Lab Manual

Welcome to the McCreery Lab

Welcome to the Multiscale Bioengineering Lab! Our lab just started at the University of Vermont in Summer 2025. If you're reading this, I hope you're interested in becoming part of our team.

We cultivate a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment. Our cornerstones are creativity and collaboration, and we guide our experiments with data-driven hypotheses. We honor the scientific process and value success and failure both as opportunities for growth. Above all, we respect and support one another, contributing to our local and broader communities with integrity and enthusiasm.

Our lab focuses on three main areas:

We integrate multi-omics data to delineate the genetic, epigenetic, and proteomic interactions governing cell differentiation in tissue engineering and complex systems. This involves analyzing our own data as well as publicly available datasets to map cellular behavior, to turn broad questions into testable hypotheses.
Second, we perform hypothesis-driven investigations in stem cell nuclear mechanobiology, gene expression, and ECM assembly. We are investigating how the nuclear envelope integrates mechanical and biochemical signals to guide cell behavior and fates.
Third, we are developing cellular-interfacing biomaterials, leading the way to stem-cell based 3D printed regenerative biomaterials. We are working to be able to tune materials and tailor the factors cells secrete, and expedite transcription and protein synthesis to build, integrate, and maintain a healthy cell niche.

Votey Engineering building University of Vermont Electrical and Biomedical Engineering

Expectations of Graduate Students

Develop your dissertation. Your PhD dissertation will consist of approximately 3 projects that address some big-picture question. Chronologically, this manifests as (Project 1) a research question that I assign to you, (Project 2) a research plan that we develop together, and (Project 3) a project that you conceptualize, plan, and execute. Note that the time intervals are not specified and are inherently variable.
Meet with Dr. McCreery regularly, and schedule this meeting at the start of each academic term.
You are the heart of the lab. As a core part of the team, ensure the lab continues to run smoothly. If there are problems, work with Dr. McCreery to make the lab a better place.
Establish a regular schedule to conduct your research and work in the lab.
Train other people in laboratory procedures, workflows, and techniques.
Apply for fellowships, conference funding, and awards. This will build your CV, spotlight your abilities, and build your network that will launch your career after you get the PhD.
Meet with Dr. McCreery semi-annually (once per semester) to talk about professional development and progress toward your degree.
Meet all of your department deadlines. A PI does not always know these deadlines, so make sure Dr. McCreery is aware of them!
Build and maintain positive relationships with your colleagues, your collaborators, and your PI.
Present your work at conferences, department events, and to other labs (if invited).
Present in lab meeting.

Expectations of Undergraduate Students

Establish your working hours and consistently show up to lab ready to Do Science.
Every undergraduate student will start with technical lab tasks to prove your reliability and demonstrate your strengths. Over time, you will begin working on micro-projects, and your own independent project.
Come to lab meeting. Try to arrange your course schedule to allow this, otherwise please participate as often as your schedule allows.
Establish relationships and your reputation with Dr. McCreery, other professors in the department, as well as other researchers.
Talk with Dr. McCreery about your ideas. We want to hear all of your crazy science and engineering solutions, and where you think the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are going.

What can you expect of me? I will:

Consistently support you (scientifically, financially) throughout your professional journey, and be there for you through the inevitable ups and downs of engineering and research.
Aid in your career progression by introducing you to my professional network, highlighting your work at seminars, writing recommendation letters, and getting you to key conferences as our budget allows.
Ensure that I am accessible. I have an Open Door Policy: when my door is open, you are welcome to step in and interrupt; when my door is closed, I am in a meeting, and you can come back later or write me a message.
Communicate consistently to answer questions and provide feedback on proposals, ideas, writing samples and presentations.
Help you when you get stuck. Examples: How do I analyze this dataset? How do I troubleshoot this experiment? What kind of technique could I use to answer this research question? How can I interpret my complicated results?
Share my views with you on the future of our field and the field of medicine, and provide guidance so that you can achieve your career goals.
Place highest priority on your emotional and physical health.

Meetings

As a member of the lab, we have dynamic meetings that are intended to help lab members succeed.

Lab Meeting - 1x per week during the academic year

Each week during the academic calendar year, we will have a lab meeting, which will be scheduled at the start of each semester.

Individual Meetings - approx. 1x per week

In general, please schedule a regular meeting with Dr. McCreery at the start of each semester.

Professional Development Meetings - approx. 2x per year

At the end of each academic semester, we will have one-on-one meetings that are focused on your professional development so that we remain on track to achieve your career and scientific goals.

State of the Lab Address- 1x per year

At the end of the Fall semester, our final lab meeting of the calendar year will be a State of the Lab Address. In this presentation, I will give an overview of the lab over the past year: accomplishments, progress, and individual achievements. I will give an overview of lab funding and proposals I've submitted to demystify how labs operate and how budgets are structured.

When problems happen...

Personal, health, research, coursework, anything. If you feel like you are in trouble, talk to Dr. McCreery. If you don't feel confident speaking in person, write me an email or a letter. My job is to help you.

The Graduate Student Ombudsperson is responsible for providing independent, confidential, informal and impartial assistance to graduate students on matters affecting their graduate education.

If you are struggling with maintaining your mental health, I highly encourage you to talk through it with someone at UVM CAPS.