About Ian
Ian grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri and attended Purdue University for his bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering. At Purdue, he conducted research on polymer processing for biomedical devices such as microneedle patches, intra-abdominal pressure sensors, and a capsule that selectively samples the microbiome of the small intestine.
Following graduation and prior to graduate school, Ian worked for a small biotech startup in Durham, North Carolina, where he developed ceramic scaffolds for enzyme immobilization. Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing tennis, cooking, reading, and going for bike rides along the lake.
Education
BS Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
Favorite Quote
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
- Galileo Galilei
Scientific Hero
Marie Curie
Ian's Research
Although there is an effective antibiotic treatment for Chlamydia, the majority of those infected are asymptomatic and therefore continue to spread the disease without seeking treatment. This leads to increased prevalence of complications such as infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease. Therefore, in a collaboration with the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Vaxcyte, Ian is developing a prophylactic vaccine against Chlamydia by screening small molecule adjuvants to identify those that elicit the desired immune response that conveys protection. The end goal of this project is to enter the developed vaccine into clinical trials.