BMES Annual Meeting 2026

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This past weekend, the Taylor Lab was well represented at the BMES Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. Our undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellow delivered engaging talks and presented posters that showcased the lab’s latest work. We had a great time connecting with the nationwide BME community to share ideas and discuss cutting-edge research. We are so proud of everyone who shared their work and made the weekend a success! See you next year in Columbus!

 

See the Taylor Lab at the BMES 2026 Annual Meeting

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Come see the Taylor Lab present the amazing research they’ve been working on at the Annual BMES meeting in Orlando, FL this year!

PRICE Pain Research Day

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Mariah and Lauren represented the Taylor Lab well at the UF PRICE (Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence) Pain Research Day. Lauren won 3rd place in the Clinical Research category and Mariah won 3rd place in the Preclinical Research category! We are so proud of them and the impactful research they do!

Dr. Kariman Shama Successfully Defends Her Thesis

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On August 10th, Dr. Kariman Shama became the first PhD student in the Taylor Lab to defend her doctoral thesis! Her dissertation titled “Extracellular Vesicles in Tendon Biology: Investigating the Endogenous Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Tendon Homeostasis and Disease Using Biomimetic Tissue Models” used physiologically relevant in vitro tendon models to assess how extracellular vesicle biogenesis, cargo composition, and biological function are regulated by the tendon microenvironment during tendinopathy. We are so proud of Kari and cannot wait to see her grow as a scientist during her NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship!

End of Year Gathering: Celebrating Our Graduates

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The Taylor Lab celebrated the end of an amazing year with a lab-wide picnic! Three of our amazing undergraduate researchers are graduating and pursuing medical school, graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, and biomedical engineering industry with Medtronic. Congratulations to Bianca, Eva, and Diya! Ananya, a Master’s student in the lab, is also graduating and pursuing her career in biomedical engineering in Boston! We cannot wait to see what amazing things they will do next!

2026 Florida Regional Biomaterials Day

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At the 2026 Florida Regional Biomaterials Day, the Taylor Lab had great representation with two undergraduate research posters presented by Emily and Roni along with a talk given by Dr. Taylor discussing tissue engineering. We had an amazing time learning about the biomaterials work happening in Florida and sharing our recent projects!

Examining the Effects of Collagen Addition to Electrospun Polycaprolactone Scaffolds on Biomechanical Properties for Tendon Modeling

 

Quantifying Cellular Orientation and Alignment in Biomimetic Tendinous Models Utilizing a Novel Semi-Automatic Process

Undergraduate Spring Symposium 2026

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This year our undergraduate researchers Bianca and Anna presented their University Scholars Program research projects at the Undergraduate Spring Symposium! This program funds researchers for year-long projects that culminate in a presentation and publication. Their hard work has paid off, and we couldn’t be more proud!

Comparing Cytoskeletal Alignment Analysis Methods for Biomimetic Tendon Scaffolds

Neuroimmune Crosstalk Between Macrophages and Tendon-Derived Cells Across Distinct Tendon Regions

Graduate Student Appreciation Week: Kari

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Our final graduate student spotlight is Kari! She is a fifth year PhD candidate who continuously works hard both in her research and mentorship. She supports her mentees with patience and kindness by taking the time to answer every question, even if that means researching the answers she doesn’t know. She ensures her mentees have a full understanding of their research and models a collaborative work environment where every idea is heard. We couldn’t be more proud to have Kari in our lab!

Graduate Student Appreciation Week: Mariah

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The next graduate student we’d like to highlight is Mariah! On August 11th, Mariah successfully passed her doctoral thesis proposal and officially became a Doctoral Candidate in the Taylor Lab! Her research investigates neuroimmune mechanisms of tendon pain, with a focus on Substance P and NK1R signaling across in vitro, preclinical, and clinical models.

 

Her work integrates tendon-derived cell and macrophage in vitro systems, rodent models of supraspinatus injury with behavioral pain assessments, and human tissue analysis, including three-dimensional nerve mapping and clinical pain correlations. Through this translational approach, she aims to uncover how neuroimmune signaling drives tendon pathology and pain.

 

Alongside being an incredible researcher, she is also an outstanding graduate mentor. Mariah consistently instills confidence in her undergraduate mentees, empowering them to grow into independent researchers. She is thoughtful and intentional in her mentorship, ensuring her students are gaining the skills they hope to achieve in the lab. She truly sets the standard for what great mentorship and research looks like.

Graduate Student Appreciation Week: Harrison

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Our next spotlight for Graduate Student Appreciation Week is Harrison! Last May he successfully became a PhD candidate and has since been working hard to accomplish his research aims. He continuously shows up for his undergraduate mentees and is an inspiring mentor that leads by example. The Taylor Lab wouldn’t be the same without you Harrison!