Name: Waddah I. Moghram 

Hometown: Coralville, IA 

Department: Biomedical Engineering 

Research: (brief summary): I have designed, built, and tested a magnetic tweezer with improved controls. This device is to be used to apply mechanical pulling forces on micrometer-level magnetic beads attached to soft hydrogels (such as collagen) or cells growing on the surface of those hydrogels (such as skin epidermal keratinocytes). I have demonstrated the potential of using this instrument to investigate the local mechanical properties of hydrogels and force transmission across cells. The ultimate goal is to further understand autoimmune skin blistering diseases and explore alternative treatment methods. 

Plans after graduation: Work as a senior software engineer dealing with medical devices in the Boston metro area.  

Things you’ll miss about Iowa City: The many pretty biking trails in the area when it is not very cold and observing bald eagles as they fish at their favorite hangout area by the Hydraulics Lab every winter without fail. 

What you enjoyed most about your research/the graduate program: Being able to work on a very unique project that helped me grow in many areas inside and outside of our research lab and contribute to science and engineering through publications and presentations. 

What you’re looking forward to after graduation: Working on biomedical device projects with more direct impact on improving the well-being of others.