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Publications in VIVO
 

Sprenger, Kayla

Assistant Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • Research in the RDI Lab centers on using computational tools and approaches to study interfacial phenomena, whether that be the interface between: (1) an antibody and highly-mutable pathogen like HIV to enable the design of universal vaccines, (2) a small-molecule drug and cellular membrane to aid in creating novel therapeutics for treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer's, (3) a polymer and metal oxide surface to enable advances in plastics upcycling, or (4) an electrolyte and cathode material towards the development of next-generation Li-ion batteries. We employ tools spanning the atomistic to population level, including mathematical evolutionary modeling, physics-based simulations, bioinformatics, and machine learning. Our work is highly interdisciplinary, focused at the crossroads of physics, engineering and immunology, and we work in close synergy with experimentalists to inform, validate, and test our computational predictions.

keywords

  • Vaccine design against highly mutable pathogens, cell therapy strategies for neurological diseases, improved therapeutics for neuroinfectious diseases, Li-ion batteries, bioplastics, agent-based modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, deep learning, bioinformatics, protein/surface adsorption modeling

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • BMEN 3010 - Biotransport
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2023
    An introduction to the modeling of complex biological systems using principles of transport phenomena and biochemical kinetics. Includes the conservation of mass and momentum; rheology of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids; steady and transient diffusion in reacting systems; dimensional analysis; homogeneous versus heterogeneous reaction systems; and physiological transport systems, including oxygen and drug transport. Recommended restriction: for students in fifth semester of Biomedical Engineering curriculum or higher.
  • BMEN 6950 - Master's Thesis
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2022
    Work with a faculty advisor on a masters thesis.
  • CHEN 3210 - Chemical Engineering Heat Transfer
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
    Examines conservation and transfer of mass and thermal energy. Focuses on conduction and convection of heat in the context of chemical processes and heat exchangers. Addresses radiation. Also studies mass transfer rate processes, including diffusion, microscopic material balances, and correlations for mass transfer coefficients.
  • CHEN 5919 - Special Topics in CHBE
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
    May be repeated up to 5 total credit hours.
  • CHEN 6950 - Master's Thesis
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
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Background

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