معرفی
Dr. Mona Minkara is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Northeastern University, with an affiliation in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Florida (2015) and a BA in Chemistry and Middle-Eastern Studies from Wellesley College (2009). Her work focuses on computational modeling of biological interfaces, particularly pulmonary surfactant systems, and developing accessible tools for blind scientists. She leads the COMBINE Lab, advancing therapies through molecular dynamics simulations and Monte Carlo methods. Awards include the 2024 NSF CAREER Award and the 2022 Martin Essigmann Teaching Award.
Research spans five programs: surfactant immunoproteins for therapeutics, monolayer-bilayer transition modeling, drug delivery mechanisms, accessible computational methods, and STEM accessibility tools. Notable projects include NIH-funded bacterial glycan dynamics studies and NSF-supported SARS-CoV-2 protein probe research. Advocacy work includes directing Science in Braille and developing tactile graphics via swell-form machines and lithophanes.
Publications highlight glycan-protein interactions, tactile visualization innovations, and accessibility protocols. Grants include $1.95M NIH R35 MIRA Award (2024) and $827K NSF CAREER funding. Advising includes mentoring Deng Li (PhD’25) and undergraduate researchers through PEAK Experiences. Lab innovations emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, combining biophysics and engineering to address lung disease and accessibility challenges.
