By Julie Harper ’01
Meet Abrianna Lalle, a UCF nursing student and Limbitless Solutions research intern.
UCF undergraduate nursing student Abrianna Lalle’s interest in science was sparked when she was six years old.
“I really liked mixing things and seeing reactions,” she says.
Her interest grew, specifically toward healthcare. “In elementary school, I was really interested in cancer research and intrigued by the concept of medical treatments and coming up with cures for diseases.”
At UCF, she’s found opportunities to follow her interests and positively impact lives.
Last summer, she began interning at Limbitless Solutions as an assistant scholar on the research team. Lalle admits she didn’t know a lot about prostheses beforehand, but was drawn to the opportunity as it combined her passion in research with her calling to care for others.
“I’m in nursing because I like the idea of helping people, and I want to be a part of making someone’s life better and easier,” she says.
An Empowering Experience
As a Limbitless Solutions research intern, Lalle receives mentorship while working collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team on data collection for clinical trials.
Currently, she’s working on a multi-gesture study where the team is exploring up to five distinct gestures on a prosthetic arm and how to strike a balance with increased functionality and capability with accuracy. She’s also about to begin data collection on a virtual reality project helping assess dexterity.
“I’ve never even tried a VR headset before, so I think that’s super cool,” she says. “I’ve also seen how critical thinking skills are so important to analyze relevant research to provide the best patient care.”
In addition to gaining hands-on experience in gathering data to empower individuals with accessible technology, Lalle has had valuable professional development opportunities with the internship.
Earlier this spring, Lalle and three other researchers attended the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference where she gave her first poster presentation on “Electromyographic Prostheses: A Novel Approach to Evaluate and Train Multi-gesture Controls.”
“That was a really great experience,” she says. “It was very cool to talk about my work, and seeing what other people were working on too.”
Lalle and her research team were also accepted to present at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in Pittsburgh and the upcoming International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics in Orlando.
“Abrianna’s ability to bring her compassion for patients and her research mindset has been such a strength in our research lab,” says Albert Manero ’12 ’14MS ’16PhD, executive director of Limbitless Solutions. “We are very proud of her impact and her commitment to excellence in all areas.”
A Positive Impact
Lalle’s favorite experiences at Limbitless Solutions are the days where the bionic family comes into the lab, whether it is for a clinical trial, enrollment day or delivery day where the child receives their custom prosthetic.
“It’s such a beautiful day,” she says. “To see the child open up the box and realize that this is a defining moment that will change the way they’ve looked at something in their life so far.”
“It was my first time really seeing the part of nursing that was restoring autonomy, independence and dignity, and I’ve seen first-hand how special a connection can be with your patient,” she adds.
The Broward County native was drawn to the nursing profession not only for the biology and scientific aspects, but also the hands-on patient care. She chose UCF for its internationally recognized STIM Center and location in Orlando with many nearby hospitals for clinical opportunities.
Lalle began the Traditional BSN program in Spring 2025, and plans to continue impacting lives as a clinical researcher after graduation in Summer 2026.
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