Denny Carvajal (Biomedical Engineering)
About DOE Fellow
Denny Alejandro Carvajal graduated from Florida International University (F.I.U.) in the Summer of 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. During his studies, he worked as a Laboratory Assistant in the Cardiovascular Engineering Center (CVEC) at F.I.U. where he acquired experience in the field of drug delivery. His focus there was performing drug toxicity assays in cell culture, producing and implementing data processing algorithms using Matlab, microsphere fluid dynamics using COMSOL, fluorescent multiple indicator dilution method and permeability surface area product on cardiac tissue, assessing cardiac function, and performing optical drug washout studies in animals to name a few. He was also responsible for creating a prototype that improved the delivery system of Yttrium-90 microspheres used in Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRTEX) during his senior year. For the past 4 years, Denny has been working for Mount Sinai Center in Miami Beach as a clinical epic analyst.
DOE Related Projects:
Currently, Denny Carvajal is working with Dr. Katsenovich on uranium remediation of the 300 Area at the Hanford Site in Washington State. Denny is studying uranium biosorption by Hanford Site soil isolates in order to better understand uranium mobility and the reactions between uranium and polyphosphates. One way to prevent the movement of uranium is through polyphosphate technology. Polyphosphate technology uses polyphosphate injection, allowing phosphate to bind to aqueous uranium which produces an insoluble precipitate, in turn reducing the uranium concentrations. The project’s purpose is to improve remediation strategies aimed to prevent uranium from moving any further into the groundwater and the nearby Columbia River.