PhD Candidate, Biophysical Sciences, The University of Chicago (2020-present)
B.S., Biophysics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2020)
Anna Gaffney
PhD Candidate
Office: Surgery Brain Research Institute, SBRI J555O
Email: adgaffney@uchicago.edu
Anna Gaffney (she/her/they/them) is a PhD candidate in Biophysical Sciences, conducting research under joint mentorship of Dr. Luka Pocivavsek and Dr. Ka Yee Lee. She is from Marysville, MI, and received her BS in Biophysics in 2020 at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. During their undergrad, they conducted experimental research studying the liquid-liquid phase behavior of lipid vesicles in relation to composition and temperature. For her current thesis work, she studies how lipid monolayers at the air-water interface collapse under compression. She combines experimental lipid monolayer research (through fluorescence microscopy conducted in the Lee Lab) with computational lipid monolayer modeling (through finite element simulations of elastic continuum mechanics in the SurgBioMech Lab), to characterize the morphology and mechanical stability of lipid monolayers undergoing collapse. In their free time, they enjoy reading, exploring Chicago’s queer community, and playing with her 2 cats. See their personal website HERE.