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Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

Elastic nonlinearity is a mechanical property inherent to biological tissues and fibrous networks (e.g. actin, collagen, fibrin, neurofilament, fetal membrane, and gut tissue). However, this property of strain-stiffening has been difficult to mimic with traditional elastic and viscoelastic PEG-based synthetic hydrogels used for three-dimensional cell culture. Bottlebrush hydrogels are mechanically unique materials that capture the stiffening properties of native extracellular matrix. Monica uses these gels as a culture platform to understand how strain-stiffening micro-environments influence the morphology, mechano-transduction, and differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells and other multicellular constructs.

Outside of the lab, Monica acts as Secretary of the Postdoctoral Association of Colorado 91¸£ÀûÉç. She also enjoys painting and photography and is loving being able to backpack, hike, and ski in the Rocky Mountains.

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