Joan Daye

I have a Bachelor's of Science in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in biomaterials, minor in chemistry, and a strong foundation in molecular biology, cell culture, and microscopy. My research has focused on drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and cellular stress responses. I currently serve as an Assistant Manager in the General Chemistry Labs, where I lead student workers and contribute to lab development. I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and am currently seeking full-time research opportunities to expand my skills in cancer biology, molecular mechanisms, and translational medicine.

I currently serve as Assistant Manager in the General Chemistry Labs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I supervise and train student workers, manage chemical inventory, and help develop and refine instructional experiments. Prior to this, I worked as a Teaching Assistant in the same labs, where I guided students through lab procedures, enforced safety protocols, and supported data analysis.

Alongside my lab roles, I’ve been involved in several interdisciplinary research projects focused on biomaterials, drug delivery, and cellular response. I developed collagen-PLGA hydrogel scaffolds for ACL regeneration, studied oxidative stress in mouse myoblasts, and investigated polymer-lipid membranes using confocal microscopy. My work has included mammalian cell culture, microscopy, PCR, DNA/RNA isolation, and material fabrication—giving me a strong foundation in both molecular biology and biomedical engineering.

I am currently completing a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in biomaterials. My coursework has included molecular biology, biochemistry, cell and tissue engineering, and biomaterials design, which has prepared me for research at the intersection of engineering and biomedical science.