Alana Gonzales

Alana Gonzales has a strong background in research with experience in various organizations and institutions. Alana is currently working as an Associate Research Scientist at SiPhox Inc. starting from June 2022. Before that, they worked as a Graduate Student Researcher at Duke University from July 2020 to June 2022, where they were partially funded by the Duke University Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics John T. Chambers Fellowship and Duke Biomedical Engineering Second Year Fellowship.

Prior to their time at Duke, Alana was a MARC Trainee at the National Institutes of Health Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program from June 2018 to May 2020. Here, they conducted research at the University of Arizona, focusing on developing a novel biosensor for quantifying Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia cells in the blood.

Alana also gained research experience through internships and fellowships. Alana was an MIT Summer Research Program Intern at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the summer of 2019. Here, they worked in the Mechanobiology Lab, developing a cell culture model of T cell trafficking and migration to tumors for immunotherapy applications.

In 2017, Alana was an Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP) Fellow at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Alana conducted research in an HHMI scientist's laboratory at Boston University, focusing on developing and optimizing technical features of a medical device to improve the quality of medicines in the developing world.

Additionally, Alana participated in the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) Science Research Practicum in 2017, conducting an independent research project studying the effects of aging and exercise on skeletal muscle.

During their undergraduate years, Alana worked as a Building Manager and Customer Service Associate at the Sallie Tiernan Field House. Alana was responsible for supervising the fitness facility and managing staff scheduling and payroll.

Alana also worked as a Math Tutor at the Math Spot Tutor Center from January 2015 to December 2016. Furthermore, Alana participated in the Medical Scientist Training Program-Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (MSTP-SURF) in 2016, which was designed for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career as a Physician-Scientist.

Finally, Alana gained research experience as a Research Assistant at the Interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), University of Arizona in 2015. Here, they worked on a Gait and Balance Assessment and Training Program using wearable sensors and virtual reality in cancer patients and HIV patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Overall, Alana Gonzales has a diverse range of research experience and has contributed to various projects in the field of biomedical engineering and related areas.

Alana Gonzales began their education at St. Gregory College Preparatory School in 2010 and graduated in 2014. Alana then attended Scripps College from 2014 to 2020, where they earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Engineering. Following their undergraduate studies, Alana pursued further education at the University of Arizona from 2017 to 2020, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering. Alana is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, starting in 2020 and expected to finish in 2022.