PhD Student at UF in Chemistry

Undergraduate   Alumni

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Rebecca Liwang, Biology Undergraduate Student, Class of 2026, Lab Technician
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Cathrine Beshay, Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2026, 2024-2025 UF University Scholar. Cathrine is completing her MS at USF.
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Hannah Bagnis (and Luna moth), Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2025, 2023-2024 UF University Scholar and Summer 2023 NIH Scholar
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Andrea Orozcotorres (and Luna moth), Chemistry Undergraduate Student, Class of 2025, Lab Technician and Researcher
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Elena Rollins, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2025
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Cecilia Rodriguez (and a hickory horned devil caterpillar), Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2025, 2024-2025 UF University Scholar
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Isabelle Gerzenshtein, Microbiology and Cell Science Undergraduate, Class of 2025
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Travis Truong, Chemistry and Biochemistry Undergraduate, Class of 2025. Travis is completing his MD at UF.
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Annie Nguyen, Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2024. Annie is a PhD student at UConn BME.
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Emily Fussell, Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate, Class of 2024, 2022-2023 UF University Scholar. Emily completed her MS at Cornell and is now a digital design (FPGA) engineer at Textron Systems.
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Asha Rao, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2023, 2022-2023 UF University Scholar. Asha is working at Abbott in Chicago, IL.
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Axianax Merone, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2023. Axi works at Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati, OH.
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Jonathan Valentin, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2023
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Jostin Armada, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022. Jostin is a PhD student in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University
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Vy Ly, UF Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022; Vy is an Associate Specialist at Merck (Elkton, VA)
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Isabela Torres, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022, 2021-2022 UF University Scholar; Isabela is a Product Owner at Radix Engineering & Software
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Monique Bernier, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022, 2020-2021 UF University Scholar; Monique is currently a Discovery Program Lead at AAB
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Viviana Pinzon, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2021. Viviana is an Associate Scientist at Gillette (Procter & Gamble) in Boston, MA
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Melissa Kolaci, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2021; Currently a Process Development Coordinator at Lacerta Therapeutics
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Caroline Hamric, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2021, 2020-2021 UF University Scholar; Caroline is an Associate Scientist at Catalent Pharma in St. Petersburg, FL
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Kelly M. Bukovic, BS Spring 2020 UF Graduate; Currently a Chemical Engineering PhD Student at the University of Virginia
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Christian V. Ore, BS Spring 2020 UF Graduate; Currently employed at Proctor and Gamble
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Ali Lateef, BS Spring 2021 UF Graduate; Currently a PhD student at the University of Delaware

Summer   Alumni:   American   Heart   Association   REU   Student  Alumni   2024-2026

The UF AHA Summer REU Program was run by Dr. Josephine Allen (UF MSE) and Dr. Lee Murfee (UF BME). 
  • Ainsley Passonno joined us for summer 2026
    • ​Ainsley is a chemical engineering student at RPI
  • Check out Myah Massiah's summer 2025 video on YouTube!
    • Myah graduated from Penn State in May 2026 and joined the Stoppel Lab as  PhD Student in BME in Fall 2026
  • Jack Girton participated in summer 2024, graduating from Iowa State University in May 2025 and attending the University of Minnesota for his PhD as an NSF GRFP Fellow

Summer   Alumni:   NSF   REU   Student Alumni   (funded   by   ​NSF EEC-1852111)   2019-2023

The UF ChE NSF REU program and UF HWCOE Summer Undergraduate Research at Florida Programs support undergraduate participation in summer research.  
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Alaura Cakley participated in Stoppel Lab summer research in 2022. Alaura is a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering undergraduate student at Clemson University working in the Larsen Lab!
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Katie Leonard participated in Stoppel Lab summer research in 2022. Katie graduated with her BS from Auburn University in 2023 and is attending Rice University for her PhD!
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Kayleigh Trumbull participated in Stoppel Lab summer research in 2023. Kayleigh is a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering undergraduate student at Clemson University working in the Larsen Lab!
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Kristen Bennett participated in Stoppel Lab summer research in 2023. Kristen is a Chemical Engineering undergraduate at the University of Washington working in the Nance Lab!

Additional   Lab   Alumni

  • ​Adelyn Richgels, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, Class of 2026, 2023-2024 UF University Scholar (2022-2024)
  • Zachary Ostrander, UF Biology Undergraduate, (2023-2024)
  • Anna Weaver, Chemistry and Innovation Undergraduate Student, Class of 2026, 2021-2022 High School Student Member
  • Rachel Oley, UF Summer 2023 SSTP High School Student Researcher (Summer 2023)
  • Marina Fernandez Campa, UF Biomedical Engineering Student (2019-Spring 2023)
  • Cori Holloway, UF Anatomy and Physiology Student (January 2022-December 2022)
  • Isiri Kadambi, UF Summer 2022 SSTP High School Student Researcher (Summer 2022)
  • Michael O'Brien, UF Chemical Engineering Masters Student (August 2021- May 2022)
  • Amin Suchedina, UF Biology Undergraduate, Spring 2022
  • Jack McNamara, UF Mathematics Undergraduate Student, CURE Program Spring 2022
  • Ashley Landry, UF Chemical Engineering Undergraduate, January 2021-December 2021​
  • Adam Koff, UF Chemical Engineering Undergraduate, December 2020-December 2021
  • Yash Patel, UF Chemical Engineering Master's Student, January 2021
  • ​Alexa Espinoza, UF Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, October 2018-December 2019
  • Keri Clarke, UF Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student, October 2018-May 2019
  • Jinbo Gong, UF Chemical Engineering Masters Student, March 2020-December 2020
  • ​Kayla Sutcliffe, UF MRET NSF-Sponsored Public School Teacher STEM Program, Glen Springs Elementary, Summer 2019
  • ​Mackenzie McNickle, UF MRET NSF-Sponsored Public School Teacher STEM Program, Stephen Foster Elementary, Summer 2019
How to join the Stoppel Lab as a PhD Student
  • Get accepted into the PhD program in the UF Chemical Engineering Department (Applications due December 5th) 
    • ​The Stoppel Lab is interested in both US students and International Students with UG (or MS degrees) in Chemical Engineering or related field
    • The Stoppel Lab will take PhD students from other departments, pending available funding
How to join the Stoppel Lab as a MS Student
How to join the Stoppel Lab as an Undergraduate
  • Fill out an application and email it to Dr. Stoppel 
    • Check out the services provided by the UF Center for Undergraduate Research to understand what is expected from an UG performing research
    • Priority will be given to Chemical Engineering UGs looking to complete an honors thesis
    • Check out the requirements for an engineering undergraduate honors thesis  
    • Students are welcome to take EGN 4912 for credit after their first semester, usually 0-1 credit/semester in lab
  • Apply for funding from UF to support your work during the semester (ask Dr. Stoppel if you need help!)
  • Students interested in working over the summer
    • Take lab for course credit (EGN 4912)- make sure to discuss this with Dr. Stoppel as early as possible before the semester starts
Suggested funding mechanisms for PhD Students:
*Funding is not required to join the lab as a PhD student. However, in addition to strengthening your CV, funding provides students with:
  • More opportunities and freedom in their research during their PhD 
  • More opportunities for networking and conference attendance
  • Flexibility in professional development activities
  • Members of the Stoppel Lab should anticipate an inclusive and hardworking environment where: 
    • Intellectual merit, creativity, and diversity are celebrated
    • Respectfulness and compassion are required
    • Engagement with the community through outreach is encouraged
  • We welcome students of all backgrounds and identities and will not discriminate based on any group to which one might identify
  • Lab alumni go on to positively impact our society in a variety of future endeavors
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