He also is an active investigator and trainer in the Center for Biomedical Engineering. He received a B.S. in engineering from Harvey Mudd College, a Ph.D. in bioengineering from Rice University, and post-doctoral training in orthopaedic research at Duke University. His research involves mechanobiology, mesenchymal stem cells, and musculoskeletal tissue regeneration, with a primary focus on understanding cellular heterogeneity and its effects on both fundamental phenomena and translational applications. Central to this pursuit has been the identification of novel biological and mechanical markers for enriching high-value cell populations. Recent work in his group has focused on two, novel cellular characteristics: single-cell mechanophenotype and live-cell gene expression.