Meet Our Team
Principle Investigator
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Prof. Mohsen Asadnia is a well-respected and accomplished biomedical and mechanical engineer currently serving as a full professor at the School of Engineering, at Macquarie University. He is also the director of Master by Research at Faculty of Science and Engineering where he is responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and management of the program. With over 20 years of experience, he has made significant contributions to the advancement of biomedical and mechanical engineering, particularly in the areas of smart materials for applications in health and energy. Prof. Asadnia received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering where he developed a passion for using technology to solve complex problems and improve people's lives. He then pursued his PhD at Nanyang Technological University-Singapore, where he focused on the development of biomimetic microsensors for use in various applications, including healthcare, and robotics. After completing his PhD, Prof. Asadnia joined Massachusetts institute of technology (SMART centre) as a postdoctoral researcher, where he worked on the development of advanced artificial auditory haircell sensors. He then moved on to The University of Western Australia (UWA), where he held the position of assistant professor, responsible for the development of cutting-edge transistor based chemical sensors for use in oil and gas industries.
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Research Fellow & Postdoctoral Fellow
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Dr Christopher Pastras is an early career researcher at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, at Macquarie University. His main areas of research include auditory and vestibular physiology (including inner and middle ear function), neurophysiology, biomechanics, and bioengineering, with a particular focus on animal models of health and disease. In 2020 he was awarded the Garnett Pass & Rodney Williams Fellowship at the University of Sydney to develop novel tools to investigate inner ear function. Dr Pastras now holds the 2022 Macquarie University Research Fellowship (MQRF) in an expansive project to examine the underlying biology and mechanics of the mammalian inner ear related to cochleovestibular disorders for translational solutions. Dr Pastras holds technical expertise in instrumentation, data acquisition and control, mathematic modelling, and analysis, and has experience in biopotential recording and mechanical measurements of biological tissue(s) using Laser Doppler Vibrometry. His research involves specialized electrophysiological and mechanical recordings of the mammalian middle and inner ear using animal models, as well as experimental manipulations, numerical simulations, and morphological techniques.
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Dr. Sajad A. Moshizi is an accomplished Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Engineering at Macquarie University, specializing in biomedical engineering. He holds a PhD in Engineering from the same institution, which was awarded with the Vice-Chancellor's commendation for his PhD thesis that ranked in the top 5% of Biomedical Engineering. Currently, Dr. Moshizi is working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the SmartCrete CRC project at Macquarie University. His research is focused on the development of sensors for early crack detection inside concrete pavements. Through his work, he aims to contribute to the development of more durable and sustainable infrastructure. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Moshizi has received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to the field of sensor development. His research interests are diverse and cover several fields of engineering. His primary focus is on sensor development, where he uses his expertise in microfluidics, fluid dynamics, and structural health monitoring to develop innovative sensing technologies for various applications.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajad-abolpour-moshizi/ |
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Mojtaba Abdollahzadeh is a postdoctoral researcher at Macquarie University and CSIRO, specializing in electrochemical sensors for mineral resources. He obtained his PhD in Engineering from Macquarie University, where his research focused on lithium ion-selective membranes and lithium-selective sensors. Dr. Abdollahzadeh has a remarkable publication record, with numerous high-quality papers published in renowned journals with high impact factors. Currently, Mojtaba is actively involved in the development of robust and reliable potentiometric sensors for water quality monitoring and the mining industry. His research aims to advance sensor technologies that can provide accurate and real-time data for monitoring and optimizing various processes in these domains. His work contributes to enhancing the understanding and application of sensor technologies in mineral resources and environmental monitoring.
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Andrew Belford is an electrical, electronic and mechatronic engineer with over 30 years of industrial experience in automation and control. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Adelaide. He has worked in automated industrial manufacturing for many process and manufacturing plants, including large concrete pipe production, water filtration and water treatment facilities. He has extensive experience in control and SCADA systems design and engineering throughout a diverse range of industries, and a passion and proven ability in innovation, analysis, and problem solving to find practical and commercially viable outcomes. He is currently working as a research engineer at Macquarie University Faculty of Science and Engineering, working on bio-inspired sensing and manipulation using robotics to mimic the way that human fingertips can pick up and handle delicate objects. He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, and a Senior Member of IEEE.
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PhD Students
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Masoud Mohseni Dargah is a joint PhD student in the Cotutelle PhD program between Macquarie University, Australia and Tarbiat Modares University, Iran. He obtained his BSc in laboratory medicine and worked as a medical technologist in clinical laboratories. Masoud also pursued his master's degree in biological chemistry. He was involved in a various range of research including, nano-based cancer gene therapy, cancer pathology, and medical diagnosis. His current areas of research are middle ear mechanics, with a particular focus on computational modelling, middle ear prosthesis design, and inner ear disease (Meniere’s).
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Behrouz Aghajanloo is a PhD student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, at Macquarie University. He completed his bachelor's degree at Tabriz University and his master's degree at Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, both in mechanical engineering. His research experience includes working as a research assistant at Isfahan University of Technology and Royan Institute in Iran, focusing on Pumpless Microfluidics for biomedical applications. With a record of receiving more than 10 national and international research grants, Behrouz also served as a visiting scholar at Politecnico di Torino, where he developed a pumpless lab-on-a-chip platform for cell separation and rapid detection. His research interests span pumpless microfluidics, hearing implants, sensors, and 3D printing. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Macquarie University, Behrouz is dedicated to developing cochlear implants using sensors and microfluidics. He has co-founded Khwarizmi Foundation of Science and Technology as well as Bio-Engineering Center for Cancer (BEC). Behrouz has a keen interest in participating in events that revolve around entrepreneurship, networking, and humanitarian endeavours to enjoy his free time.
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Rockson Kwesi Tonnah graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) and Hanbat National University (South Korea) with a B.Sc. Chemical Engineering and MEng in Chemical and biological Engineering, respectively. He recently completed Macquarie University research masters in Engineering and has progressed to a Ph.D candidate. His doctoral research is on the development of bio-inspired nanofluidic materials for salinity gradient energy conversion (renewable energy) and direct lithium ion extraction. Rockson enjoys reading about socioeconomics, geopolitics and philosophical thought experiments for leisure.
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Milad Razbin is presently enrolled as a collaborative Ph.D. candidate in the distinguished Cotutelle Ph.D. initiative, a joint program involving Macquarie University in Australia and Amirkabir University of Technology in Iran. His academic journey commenced with a Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Engineering from Guilan University, where he undertook groundbreaking research in the realm of auxetic Yarn modeling. Earning the top-ranking position among his peers, his exemplary academic performance culminated in the publication of an ISI paper based on his research. Subsequently, Milad embarked on a voyage of scholarly pursuit, achieving a master's degree in Technical Textile Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology. During this period, he exhibited exceptional prowess by conceptualizing and crafting innovative auxetic yarns. His master's thesis stood out as an exemplar of academic excellence, garnering recognition as the most outstanding thesis. The thesis also produced two ISI papers, an ISC paper, and an impressive compilation of three conference papers, a testament to his commitment to advancing the knowledge frontiers in his field. Notably, he held the distinction of being the foremost student in the course of his master's studies. Milad's scholarly journey has continued to ascend, now as a distinguished Ph.D. candidate and recipient of a prestigious scholarship from Macquarie University. His ongoing doctoral pursuits revolve around the domain of smart textiles and advanced materials catering to diverse applications. As an expert in auxetic textiles and structures, he has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in areas spanning from nanofibrous membranes for air and liquid filtration, to composite materials, piezoelectric elements, piezoresistive materials, and Mechanochromic compounds.
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Master of Research Year 2 Students
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Ali Kazemi
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Yujie Zhu is an MRes Year 2 student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering under the joint programme of Macquarie University and Xi'an University of Science and Technology. Her research interests include semiconductors, electronic circuit design and sensors. Her MRes thesis is dedicated to the development of a wearable drowning detection device equipped with remote alarm and self-rescue features.
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Motahare Khorrami is a MRes Year 2 student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences and then started her Master’s in Medical Immunology at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. During her Master's program, she worked on the fabrication of silica-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles, Bio-conjugation of nanoparticles, and cell separation methods. Motahare also worked as a part-time lecturer at the Varastegan Institute of Medical Sciences for four years. Her main interests are molecular research and nano-based drug delivery approaches. Her MRes thesis involves the characterization of inner ear protein profiles in guinea pigs to find potential biomarkers for inner ear disorders. Then, she will focus on the development of a cutting-edge biosensor for early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression as her Ph.D. project.
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Alumni
Dr Salman Jalalifar obtained his PhD in Maritime Engineering from Australian Maritime College, the University of Tasmania. His PhD research was on the operational management of the fast pyrolysis process using numerical modeling. Besides several years in the energy-related industry, he has a scholarly track record in heat transfer, energy conversion, fluid mechanics, numerical modelings, and multi-phase flow dynamics. Dr Jalalifar worked on designing and fabricating a smart device for a drowning detection and tracking system that would continuously monitor the wearer’s swimming pattern, depth, and heartbeat and send a signal to emergency services and lifeguards in case of a potential drowning event.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Salman-Jalalifar
https://www.linkedin.com/in/salman-jalalifar-89542a52/
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?hl=en&user=yu53JFQAAAAJ
Dr. Huan Xiao was a postdoctoral research associate at the School of Engineering, at Macquarie University. She received her Ph.D. in the School of Natural Sciences from Macquarie University. Her main research interests covered membrane science & technology, and chemical & environmental engineering processes to solve environmental or energy problems.
Peter Phuong Phan was an Electronics Engineer with passion in designing IoT systems. His main research was about embedded systems and wireless communication systems (LoRa, WiFi, BLE). His completed project include:
1) Embedded system for complex traffic light (train, bus, car and pedestrian)
2) Embedded system to simulate musical instruments and precise motor controller for ventilator using Matlab
3) Automatic line follower and maze solver robot using C language
4) Automatic tennis ball collector robot
(https://github.com/Peter-Electronic)
1) Embedded system for complex traffic light (train, bus, car and pedestrian)
2) Embedded system to simulate musical instruments and precise motor controller for ventilator using Matlab
3) Automatic line follower and maze solver robot using C language
4) Automatic tennis ball collector robot
(https://github.com/Peter-Electronic)
Hadi Ahmadi received his master's degree in mechanical engineering-Energy Conversion branch from Semnan University. Besides spending several years in automotive industry, he had academic background in the field of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, turbulence modelling and CFD. His PhD research focused on the numerical and experimental investigation of cochlea and basilar membrane in mammalian auditory system.
Sujan Shrestha received his bachelor's degree in Electronic and Communication Engineering from Tribhuvan University, Nepal in 2010. Author persuaded his Master study in Information and Communication Engineering from Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea, in 2017. He worked as an Engineer in companies as such Huawei, Broadcasting firms. His research interest included antenna design and wave propagation, rain attenuation, microwave and satellite communication. His PhD project was focused on development of novel Antennas for Biomedical applications.
Ivan Bakhshayeshi was an HDR student at the school of engineering, Macquarie University. He was also a member of the Data Analytics Lab (data-science-group.github.io) and Engineering Australia. His research interests are in the areas of data science and artificial intelligence. Ivan conducted several industrial and academic projects related to data analytics, computer vision, GIS.
He was working on the project titled: “AI-enabled livestock recognition in transport”, funded by the industry (ITIC-Systems, Education, and Research). The study aimed to assist the agriculture sector with developing a computer vision model to identify farm animals based on their visual biometrics.
Maryam Shahriari received her bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. She worked as a Medical Laboratory Scientist in accredited Laboratories in Iran. Meanwhile, she focused on treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia through Drug Delivery methods. She has been qualified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist by the Australian Institute of Medical Laboratory Scientists (AIMS). She is currently undertaking a master’s degree at Macquarie University, and her master’s degree is focused on the treatment of vestibular disorders by developing biomimetic biocompatible piezo-resistive flow sensors.
Fatemeh Ezheian was a PhD candidate in Nano-biotechnology in the factuality of advanced science and technology at University of Isfahan, Iran. Her project was on design particular geometrical patterned substrates for regulation of MSCs behavior.
Marzieh Souzanipour was a PhD student in Nanobiotechnology at University of Isfahan. Her thesis concerns the design and functionalization of enzyme-conjugated dendrimer nanocarriers conjugated for targeted delivery of anticancer drug.
Dr. Rajni (Sharma) Pathak was working as a volunteer at asadnia lab in the School of Engineering. She completed her PhD in Biotechnology from Punjabi University Patiala, Punjab, India. Her research interests are fabrication of Biosensors/Sensors for heavy metals and ions detection, Biosurfactant production and Bioremediation.
She assessed the state of the art in semicircular canals and green membranes, in order to produce comprehensive reviews of each field.
She assessed the state of the art in semicircular canals and green membranes, in order to produce comprehensive reviews of each field.
Dr. M A Parvez Mahmud was a postdoctoral research associate at the School of Engineering, Macquarie University. He received his PhD in Engineering from Macquarie University. His research interest was included piezoelectric and triboelectric energy harvesters, towards the development of self-powered flexible electronic devices.
Zinat Changani PhD research was focused on pumpless microfluidic nano-biosensor and nanocomposite membrane.
Mohammadamin Raoufi PhD project was focused on mechanism of particle/cell focusing within non-Newtonian fluids using microfluidic systems, mimicking the condition of blood flow within arteries.
David Wren completed his Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree at Macquarie University in 2020 majoring in mechanical engineering. Having switched from a mechatronic engineering major after completing up to and including his 300 level within this major, he had a good knowledge base around mechatronic systems in addition to mechanical engineering. He pursued a robotics-based masters research project.
