James L. Carmon Scholarship Award

Matthew Becton, a doctoral student in the College of Engineering, conducts research in the Computational Nano/Bio-Mechanics Lab. His highly multidisciplinary research crosses the boundaries between computational modeling, molecular biology, chemistry, physics and engineering to understand the structure and properties of various materials at the nanometer scale. Much is unknown about the effects of nanomaterials inside the body. Becton’s research aims to probe the mechanical factors of cell damage and destruction utilizing nanoparticles from a predictive modeling viewpoint to provide a fundamental understanding of cell-nanoparticle interactions. His research has strong applications in medicine, ranging from gene delivery, bioimaging and biosensors to nanovaccines and drug delivery. Such knowledge will not only guide the use of nanoparticles, but also save time and cost on in vitro and in vivo studies.