Kimberly K
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at Columbia University
Expertise
biomechanics, biotechnology, student government, orthopedics, mechanics, consulting
Bio
My name is Kim Kroupa, and I recently completed my Ph.D. at Columbia University in mechanical engineering. My research focused on cartilage tissue, investigating how osteoarthritis (or damage to cartilage) progresses, how we can study the structure of collagen in cartilage, and how this damage can be reversed. I looked worked on computationally and mathematically modeling the breakdown of cartilage tissue, to understand how osteoarthritis progresses, so we can learn how to repair or reverse it. I love to cook and to travel, and I actually just came back from a one year solo travel trip around the world! Looking forward to learning with you!Project ideas
How do sports injuries affect the incidence rate of arthritis?
Sports injuries are increasingly common; we all know of someone who has torn an ACL or meniscus. But how does that injury affect a persons orthopedic health years down the line? Does the type of repair surgery result in a different outcome? What strategies could be used to study this? This project could be a paper or a slide deck, depending on your interest!
How healthy is the new cartilage tissue which grows to repair an injury?
Cartilage is a unique tissue in that unlike most others, it does not contain blood vessels to facilitate repair after injury. However, after injury, especially after surgical repair, some new tissue may grow. In this research project we could investigate questions like, is this cartilage the same as it was before injury? Does it have the same components, and structure?
What is cartilage made of, and why is it important?
Cartilage is a fascinating tissue! It contains unique components structured in a specific way to help it function, cushioning our joints for over 60 years. How is this possible? This could cumulate in a literature review or a presentation/conference format.