Current Team Members

Robert Kellar, Ph.D.

Dr. Kellar is the Founder and CEO of Development Engineering Sciences, LLC, a biomedical consulting firm. He has over 21 years of experience in the development and regulatory approval of medical devices, cell-based products, and tissue engineered technology. Previously, Dr. Kellar was VP of Research and Development at Histogen, Inc. where he led multi-functional project teams for all aspects of product development. Prior to Histogen, Dr. Kellar was a product specialist for the first FDA-approved thoracic endograft at W.L. Gore and Associates where he served a lead role in development, regulatory, clinical trials, marketing, sales, and business for the thoracic device and the product portfolio. Previous to this position, Dr. Kellar was a product specialist for the Global Oral Health Business at W.L. Gore & Associates (both Gore-Tex® Regenerative Membranes and the entire resorbable membrane portfolio). Prior to Gore, at Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc. he led cardiovascular research programs and managed the Anginera® program. Dr. Kellar previously served on the Scientific Advisory Board for Theregen and the Advisory Board for Flagship Biosciences, a digital pathology company he helped co-found.  He currently serves as the Chief Science Officer for Axolotl Biologix, the Chief Technology Officer for Pulsegraft, the Advisory Board for Protein Genomics, and the Board of Directors for Leonhardt Ventures.    Dr. Kellar is also a Past President of the Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation.  Dr. Kellar’s academic laboratory is the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (TERM) Lab in the Center for Materials Interfaces in Research & Applications (¡MIRA!) at Northern Arizona University (NAU).  He also holds Faculty positions in Biological Sciences and Mechanical Engineering at NAU.  He earned his Ph.D. in Physiological Sciences from the University of Arizona in the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of Dr. Stuart K. Williams.

Aaron Tabor, Ph.D.

Dr. Aaron J. Tabor completed his Ph.D. in biological sciences at Northern Arizona University under the training of Dr. Robert S. Kellar. He has held full-time faculty and administrative positions at the two-year college and university levels. His research interest includes human translational (applied) modalities. He has worked on numerous industry-driven ventures that dealt with cosmetic applications, wound healing, tissue products (HCT/Ps), cardiovascular studies, strokes and catheter redesigns. In these roles, he has worked as a scientific advisor, quality specialist, clinical director, and corporate executive, all aiming to bring products to market. Dr. Tabor has numerous publications and peer-reviewed textbooks and articles in this translational field. Outside of his industry and academic responsibilities, he is Chair of the Coconino County Workforce Development Board, past secretary for the Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation, and Executive Board Member for Tynkertopia (a STEM 501(c)3 program), serves on the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation-JEDI Board. He is a graduate of the 2018-2019 Flagstaff Leadership Program (FLP), was honored with the 2018 Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce’s “20 under 40” class, and recently received the 2021 Viola award recipient for his involvement in Tynkertopia.

 

Chadrick Jennings

Chadrick is a graduate of Northern Arizona University’s Mechanical Engineering bachelorette program. During his studies, he gained a passion for the biomechanics/biomedical industry, and is pursuing a career in designing and developing medical devices and products. Chadrick currently serves as the Lab Manager and Engineer for Development Engineering Sciences.

 

Meaghan Geiger

Meaghan is a senior at Northern Arizona University completing her B.Sc. in Biomedical Science. She currently works as a lab technician for Development Engineering Sciences (DES) and the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI). During her time in Flagstaff she has contributed to research on Lyme Disease, Valley Fever, and SARS-CoV-2. Meaghan has plans to continue to pursue a career involving the advancement of medical technology and infectious disease. 

 

Dallin Merrell

Dallin is a biomedical consultant and laboratory technician for Development Engineering Sciences, LLC. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biomedical Science and a Minor in Chemistry. His interest in human physiology led him to TA for the Human Anatomy and Physiology labs at NAU during his undergraduate career. He further pursued this interest by excelling in the Gross Anatomy and Human Tissue Biology labs in his final year at NAU. Dallin also became involved in research at the Integrative Cardiopulmonary Physiology Lab at NAU, where he assisted in conducting research that focused on respiratory physiology and disorders. Upon graduation, Dallin became an intern with the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Lab at NAU, where he assisted a graduate student in her work that focused on glycemic conditions in wound healing. Furthermore, Dallin has 3 years of clinic experience as an OR/PACU technician at Flagstaff Medical Center. Dallin is currently pursuing a medical degree at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.

 

Alumni of DES

Talon V. Mills

Talon was a research engineer, project manager, and laboratory manager for Development Engineering Sciences, LLC. He graduated in May 2020 with a Masters of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and graduated in May 2019 Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Before working for DES he was a research aid and project engineer (2015-2017) for the US Department of Agriculture at the Arid Land Agricultural Research Center in Maricopa AZ. Talon is an Alumni of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society and Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.  Upon graduation he was employed by Northrop Grumman as a Structural Analysis Engineer working in the defense industry.  For more information please contact Talon at http://www.linkedin.com/in/talonmills

Josh Landavaso

Joshua was a research scientist, and laboratory manager for Development Engineering Sciences, LLC. He has seven years of experiences in healthcare and is currently employed as a radiology technologist at two local practices. Joshua received an Associates of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology from Yavapai College and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biomedical Science and minor in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University. In his undergraduate studies, he was a member of the Browder research group, in which he helped in the investigation of the synthesis of isoxazoline compounds for bacterial growth inhibition. His current research interests involve the production of biomimetic devices for novel treatments in regenerative medicine and using biomedical research for developing innovative products in healthcare. Given his experiences in research and medicine, Joshua is applying to medical school and looks forward to continued involvement in biomedical research as a physician. For more information, please contact Joshua at http://linkedin.com/in/joshua-landavaso-587443a9

Bronson Pinto

Bronson Ikaika Pinto is a Ph.D. student in Bioengineering at Northern Arizona University (NAU).  He is currently under the mentorship of Dr. Robert S. Kellar.  His prior education includes a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology from Northern Arizona University and a high school diploma from Kailua High in Kailua, Hawai’i.  He was awarded a presidential tuition scholarship as well as a native Hawaiian scholarship upon graduating from high school to attend NAU.  As an undergraduate student, Bronson was awarded fellowship in the Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity Program (IMSD), which encourages underrepresented minorities to further their research in the STEM fields and also provides funding for research supplies and travel. Upon receiving his Bachelor’s degree, Bronson was admitted into the Bioengineering Ph.D. program at NAU where he is currently studying the effects of environmental contaminants on wound healing and potential strategies for minimizing harm from these contaminants through delivery of a chelation therapy via biomimetic tissue scaffolds.  In addition to his research, Bronson holds a graduate teaching assistantship in an introductory anatomy and physiology lab.  His most recent academic accomplishments include the acquisition of a Health Research Initiative Grant for his doctorate research, an intellectual property patent disclosure and two peer reviewed manuscripts highlighting his graduate research to-date.  Upon receiving his doctorate degree from NAU, Bronson plans to acquire a full-time position in the biomedical engineering industry.  For more information, please contact Bronson at bpinto@des-company.com

Lance Eberle

Lance is a mechanical engineer at DES and is currently completing a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Northern Arizona University (NAU). He received his Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in mechanical engineering in 2016 from NAU where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. His undergraduate academics focused on fluid dynamics and numerical methods in system analysis (computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, etc.). During the final semester of his undergraduate he began research conducting experiments on Ni₂MnGa Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys (MSMAs). For his graduate research he continued his work with MSMAs by creating several thermodynamics based constitutive models to predict the behavior of the MSMAs under various magneto-mechanical loading scenarios. While completing his Master’s he was also the lead TA for the Thermofluids lab and conducted lectures, managed TAs, and repaired/improved experiments. His work led to a nomination for NAU’s Research and Creativity Award for Most Promising Graduate Student Researcher/Scholar. After completing his Master’s, Lance plans to begin full-time work as a mechanical engineer. For more information please contact Lance at jleberle@des-company.com.

Martha Fowler

Martha Fowler is a Research Technician at DES and is currently completing her Master’s degree at Northern Arizona University.  Martha became a DES intern in the summer of 2015 and worked with Dr.  Aaron Tabor on wound healing applications such as Platelet Rich Plasma along with histological and data analysis. Then moved into an independent research study regarding the isolation and extraction of adipose-derived stem cells from murine tissue as a therapeutic application. Martha was also the President of the Bioengineering Club and was a recepient of the Deans List award as an undergraduate at NAU and aspires to attend an M.D./Ph.D program.

Dominic Dominguez

Dominic Dominguez is a Research Technician at DES and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science with a minor in Chemistry and Psychological Sciences at Northern Arizona University.  During his undergrad, his research consisted of the effects of glucose levels on cellular proliferation and surface area.  Throughout his time at NAU, Dominic was a recipient of the Russell Jones Optometry scholarship and the President of the Optometry club.  He is planning to attend medical school and specialize in the field of Ophthalmology.  His research at DES deals with testing different assays to observe the effects certain molecules have on fibroblasts in wound healing.

Tatum Bardsley

Tatum Bardsley is a Research Technician at DES. Tatum began working in the lab in December of 2015, and is beginning her research activities on the incorporation of ionic liquids into scaffolds for wound healing with an antimicrobial benefit. She enjoys study abroad and has spent a summer in Costa Rica as well as will be pursuing a program in England, in the hope to continue her education abroad to widen her overall outlook on different parts of the world. As of now, Tatum volunteers at Flagstaff Medical Center and plans to pursue medical school following her time at Northern Arizona University, where she will strive to become a specialized surgeon.

Oscar Lujan

Oscar Ramon Lujan is an undergraduate student who is currently pursuing a degree in Biomedical Science with minor in Chemistry. Oscar continues his studies at Northern Arizona University as a recipient of the Lumberjack scholarship. Oscar is a member of the Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity Program (IMSD) (NIH IMSD Grant #R25 GM056931), which is an NIH Grant Program that helps encourage underrepresented minorities to join the field of science and aids the funding of student research.   Oscar is currently under the mentorship of Bronson Pinto, who is teaching Oscar how to fully understand the scratch wound assay. Oscar will soon begin research on his own project that deals with the effects of arsenic on wound healing. As a current Sophomore, Oscar hopes to one day create publications and continue on with more projects as time passes.

Robert Diller, Ph.D.

Robert Diller was a research scientist for Development Engineering Sciences, LLC.  His prior education includes a B.S. in Biomedical Science and an M.S. in Biology, and a Ph.D. in Biology.  His previous work experience includes Lab Manager at Flagship Biosciences a company that specializes in digital pathology, Senior Director of Research at Axolotl Biologix.  Dr. Diller is currently employed at Amnio Technologies.

Melissa Schonauer, Ph.D.

Melissa S. Schonauer was a senior research scientist at Development Engineering Sciences, LLC. She has 17 years of experience in molecular and cellular biology and cell culture research. She has trained and supervised multiple undergraduate and graduate students in various research labs. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona where she investigated the intersection of fatty acid synthesis and RNA processing in yeast mitochondria. As a post-doc at Northern Arizona University, she used baker’s/brewer’s yeast as a model organism to study chromosomal translocations and genomic instability. As a research scientist at Northern Arizona University, she worked on the application of algae for use and remediation of high salinity waste water. Dr. Schonauer is a full-time Faculty Member at Northern Arizona University.

 

Robert G. Audet 

Robert G. Audet was a research scientist and laboratory manager for Development Engineering Sciences, LLC and Protein Genomics, Inc. He has 19 years of experience in biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, protein chemistry, developmental biology, and cell culture research, including 7 years managing and training staff, graduate and undergraduate students. His research interests are focused on translating biomedical research into innovative products and services that will improve the lives of other people.  Robert’s education includes a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and 2 years graduate studies in the Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In addition, Robert managed the e-GIRLS (e-tools for Girls Investigating Real Life Sciences) program and was a partner in the Northern Arizona University Nexus Math/Science Project, created to increase awareness and competency in science, technology, math and engineering fields for middles and high school students.  Robert is currently at Axolotl Biologix.

Ryan Geier

Ryan Patrick Geier earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in May 2015, and he is currently working towards earning an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with expected graduation in May of 2017. As an undergraduate, Ryan served as the Vice President and, subsequently, President of the Bioengineering Club while generating a mechanical template for ongoing development of bioengineered dermal wound healing devices. Currently, he is serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant within the Mechanical Engineering department and is working part time as an engineer in town. Ryan’s research involves the development of Silicon Carbide (SiC) as an advanced bioceramic for joint replacement bearing applications, and current work focuses on the quantification of the biological response of cells exposed to SiC before and after simulated use, in order to assess the effects of various processing additives on the resulting biocompatibility of the implant material. For more information, please contact Ryan at rpg43@nau.edu.

Jordan Muller

Jordan R. Muller was an undergraduate student at Northern Arizona University perusing degrees in Microbiology and Chemistry with an emphasis in Biotechnology. Jordan is a recipient and student of the NIH funded Initiative Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) program, which grants students from underrepresented groups in biomedical and behavioral sciences opportunities to gain first hand research experience.  Jordan is currently at W.L. Gore and Associates.

Krystal Burchinal

Krystal Burchinal completed her Bachelor’s degree in biology at Northern Arizona in May 2014. During this time she also completed a minor in chemistry and received a certificate in biotechnology. Her research focused on the decellularization of integument using osmotic solutions, and she received first place at the Undergraduate Research Symposium for presenting on this project. She has played numerous educational roles at Northern Arizona University, including teacher’s assistant and supplemental instructor for various chemistry and biology courses.

Andrew Robinson

Andrew Robinson is a current undergraduate student at Arizona State University-Barrett Honors College. He joined the DES team in the summer of 2013 and immediately began working on wound healing with Aaron Tabor. He is seeking a degree in biochemistry and working on his honors thesis using Platelet Rich Gels as a wound healing agent. He has consistently made the ASU Deans list and earned the Honors Tuition Scholarship. Once he completes his undergraduate studies he plans on attending graduate school for biochemistry.

Kristina Galbreath

Kristina Galbreath was an undergraduate intern at DES and is current seeking her Biomedical Science degree at Northern Arizona University. She is an Arizona native resident and graduate in the top 10% of her high school class in 2012. She was awarded the AIMS scholarship for academic accomplishments.  She currently volunteers at Flagstaff Medical Center in the Emergency Department. She aspires to be a cardiac specialist and is hoping to attend University of Washington’s medical school. Her research at DES was in the area of wound healing.

Kyle McMinimy

Kyle was an undergraduate intern at DES who graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University with his Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Science and minors in Chemistry andSpanish in December of 2015. During his time at NAU, alongside interning with DES, he served as President of the of STEM club, Vice President of the BioEngineering club, held executive positions within the Sigma Chi Fraternity, volunteered in the Emergency Department at Flagstaff Medical Center, and obtained his EMT certification. His research focus at DES revolved around evaluating the biocompatibility of customized electrospun scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. After graduation Kyle was the teaching assistant for the gross anatomy cadaver lab at NAU while also working as an EMT. He recently returned to school to obtain his Bachelors of Science in Nursing through NAU’s 1-year accelerated program and is currently a nurse at Flagstaff Medical Center.

Hans Machula M.S.

Hans Machula completed his Master’s degree in biology at Northern Arizona University (NAU) under Dr. Robert Kellar.  His research focused on full thickness dermal wound healing using human adult derived stem cells and novel stem cell delivery methods.  He previously earned an extended B.S. degree in chemistry from NAU, pre-med emphasis, with a minor in biology.  In addition to his academic pursuits, he has worked as a part-time emergency medical technician (EMT) in the Flagstaff area for over eight years.

JJ Mrkonich

Hanna Kosinski

Anthony Rutt

Cameron Hollerbach

Seth Haight

Nick Rosati

Jeffrey Watson

Audrey Ford

Josh Thompson

Michele Karpinsky

Eric Hagendorn

Tyler Heiman

Christopher Edwards