Andrea Gonzalez Rodriguez

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering [email protected] (303) 960-5959 Mailing Address: 970 36th Street, Boulder, CO, 80303

Education Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA. 2015-Current M.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA. May 2017 B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain. May 2014

Experience Graduate Student Researcher, University of Colorado Boulder, USA (Spring 2015 – Present) Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Research Advisor: Prof. Kristi S. Anseth • Investigate the effect of biochemical and mechanical cues on valvular interstitial cell (VICs) phenotype within 3D matrices to better understand causes leading to aortic valve stenosis. Research Internship, University of Colorado Boulder, USA (June 2014 – December 2014) Internship with the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Research Advisor: Prof. Kristi S. Anseth • Studied interactions between valvular interstitial cells (VICs) and valvular endothelial cells (VECs) to understand the effects of VIC-VEC co-cultures on VIC phenotype. • Techniques used. o Isolation of primary valvular interstitial and endothelial cells from porcine hearts. o Design of VIC-VEC 2D co-culture hydrogel systems. o Mechanical characterization of hydrogels using parallel plate rheology. o Immunohistochemistry o Fluorescent confocal microscopy. Industry Internship, Jose MA Sans Amill S.A., Montblanc, Spain (June 2013 – August 2013) Internship at Jose MA Sans Amill, Supervisor: Cristina Sans • Studied the effect of pH and buffering capacity to test the quality of anodized aluminum chain coating and color incorporation. Assisted in inventory of materials using CAD schematics.

Publications • Khang, A., Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Schroeder, M.E., Sansom, J., Lejeune, E., Anseth, K.S., Sacks, M.S., “Quantifying heart valve interstitial cell contractile state using highly tunable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels”, Acta Biomater., 2019. • Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Schroeder, M.E., Walker, C.J., Anseth, K.S., “FGF-2 inhibits contractile properties of valvular interstitial cell myofibroblasts encapsulated in 3D MMP-degradable hydrogels”, APL Bioengineering, 2(4), 046104, 2018.

Presentations (presenter underlined) • Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Schroeder, M., Anseth, K.S., “Fibrotic and calcific roles of TNF-a on Valvular Interstitital Cells Encapsulated within 3D MMP-degradable hydrogels”, 2019 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting, April 2019, Seattle, WA. • Schroeder, M. E., Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Anseth, K. S., “The Role of Osteopontin and Sex-Specific Differences in Valvular Interstitial Cells and Their Response to Biochemical Cues,” 2019 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting, April 2019, Seattle, WA. • Khang, A., Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Schroeder, M.E., Anseth, K.S., Sacks, M. “Studying Valve Interstitial Cell Mechanobiology Using Poly(ethylene Glycol) Hydrogels,” Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting, April 2018, Atlanta, GA. • Schroeder, M.E., Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Anseth, K.S., “Three-dimensional synthetic matrix environments to probe cytokine role in VIC myofibroblast activation and wound healing response,” 2017 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Americas Annual Conference and Exhibition, December 2017, Charlotte, NC. • Gonzalez Rodriguez, A., Schroeder, M., Anseth, K.S., “Tunable 3D hydrogel scaffolds to assess fibroblast contractility during the wound healing response”, 2017 Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, November 2017, Boston, MA.

Teaching Experience Advanced Teaching Assistant (Spring 2017), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA. Advanced teaching assistant for the undergraduate junior course of “Biomaterials (CHEN 4805)” under Dr. Stephanie Bryant. Group Leader for the Preliminary Chemical Plant Design Project (September 2013-June 2014), at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain. Assist and guide freshman students in Chemical Engineering undergraduate studies on the preliminary design of a Biodiesel plant. Help with planning to guarantee project completion by having regular meetings to ensure progress as well as assessing personal and academic performance of each student. Also assisted with technical issues and to clarify expected outcomes.

Mentoring Experience • Kelly Speckl, CU undergraduate, Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, 2019 – current • Firaol Midekssa, University of Rochester, Young Scholars Summer Research Program, Summer 2019 • Daren Kraft, CU undergraduate, MCDB Department, Spring 2018 • Samuel Payne, CU undergraduate, Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, 2014-2017 • Kaitlyn Benner, CU undergraduate, Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Spring 2016 • Laura Fleming, Fairview high school student, 2015-2016

Awards and Scholarships • DoEd GAANN Travel Fellowship, University of Colorado, Boulder (September 2018 – August 2019) • Graduate Program Balsells Fellowship, University of Colorado, Boulder (January 2015 – December 2016) • Undergraduate Internship Balsells Fellowship, University of Colorado, Boulder (June – December 2014) • Industry scholarship Becas de insercion laboral, Banco Sabadell, Spain (2013) • Government of Catalonia Award for highest achieving students of 2010 university enrollment tests, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain (2010) • Matricula de Honor Bachillerato Academic Scholarship, La Salle Tarragona, Tarragona, Spain (May 2010)

Scientific Outreach and Volunteer Experience • Volunteer judge at the Boulder Valley School District annual Corden Pharma Science Fair (February 2019) • Cool Girls Science and Art Club, Casa de la Esperanza, Guest lecturer on Interactive polymers (April 2018) • Interactive Biomaterials Demo for Girls scouts (November 2017) • Volunteer Host for 2017 Science Fair at High Peaks Elementary School, brainstorming session and judge (October-November 2017) • Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Conference, Polymers workshop presenter, University of Colorado Boulder (February 2017) • Volunteer Host for 2016 Science Fair at High Peaks Elementary School, brainstorming session. (October 2016) • Volunteer host for incoming graduate students at University of Colorado Boulder (2016-2017)