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Current lab members

Michael Rosario, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biology
Dr. Rosario received his B.A. in Integrative Biology from the University of California Berkeley, his M.Sc. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Ph.D. in Biology at Duke University. He earned several awards throughout his academic career including a fellowship from the Northeast Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, the Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, and the National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology. Dr. Rosario's research interest began with understanding the mechanisms of energy storage in biological structures. After postdoctoral training at Brown University, he has incorporated muscle-spring interactions into his research interests. Dr. Rosario has experience in teaching comparative vertebrate anatomy, scientific computing at both the graduate (SOURCE workshop) and undergraduate (biomechanical programming labs) levels, and Human Anatomy and Physiology. He currently teaches Bio 259 - Human Anatomy and Physiology 1, Bio 110 - General Biology and Bio 511 - Experimental Design and Analysis. Download CV

Ezana Rivers

Undergraduate - Cellular and Molecular Biology
Ezana Rivers is an undergraduate Cells and Molecular Biology Student. She is working on an agent-based model and simulation for action potentials in animals and venus fly traps. The simulation is geared towards students in grades k-12.

Rajal Vyas

Undergraduate - Biomedical Engineering
Rajal Vyas is currently a 2nd-year undergraduate student studying Biomedical Engineering (on a pre-med track) at West Chester University. Her interests are muscle models, and the structure, and function of proteins in muscles. Her future plans include to attend an MD/Ph.D. program. She will be assisting Dr. Rosario with his project relating to muscle models.

Past lab members

Daniel Wagner

Undergraduate - Biomedical Engineering
Daniel is an undergrad in the Biomedical Engineering program. His project involves 3D model creation and fluid dynamic testing of snailfish. Daniel is also using computational fluid dynamics to quantify the effects of snailfish posture on drag reduction.

Nick Fagan

Masters - Biology
Nick is a Masters student that is currently working on a project involving appling machine learning algrorithms to high speed video. He is quantifying the effects of high speed interpolation on kinematic measures.

Steven Snipes

Masters - Biology
Steven Snipes is currently a graduate student pursing a masters at West Chester University. Previously, Steven graduated from Penn State with a bachelors in Biology. Steven's interest are in the development of muscle models and theories. Steven will be working under Professor Rosario, focusing on a muscle model project focused on the extension between the muscles and tendons and the time it takes to contract between each motion/distance. Steven's future endeavors are to enter a D.O program specializing in orthopedics medicine.

Hailey Smith

Undergraduate - Integrative Biology
Hailey is currently a 4th-year, senior, undergraduate Biology student with a Nutrition minor. Her interests are in muscle mechanics and the structure of tendon tissue. She is working under Dr. Rosario on a rat tail tendon project. This project stretches the tendon that is in a rat tail and examines the materials that make up this tendon, as well as what occurs in the tissue when it is stretched. Her future plans are to attend medical school, specifically a D.O. program, and potentially specialize in emergency medicine.

Veronica Siko

Masters Student - Biology
Veronica is in the West Chester University Biology MS Program. She will be working with Dr. Rosario for her thesis project, which will involve the construction of a molecular dynamic model of rat tendons. The goal of this project is to understand how the structure of this important tissue may be affected by both eccentric and concentric contractions, and to do so at a molecular level. Her previous research experience includes assisting with the discovery and isolation of bacteriophages, as well as with the annotation of their genetic material. Veronica's future plans are to earn a doctoral degree that will train her to become a scientist conducting research in biophysics. Her scientific interests include biophysics, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, astronomy, astrobiology, and general theory about the purpose of life and the universe.

Abby Downs

Masters Student - Biology
Abby is a second year Master's student in the Accelerated B.S/M.S in Integrative Biology Program. She works in the Liquid Life Laboratory at West Chest University under the advisement of Frank Fish. Her thesis is based on the maneuverability and flexibility of Bluefin tuna. Abby's interests include biomechanics, animal morphology, and animal wellness. Her future plans are to attend Veterinary School and specialize in large animal surgery. Abby will be assisting Dr. Rosario on his project researching energy storage in mice tendons.

Olivier Nguyen

Undergraduate - Exercise Science
Olivier Nguyen is currently a 3rd year undergraduate student studying Exercise Science (Pre-PT concentration) at West Chester University. He is interested in biomechanics, specifically aquatic potential in mammals. He will be assisting Dr. Rosario to design and build the equipment needed to analyze various forms of data regarding energy storage in biological structures.