Katherine Kafkis brings a strong foundation in biomedical engineering to her role as a patent engineer at Foley.

Prior to Foley, Katherine worked as a research fellow with a University of Wisconsin-affiliated research group focused on the mechanics of fibrous materials, cell-matrix interactions, and collective cell migration. She specifically collaborated with the biophysics and mechanical engineering departments to investigate traction forces in migrating epithelial cell monolayers, applying engineering principles to better understand collective cell behavior. She also gained hands-on industry experience as a product development intern at a leading contract manufacturer, where she contributed to a successful product launch by quantifying cleaning performance and reformulating key ingredients to improve efficacy.

As a biomedical engineering student, Katherine led and contributed to several innovation-driven engineering projects, including automating radiopharmaceutical synthesis systems, developing a contamination-limiting STI self-swab device, fabricating a bioreactor for evaluating bone biomaterials, and modifying a toy car’s propulsion system for a client with limited mobility by improving the accessibility through creative electrical and mechanical redesign.