Education

• Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, 2013. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY
• M.Eng., Biomedical Engineering, 2005. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY
• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2003. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Worcester, MA

Certifications

  • PhD

Honors and Awards

• Invited Rapporteur at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Roundtable on Biomedical Engineering Materials and Applications, 2016
• Recipient of the University of Florida BME Department Travel Award, 2014, 2015
• Recipient of the Biomedical Engineering Society BME Innovation and Career Development Award, 2014
• Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize Finalist for Implantable Sensor, 2013
• Recipient of the American Association of University Women American Dissertation Fellowship, 2011-2012
• Recipient of the Rensselaer Founders Award for Excellence, 2011
• Meister for Carl Zeiss Microimaging, Inc., #1 in Nationwide Sales Performance, 2007
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, Honorable Mention, 2003
• Member of Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, Inducted in 2003
• Recipient Foundry Educational Foundation Fellowship, 2002

Selected Publications

• Wachs RA, Hoogenboezem EN, Huda HI, Xin S, Porvasnik, SL, Schmidt CE. Creation of an injectable in situ gelling native extracellular matrix for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering. The Spine Journal. 2016, In Press.
• Ledet EH, Peterson JM, Wachs RA, Grabowsky MBM, Glennon JC, DiRisio DJ. Direct Measure of Cervical Interbody Forces In Vivo: Load Reversal After Plating. The Spine Journal. 2016; 16(10S):S238-9.
• Wachs RA, Ellstein D, Drazan J, Healey CP, Uhl RL, Connor, KA, Ledet EH. Elementary implantable force sensor—for smart orthopaedic implants. Advances in Biosensors and Bioelectronics. 2013; 2(4).
• Ledet EH, D’Lima D, Westerhoff P, Szivek J, Wachs RA, Bergmann G. Implantable sensor technology: from research to clinical practice. J Am Acad Orthop Surg,. 2012; 20(6):383-392.
• Wachs RA, Grabowsky MBM, Glennon J, Ledet EH. In Vivo Loads in the Cervical Spine: A preliminary investigation using a force-sensing implant. The Spine Journal. 2012; 12(9), S141.
• Wachs RA, Michna VM, Ledet EH. Three-dimensional morphometry of human cervical endplates. The Spine Journal. 2012; 12(9), S141-S142.
• Grabowsky MBM, Pallotta NA, Connelly MW, Van Etten B, MacDonald RA, Alley M, Glennon JC, Dubin AH, German JW, Uhl RL, Ledet EH. The potential role of extensor muscle fatigue in the onset of intervertebral disc degeneration: A novel in vivo model. The Spine Journal. 2010; 10(9S):74S-5S.
• MacDonald RA, Voge CM, Kariolis M, Stegemann JP. Carbon nanotubes increase the electrical conductivity of fibroblast-seeded collagen hydrogels. Acta Biomaterials. 2008 Jul;4:1583-1592.
• Voge CM, Kariolis M, MacDonald RA, Stegemann JP. Directional conductivity in SWNT-collagen-fibrin composite biomaterials through strain-induced matrix alignment. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2008 Jul;86(1):269-77.
• Laraia K, Leone N, MacDonald RA, Blanchet TA. Effect of water and serum absorption on wear of unirradiated and crosslinked UHMWPE orthopedic bearing materials. Tribology Transactions. 2006; 49: 338-346.
• MacDonald RA, Laurenzi BF, Viswanathan G, Ajayan PM, Stegemann JP. Collagen-carbon nanotube composite materials as scaffolds in tissue engineering. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2005 Sep 1;74(3):489-96.

Professional Memberships:

• Biomedical Engineering Society
• Orthopaedic Research Society
• Society for Biomaterials