Fischell Institute Womxn's History Month Spotlight: Samantha Quander-Mosley
Samantha Quander-Mosley is a faculty research assistant in Fischell Fellow and BIOE Associate Professor Catherine K. Kuo’s lab. Quander-Mosley graduated from the University of Maryland in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering. After graduation, Quander-Mosley chose to take a gap year to continue working in the Kuo Lab as a faculty research assistant. “Dr. Kuo has been a mentor to me for a while,” Quander-Mosley said. “When I joined the lab, she worked with me to find projects that I aligned with, like working on a mechanical loading bioreactor and being able to machine custom parts for experiments. Because I was interested in the projects I was working on, it made sense for me to continue pursuing research in her lab while trying to figure out my next steps for graduate school.” Quander-Mosley is currently developing a protocol for mechanically testing adult animal tendons. “One of our goals is to develop a therapeutic for tendon injuries,” she said. “In order to do that, we have to assess the mechanical properties of tendons.” Measuring these properties gives her insight as to how tendons heal after injury. By tensile testing the tendons at different stages of healing post-injury, Quander-Mosley can compare them to healthy tendons to get a better understanding of how tendon healing is progressing. “We can do the same testing on tendons that are treated with different therapeutics to better inform our treatment strategies,” she said. “Many of the projects in our lab use mechanical testing to paint a clearer picture of how the tendon is regaining its function. It’s fun to see how it all overlaps.” Quander-Mosley said that being a womxn in a male-dominated field has helped develop her resilience. “Being a womxn in engineering can definitely be tough,” she said. “There have been times where I have questioned my qualifications and wondered if I should be in the spaces that I was in, and times when male counterparts would either directly or indirectly challenge my presence or input.” These experiences have inspired Quander-Mosley to work harder to prove that she is qualified and deserving of being in the room. “I think it’s important to celebrate Womxn’s History Month to uplift womxn and highlight their accomplishments, especially when they are not appreciated in male-dominated spaces or overlooked in history,” she said. Next Fall, Quander-Mosley will pursue her master’s in bioengineering and would eventually like to earn a Ph.D. in bioengineering. Her dream is to create and work with medical devices that are affordable and accessible to everyone, particularly those with low incomes or who are physically distant from healthcare providers. She also wants to advocate for underrepresented individuals who may be overlooked or left out of design considerations when products are being made. Outside of the lab, Quander-Mosley enjoys painting, drawing, crocheting, cooking, playing soccer, reading, learning about different fashion styles, and spending time with her friends and family.
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