Our team
I enjoy exploring various topics of translational research ranging from physics of fluids to bioengineering. After obtaining my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore) in 2019, I continued with my postdoctoral research investigating several aspects of droplet-solid interactions including wetting dynamics, multiphase flows, and heat & mass transfer at liquid-solid interfaces. I joined Benam Lab in December 2021 working on development of new-generation organ-on-chip platform for lung research. Outside of the lab, I enjoy music, reading, and hiking.
Quoc Vo, Ph.D., Junior Faculty
I completed my doctoral degree in Engineering at Macquarie University and Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. During my postdoctoral research, I developed a multidisciplinary background that includes chemical engineering, respiratory drug development and delivery, as well as microfluidics. I joined Dr. Benam’s team in January 2023 due to my interest in the field of micro-engineered lung models and I would like to further expand my research in this area. Beside research, I enjoy painting, cooking, and yoga!
I am the founder of Lung Microengineering Lab. I received my B.Sc. (Hons.) in Pharmacology from the Newcastle University (UK) and my D.Phil. in Immunology from the University of Oxford (UK). I then was trained as a Technology Development Fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. I have been recipient of multiple awards including Society of Toxicology IRSS, Baxter and Lush Young Investigator Awards, Science2Startup Finalist, as well as Science and Innovation Center Rising Star Award and Recognition of Early Academic Achievement (REAAch) Award from the American Thoracic Society. My lab’s research has received extensive press coverage (BBC, STAT News, Harvard Gazette, Washington Times, IEEE Spectrum, etc.). My lab has published in leading scientific journals (such as Nature Methods, Cell Systems, Nature Protocols, JCI Insight, Nano Select, Advanced Functional Materials, and iScience by Cell Press) and I am a co-inventor on fifteen issued and pending patents. I have secured over $9.5 MILLION in extramural funding since establishing the Lung Microengineering Lab in 2017.
Kambez H. Benam, D.Phil., Principal Investigator
I was born, raised and studied in Mexico, my professional education is multi-disciplinary. I enjoy the experimental study of living organisms, and especially human biology, but I am also excited to design platforms that replicate the anatomy and/or physiology of biological systems. In my spare time, I like to exercise to free my mind and I enjoy watching animated movies that often hide a deeper message for adults.
Rocio Jimenez-Valdes, Ph.D., Junior Faculty
Hanieh Mahvizani, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Fellow
I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Computer Engineering. Throughout my studies, I gained insights in mixed-signal printed circuit board design, VLSI, and nanoscale chip fabrication. I’m also an avid retro computing enthusiast, I love designing and troubleshooting modern expansions for the 8/16-bit computer generation. I joined Dr. Benam’s lab in June 2023 and am excited to participate in designing the next generation of lab automation technologies. Outside of academics, I enjoy classical music, history, and discovering new possibilities for the IBM5160.
