Gianna Imeidopf

Biomechanical Engineering Student · Hofstra University

My current work includes engineering and creating vascular grafts out of decellularized plant tissue.

Vice President of BMES at Hofstra University, with ongoing research in plant-derived vascular scaffolds and mitochondrial biology in collaboration with the Feinstein Institutes.

Gianna Imeidopf headshot

Current: Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Merna's Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab at Hofstra University

Leadership: Vice President of BMES at Hofstra University; Secretary of Robotics; Founder and President of the Helping Hands Project

Collaboration: Feinstein Institutes of Northwell Health, mitochondrial isolation research.
NIH, vascular graft development.
American Heart Association, bioreactor development.

Publications and Presentations

Experience

Bioengineering Research Assistant

Hofstra University Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab · Nov 2022 - Present

  • Histology, bright-field imaging, and image analysis workflows using ImageJ.
  • Decellularization and recellularization optimization for plant-derived scaffolds.
  • Cell culture and wet-lab protocols, including rat model surgery support.
  • First-author presentations at BMES 2024 and Hofstra Undergraduate Research Day.

Engineering Student Aide

Hofstra University MakerSpace · Sep 2023 - Present

  • Support curriculum and personal engineering projects for students and faculty.
  • Operate and maintain 3D printers, milling systems, and laser cutting equipment.
  • Assist senior design teams and student organizations with prototyping.

Systems Engineering Co-Op

DEKA Research & Development · Jan 2025 - Aug 2025

  • Designed, tested, and iterated on medical-device systems through bench testing and cross-functional reviews.
  • Prepared human and porcine organs for controlled device testing sessions.
  • Contributed to glucose biosensor R&D through literature review and wet-lab experimentation.
  • Initiated development of 3D-printed bio-relevant gel matrices for 3D cell seeding workflows.

Entrepreneurial Lead - NSF I-Corps Regional Program

Hofstra Cell & Tissue Engineering Lab / NSF I-Corps Northeast Hub · 2026

  • Served as Entrepreneurial Lead on a regional NSF I-Corps team exploring the translational potential of tissue engineering research.
  • Conducted customer discovery interviews, evaluated stakeholder needs, and helped assess early commercialization pathways for lab-developed biomaterials technology.

Leadership and Certifications

Leadership + Service

  • Vice President, BMES at Hofstra University.
  • Secretary, Hofstra Robotics.
  • Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
  • Treasurer, Hofstra Billiards and Pool Club.
  • Volunteer Tutor (Biology, Trigonometry, Middle School Science and Math).
  • MIT ACCESS participant and conference attendee.
  • Judge, Rube Goldberg Contest (2025).
  • Recipient, IDEALS Nursing Award for supporting diversity in STEM spaces.
  • Recipient, Future PI Award (Hofstra BMES).
  • Recipient, One Degree Award (Hofstra Office of Student Leadership and Engagement).
  • Recipient, Collaborative Program of the Year for the Impact Gala Fundraiser (Hofstra Office of Student Leadership and Engagement).

Mentorship, Outreach, and Additional Experience

Teaching + Mentorship

  • Trained 5-7 incoming undergraduate researchers in lab onboarding workflows.
  • Peer Teacher for Intro to Engineering (ENGG 16).
  • Peer Teacher support for Cell and Tissue Engineering coursework.
  • Volunteer Tutor through UPchieve (math, science, and college readiness).

Outreach + Engagement

  • Delivered STEM-focused talks to high school students across Long Island.
  • Collaborated with the Northwell School of Nursing on outreach and engagement efforts.
  • Founder and President, Helping Hands Project for prosthetic hand donation.
  • e-NABLE volunteer focused on prosthetic hand fabrication and donation.
  • Presented research through ASPIRE programming (Summer 2024).
  • Weekend patient access representative in emergency care settings.

Tools and Ongoing Work

Technical Toolkit

  • CAD: SolidWorks, Siemens NX.
  • Research operations: ImageJ, histology workflows, 2d cell culture, 3d cell culture.
  • Engineering collaboration: Jira, Confluence.

Current and Upcoming Directions

  • Continuing publication work in vascular grafts and animal-model studies.
  • Developing machine-learning approaches for image analysis in bioengineering workflows.
  • Exploring electrical stimulation methods for vascular graft development.
  • Senior design focus: healing patch concept informed by mechanotransduction.
  • Completed NSF I-Corps training to strengthen translational research thinking.

Contact

I am actively pursuing graduate research opportunities in biomechanics, tissue engineering, and translational bioengineering.

giannaimeidopf@gmail.com LinkedIn Google Scholar