Alex Dumas

Alex is an MD-PhD student from Durban, South Africa, who studies bottlebrush polymers for biomedical applications. She is co-advised in the labs of Mingjiang Zhong (Chemical Engineering) and Mark Saltzman (Biomedical Engineering). Alex completed her undergraduate degree in Bioengineering in 2024 from the University of Pennsylvania with a minor in Chemistry. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research in the lab of Dr. Riccardo Gottardi at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where her work focused on the development of decellularized meniscus scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering with applications in the upper airway and the meniscus. From these experiences, Alex found her passion for biomaterials and regenerative medicine. In her free time Alex enjoys cooking, running and watercolor painting.