Meet Our Team
Principle Investigator
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Prof. Mohsen Asadnia is a Mechatronics and biomedical 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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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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Faezeh Arshadi is currently a PhD student at Macquarie University's Faculty of Science and Engineering. She earned her bachelor's degree in biotechnology from Kashan University, where she stood out as the top-ranking student in her class. Faezeh pursued her master's degree in nanobiotechnology at Isfahan University, where she delved into researching lithium ion-selective membranes and lithium-selective sensors. She has authored several articles and a book chapter that have been published in high-impact journals. Her diverse research interests encompass nanotechnology, membrane technology, hearing implants, sensors, and microfluidics.
Currently, Faezeh's academic journey continues as she pursues her Ph.D. at Macquarie University. Her focus centers on pioneering advancements in the realm of cochlear implants through the integration of cutting-edge sensors. |
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Kaveh Ghouchani is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Macquarie University. He completed his master's degree at Azad University – South Tehran Branch in Structural Engineering. He worked as a research associate at the Concrete Research and Education Centre (MATAB) in Iran, where he focused on enhancing the mechanical characteristics, sustainability, and durability of cement-based composites. He concentrated on utilising smart concrete to inhibit crack propagation, particularly beneficial for infrastructure maintenance.
He has been collaborating with American Concrete Institute (ACI), Iran Chapter since 2014 and serving as an active member of TC71's corresponding committee. Kaveh is intrigued by the influence of artificial intelligence on urban infrastructure and structural health monitoring. He focused his PhD research at Macquarie University on assessing the state of concrete pavements through the application of machine learning methods. Kaveh consistently shows interest in engaging in conferences and activities that facilitate communication between artificial intelligence and engineering. |
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Yujie Zhu is a PhD 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 was 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 PhD candidate at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences and a Master's degree in Medical Immunology from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. During her Master's program, she specialized in fabricating silica-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, bio-conjugation techniques, and cell separation methods. In addition to her academic pursuits, Motahare served as a part-time lecturer at the Varastegan Institute of Medical Sciences for four years. Her research interests are primarily centered on proteomic research and nano-based drug delivery systems.
At Macquarie University, Motahare completed a Master of Research (MRes), where she focused on characterizing inner ear protein profiles in guinea pigs and rats. Her current PhD project involves developing a proteomics platform to pinpoint triggers and pathways of inner ear diseases. |
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Yue Jiang (Jennie) is a new admitted PhD student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. She earned her master’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Sydney, Australia where she conducted research about sub-5G 6G antenna design and published high-impact conference papers. In addition, she has contributed to projects involving machine learning application in computer vision, like object detection and auto-driving. Prior to her master’s studies, Jennie completed her bachelor’s degree in broadcasting and television engineering at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China where she developed strong theoretical foundation in communication and electronics, and programming. Her interdisciplinary background equips her with a unique perspective on wireless systems and intelligent design.
Jennie’s PhD project is part of an industrial project in collaboration with SmartCrete CRC, concentrating on developing innovative wireless communication solutions using embedded sensors in concrete structure. Additionally, she will be exploring cutting-edge research in leveraging reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for sustainable 6G wireless networks. |
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Hoang Phuc (Peter) Phan is an PhD candidate in Medical Devices and Sensors at Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. His passion is improving healthcare quality, and he earned a First-Class Honors Bachelor's Degree in Electronics Engineering through a joint program at Macquarie University and VNU-HCM. Prior to the PhD, Peter developed his expertise as an R&D Electronic Engineer through projects at Bheem Health, Fulcrum3D and Bosch.
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Jade Mansell is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. She holds a bachelor's degree in medical science majoring in Medicinal Chemistry and minoring in Neuroscience, as well as a master's degree in clinical Audiology. During her master's program, she completed a research project on locating central gain compensation in the brainstem. Her PhD project involves animal models, focusing on diseases of the inner ear and vestibular system. Jade's research interests include otologic diseases, therapeutics, electrophysiology, neuroscience, the inner ear, and vestibular system.
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Master of Research Year 2 Students
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David Lesmana is MRes Year 2 student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Technology Sydney, where he graduated with first-class honors and earned a place on the Dean’s List. He also has industry experience with a Biotechnology company, where he has been responsible for optimizing and enhancing the production process. He is also a co-inventor on a patent and collaborator on several conferences and research papers. His primary research interest is in microfluidics and approaches in industry-scale microemulsion. His MRes project focuses on optimizing and comparing different surfactants by analyzing various factors that could affect the stability of microemulsions. Looking ahead, he plans to continue his research by developing and scaling microfluidic devices that would allow for industry-scale production of mono-sized microemulsion as part of his PhD project.
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Mahsa Esfandiari is a MRes Year 2 student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Persian Gulf University and then began her Master’s in Chemical Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic). Her master's research involved the fabrication and application of catalysts and electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen generation and evolution. During her research journey, she gained experience in the synthesis and characterization of advanced nanomaterials and their performance in various applications, such as electrochemical and photocatalytic processes. She has published several papers in high-impact journals on these topics. Her diverse research interests also span nanomaterials, electrochemical sensors, and implantable biosensors. Her MRes thesis focuses on the design and characterization of electrochemical sensors for detecting different ions. Going forward, she plans to continue her research by developing cochlear electrodes for sensing as part of her PhD project.
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Kevin Sun is a MRes Year 2 student at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University. He received his bachelor's degree in Mechatronics Engineering from Macquarie University in 2025. Shortly after, he joined Macquarie Hospital’s FMHHS wing as an engineering research assistant. Kevin has also previously worked on a joint project between Macquarie University and the sensor development startup, Contactile, focusing on the design and development of an environmental control chamber for testing small sensors. His current MRes project is an industry collaboration with Cochlear, centered on the design and development of a biocompatible packaging system for long-term potassium ion monitoring in vivo during animal studies.
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Alumni
Milad Razbin was 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 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.
Masoud Mohseni Dargah was 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 areas of research were middle ear mechanics, with a particular focus on computational modelling, middle ear prosthesis design, and inner ear disease (Meniere’s).
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.
