Jay Walcott (’19) applied to the MAB program with the intent of gaining knowledge in the field and to find a job working in industry. She was working as a cell technology specialist for a Florida biotech company when she decided she wanted to pursue a career in tissue engineering.
While the procedures we witnessed were great to see, it was really inspiring to know we were working on projects that clinicians and patients actually cared about
As a MAB student, Jay enjoyed the clinical rotations. “While the procedures we witnessed were great to see, it was really inspiring to know we were working on projects that clinicians and patients actually cared about,” Jay said.
During her studies, Jay volunteered in a lab and the research she was doing inspired her to pursue a Ph.D. She is now in her third year in the joint Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech and Emory. Her research involves bioprinting with stem cells to create cardiac tissues. The long-term goal is to produce constructs that more accurately recapitulate cardiac tissues to print artificial hearts as an alternative to heart transplantation.
After receiving her Ph.D., Jay plans to return to industry to continue working in the field of bioprinting. She is particularly interested in positions related to bioink development and bioprinting R&D.