PhD Spotlight: Vineel Kondiboyina, PhD’24, Bioengineering
Vineel Kondiboyina, PhD’24, bioengineering, focused his research on the mechanobiology of limb growth. Using mechanical testing, computational modeling, and biochemical characterization, he explored the dynamics of tissue stiffness and composition changes during limb development.
After earning his master’s degree in bioengineering at Northeastern, Vineel Kondiboyina worked in industry as a product development engineer before beginning his PhD in bioengineering in 2020. Kondiboyina, advised by Sandra Shefelbine, professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, jointly appointed in bioengineering, focused his research on the mechanobiology of limb growth. Using mechanical testing, computational modeling, and biochemical characterization, he explored the dynamics of tissue stiffness and composition changes during limb development.
His investigations elucidated the role of calcium signaling in mechanotransduction processes within cartilage cells. By applying mechanical load to cartilage under a confocal microscope, he observed and quantified changes in calcium signaling, shedding light on the intricate interplay between mechanics and cellular responses during limb growth.
Kondiboyina was a co-author of published research in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. He also shared his research and fostered academic dialogue at industry conferences such as the Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering & Biotransport Conference.
As a student, Kondiboyina excelled as both an educator and a mentor. He was honored with the 2024 Outstanding PhD Student Award in Teaching from Northeastern, and the 2023 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award from the College of Engineering. In 2023, he conducted a virtual workshop on research principles with graduate-level students at Sarojini Naidu Vanitha Mahavidyalaya, a women’s college in Telangana, India. He is also the founder of the Rachapalli Suryakumari Scholarship, created in honor of his grandmother who was an advocate for women’s education and social change, to support female students in Kodiboyina’s hometown in India. To date, scholarships have been awarded to 20 female students.
Following graduation, Kondiboyina began postdoctoral work at Northeastern to continue his research on how cartilage mechanical properties and material composition change during skeletal growth. He will be collaborating with Niamh Nowlan, professor of biomedical engineering at the University College Dublin (UCD) School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and teach mechanical testing of cartilage to UCD students.