Kara Peak
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karapeak.bsky.social
Kara Peak
@karapeak.bsky.social
35 followers 64 following 12 posts
🤰🏻Postdoc with Victor Barocas & Kyoko Yoshida at the University of Minnesota
🫀 AHA Fellow
🫁 PhD with Victor Varner at the University of Texas at Dallas
🥼soft-tissue biomechanics, women’s reproductive health, development, computational modeling
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karapeak.bsky.social
#BMES2025

🥼presented my work & plans for my future lab
🌅 enjoyed beautiful San Diego
🔬spotted my IF image representing the biomechanics section of my doctoral alma mater

not pictured: awesome work in women’s health & reproductive science + many great conversations with fellow researchers
Kara stands smiling in front of her research poster. She wears a multicolored floral dress with a white BMES conference name tag on a blue lanyard around her neck. A view from Torrey Pines Natural Reserve looking from above on some ocean-side cliffs down towards the ocean below. Kara poses next to a banner at the UT Dallas booth. The banner shows the Department of Bioengineering’s research areas in a column of 6 topics with associated images. Starting from the top and moving downwards, the banner reads in white text “Bioimaging, Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Biosensors, Neural Engineering, Systems Biology.” Kara uses her hands to frame the Biomechanics section. A close up of an immunofluorescent image of an early embryonic chick lung airway shows cell nuclei (blue), epithelial cells (red), and proliferating cells (green). A view from the entrance of the San Diego convention center of a rainbow arching over Petco Park stadium. Palm trees line the street. A skyscraper is on the left-hand side of the photo.
October 18, 2025 at 5:21 PM
karapeak.bsky.social
🌴San Diego, here I come! I’ll be presenting twice at #BMES2025 later this week.
☀️ Thursday: finite element model to understand abnormal umbilical coiling
☀️ Saturday: Meet the Faculty - hear about projects I have planned for my future independent lab
⬇️ More info in the flyer below ⬇️
A flyer with a dark grey background features information on Kara’s upcoming presentations at the BMES Annual Meeting in white text. The white BMES logo is in the top left corner and underneath is a headshot of Kara in front of a yellow circle. To the right, the text reads “Finite element model predicts decreased umbilical coiling due to vessel thickening in gestational diabetes.” A calendar clipart is followed by the time and date of “10-11am, 2:45-3:45pm Thursday, Oct. 9.” Finally, a location pin clipart is followed by the conference location at “Poster Z34, Exhibit Hall F, G & H.” Underneath is more text with information about Kara’s “Meet the Faculty” poster. The “Peak Lab: Multi-scale Mechanisms of Pregnancy & Development” poster is from “12:00-2:30pm Saturday, Oct. 11” at “Poster I9, Exhibit Hall F, G & H.” The University of Minnesota’s logo featuring the golden yellow “M” and phrase “driven to discover” is in the bottom right corner.
October 6, 2025 at 7:45 PM
karapeak.bsky.social
I’m grateful to have been selected by the UMN Postdoctoral Association and Office of Postdoctoral Initiatives to receive the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to our Academic Community Award. #NPAW2025 #PostdocAppreciation #UMNProud
Kara stands in front of a metal statue of Goldy the Gopher and the University of Minnesota’s red stone “M” logo. Kara is holding a certificate in front of herself and smiling. A close up image of the certificate. A logo for the Graduate School Office of Postdoctoral Initiatives is in the top left. The main text reads “The University of Minnesota Graduate School, Office of Postdoctoral Initiatives proudly presents Dr. Kara Peak Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Science & Engineering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our Academic Community Award” with two signatures below.
September 17, 2025 at 11:29 PM
karapeak.bsky.social
Another year, another great Summer Bioengineering Conference! I especially loved all the sessions focused on women’s health and sex-based differences. Thanks to the #SBC2025 organizers 🔬
Kara smiles in front of her Future Faculty Poster titled “Peak Pregnancy & Developmental Biomechanics Lab”. She wears a navy dress, white floral cardigan, and green lanyard conference badge. A group of nine people stand around a National Park sign marking the entrance to the Cibola National Forest. A large group of eighteen conference attendees smile for a photo together. Kara and her labmate, Paige, stand side by side for a photo together in front of a tan wall. They wear black shirts and skirts with conference badges on green lanyards.
July 2, 2025 at 9:38 PM
karapeak.bsky.social
Fellow ✨biomechanics✨ friends, catch me at #SBC2025 this week! I’ll be talking about all things #reproductive solid mechanics on Monday:
🤰🏻co-chairing Reproductive Mechanics I
🤰🏻podium talk in Reproductive Mechanics II
🤰🏻poster in the Future Faculty Session
June 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM
karapeak.bsky.social
#SRI2025 was a success! Such a cool experience to be surrounded by researchers of different backgrounds all focused on reproductive science. And to top it off, I came away with a Best New Investigator Poster Presentation award 🏆 Thanks @sriwomenshealth.bsky.social organizers for a great conference!
Picture of Kara smiling and standing to the right of her poster. Kara is wearing a navy dress, denim jacket, and necklace. The poster is blurred but colors and shapes still appear faintly visible. Email screenshot of notice of award sent on behalf of the Society for Reproductive Investigation. Picture of an award certificate with the SRI logo at top followed by “2025 Best New Investigator Poster Presentation Award” below. Presented to Kara Peak.
April 1, 2025 at 5:02 PM
karapeak.bsky.social
I’m excited to be in Charlotte for my first time at #SRI2025 🤩 I’m presenting my work investigating how gestational diabetes impacts the mechanical properties and ECM of umbilical vasculature on Saturday - swing by poster S110 during poster session 3 to learn more! @sriwomenshealth.bsky.social
March 27, 2025 at 9:31 PM