Samuel Sung

About Me

Sam's interest in conducting research began at the Ohio State University where he applied his physics and chemistry degrees conducting undergraduate research designing PET/CT filters at Wexner Medical Center's Department of Radiology and cataloging inorganic compositions of aerosol particles in the Department of Chemistry. After graduating, Sam worked as a chemist at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, DC designing microfluidic optical traps and separating malaria-infected red blood cells from healthy ones. With a growing interest in medical devices, Sam earned his MS from Northwestern University and later worked at a startup as an analytical chemist to engineer a slow-release, long-term anti-retroviral delivery device as an option for HIV prophylaxis. While researching HIV, Sam became fascinated with the immune system and sought to hone his interests and studies by pursuing a PhD at Drexel University's Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, led by Dr. Kara Spiller.

Outside of the lab, Sam's interests can range from reading, running, and woodworking to backpacking, photography, and trade schools. Sam is also a commissioned officer and has been serving as a Captain at 4th Combat Engineer Battalion in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where he enjoys training and working with Marines. Through Fulbright, Sam will be researching the development of smarter biomaterials for macrophage-based cell therapy.

Last updated: June 2025