Funding & Awards
Research support, fellowships, and recognition across extracellular-vesicle biology, neurodegeneration, quantitative sensing, and translational bioengineering.
Current research support
Active support advancing cell-type-enriched EV biomarker development and analytical validation.
Colton Center for Autoimmunity Award
Co-PI, $200,000 direct costs. Supports technical validation of blood biomarkers identifying patients at high risk for progression.
Completed research support
Earlier support that established the vesicle-function and quantitative-sensing foundations of the current program.
Yale Diabetes Research Center Pilot Grant
Postdoctoral Lead, $60,000, 2023–2024. Supported investigation of secretory-vesicle subgroups in first- and second-phase insulin secretion.
Foundation Nanoscience Graduate Fellowship
Graduate Fellow, €100,000, 2018–2021. Supported doctoral development of SPRI-based optoelectronic sensing and biohybrid surfaces.
Pending research support
Submitted support that remains under consideration and is listed separately from awarded funding.
NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)
Pending; Principal Investigator; submitted June 10, 2026. Requested institute: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Project: “Biologically Anchored Extracellular Vesicle RNA Modules in ALS Progression.”
Translation & entrepreneurship
Recognition of the work’s potential to move from a research question toward accountable diagnostic-tool development.
MilliporeSigma High Impact Award - East Rock Diagnostics
Startup recognition for the translational potential of East Rock Diagnostics through the Nucleate New Haven Activator program.
Finalist - Nucleate Activator Biotech Program - East Rock Diagnostics
East Rock Diagnostics was selected as a finalist in the Nucleate New Haven Activator program, advancing its translational biomarker-development strategy.
Conference & career-development support
Competitive support for sharing progression-focused neurodegeneration and EV research with the field.
ISEV 2026 Annual Meeting Award
International Society for Extracellular Vesicles scholarship supporting participation in the 2026 annual meeting.
Young Investigator Educational Grant - ACTRIMS Forum
Competitive educational grant supporting presentation of progression-focused multiple sclerosis biomarker research.
Honors, scholarships & academic recognition
Complete record of recognition across engineering, nanoscience, translational research, and academic training.
Winner - Graphical Abstract Competition, Labex ARCANE
Recognized for top graphical abstract in bio-driven chemistry at Universite Grenoble Alpes.
Best Poster Award - French-American Workshop, GIANT Campus
Awarded for poster presentation in translational nanosensing research, Grenoble, France.
Magna Cum Laude - M.Sc. Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, KU Leuven
Graduated with high honors in Erasmus Mundus Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.
Erasmus+ Joint Masters Scholarship - European Commission
Full scholarship for Erasmus Mundus Nanoscience and Nanotechnology training across Europe.
Summa Cum Laude - B.Sc. Nanosystems Engineering, Louisiana Tech University
Graduated at top rank in Nanosystems Engineering with mathematics minor.
Dr. & Mrs. P. K. Smith Endowed Scholarship - Louisiana Tech University
Merit scholarship for engineering academic excellence.
Outstanding Junior - College of Engineering & Science, Louisiana Tech University
Recognized as the top junior student in the College of Engineering and Science.
Charles G. Tullis Endowed Scholarship - Louisiana Tech University
Scholarship recognizing strong engineering performance and potential.
Freshman Engineer of the Year - Tau Beta Pi, Louisiana Gamma Chapter
Recognized for early academic achievement and engineering promise at Louisiana Tech University.
Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Mentored Research Award
Principal Investigator, $200,000, 2026–2028. Supports development of glial-derived EV RNA signatures for neurodegeneration risk stratification in multiple sclerosis.