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Research Team

Scott Tsai
Scott Tsai

Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering

scott.tsai@torontomu.ca

Education:
PhD (eng. sci.), Harvard University, 2012
SM (eng. sci.), Harvard University, 2009
BASc (mech. eng.), University of Toronto, 2007

Scott is the principal investigator of LoFFI. His research training has focused on a combination of low Reynolds number fluid mechanics and electrodynamics. More specifically, Scott's PhD developed systems that manipulate magnetic microparticles in microfluidic channels, for applications in particle sorting and coating, and in measuring ultralow interfacial tensions.

Google Scholar Profile (external link, opens in new window) 

(Lab website officer)

Bahareh Chaichypour
Bahareh Chaichypour

PhD Student
Biomedical Physics
(Co-supervised with Dr. Michael Kolios)

bahareh.chaichypour@torontomu.ca

Education:
MSc (mech. eng.), K. N. Toosi University of Technology, 2018
BSc (mech. eng.), Shahid Beheshti University, 2015

Bahareh employs acoustofluidics to develop efficient and robust microfluidic devices for diverse biomedical applications, such as drug delivery and intracellular delivery, and cellular mechanical property studies. 

(Lab equipment officer)

Niloofar Ghasemzaie
Niloofar Ghasemzaie

PhD Student
Biomedical Engineering

nghasemzaie@torontomu.ca

Education:
MSc (tissue eng.), Amirkabir University of Technology, 2017
BSc (biomat. eng.) , Amirkabir University of Technology, 2014

Niloofar’s research at LoFFI involves developing microfluidic approaches to manipulate aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) droplets and using them for biomedical applications, such as cancer diagnosis.

(Lab safety officer)

Huma Inayat
Huma Inayat

PhD Student
Biomedical Engineering
(Co-supervised with Dr. Andras Kapus)

inayathu@torontomu.ca

Education:
BSc (biotech., chem.), University of Toronto, 2014

Huma is building a lab-on-a-chip platform for investigating and quantifying the biology behind epithelial-mesenchymal transitions. The goal is to understand how normal epithelial cells transform into matrix-producing, invasive, and contractile myofibroblasts.

(Lab socials officer)

Kushal Joshi
Kushal Joshi

PhD Student
Mechanical Engineering
(Co-supervised with Dr. Warren Lee)

kushal.joshi@torontomu.ca

Education:
MS (biomed. eng.), University of California at Irvine, 2020
BEng (mech. eng.), Birla Institute of Technology and Science, 2017 

Kushal's research at LoFFI involves exploring the use of drug/gene-loaded nanobubbles and lung-on-a-chip models for treating acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). He has previous experience in developing low-cost, high-throughput microfluidic platforms for electrical and mechanical characterization of single cells.

Shikhar Davla
Shikhar Davla

MASc Student
Mechanical Engineering
(Co-supervised with Dr. Abbas Ghasemi)

sdavla@torontomu.ca

Education:
BASc (mech. eng.), University of Waterloo, 2023

Shikhar is developing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models and conducting experiments to study aqueous two phase system (ATPS) droplet microfluidics.

(Lab IT support officer)

Steven Tran
Steven Tran

MASc Student
Biomedical Engineering
(Co-supervised with Dr. Michael Kolios)

s10tran@torontomu.ca

Education:
BSc (biomed. sci.), Toronto Metropolitan University, 2023

Steven is developing microfluidic approaches to massively scale-up the production of monodisperse nanobubbles, for applications in ultrasound imaging and targeted therapeutics delivery.

(Lab ordering officer)

Reese Wunsche
Reese Wunsche

MASc Student
Biomedical Engineering
(Co-supervised with Dr. Hon Leong)

reese.wunsche@torontomu.ca

Education:
BASc (biomed. eng.), University of Ottawa, 2022
BSc (comp. tech.), University of Ottawa, 2022

Reese's research at LoFFI involves developing a technique to generate extracellular vesicle encapsulating particles that will be used for the delivery of extracellular vesicle-based therapeutics.

(Lab meetings officer)

Saira Khan
Saira Khan

BEng Student
Biomedical Engineering

saira2.khan@torontomu.ca

Education:
BEng (biomed. eng.), Toronto Metropolitan University, 4th year

Saira is working alongside Niloofar to control the porosity of various scaffold materials through the implementation of microbubbles with the goal of enhancing tissue engineering applications.  

Stephanie McGinnity
Stephanie McGinnity

BEng Student
Biomedical Engineering

stephanie.mcginnity@torontomu.ca

Education:
BEng (biomed. eng.), Toronto Metropolitan University, 4th year

Stephanie is working alongside Steven to enhance the monodispersity, concentration, and stability of microfluidic nanobubbles through the implementation of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS), with downstream biomedical applications in therapeutics and imaging.

Alumni:

Postdoctoral researchers:
Morteza Jeyhani (Manager of Innovation & Commercial. @ Dalhousie U. Ocean Frontier Institute (external link, opens in new window) )
Mostasim Mahmud (Assistant Professor @ Bangladesh Army University of Engineering and Technology (external link, opens in new window) )
Byeong-Ui Moon (Researcher @ National Research Council (NRC) Canada (external link, opens in new window) )
Jiang Xu (Senior Scientist @ Virogen Biotech (external link, opens in new window) )

PhD students:
Vaskar Gnyawali (Co-Founder & CSO @ Breaking Inc. (external link, opens in new window) )
Maryam Navi (Medical Editor @ Publicis Groupe Canada (external link, opens in new window) )
Ali Paknahad
Ali Salari (Postdoc @ University of Toronto (external link, opens in new window) )
Intesar Zalloum (Assistant Professor @ Palestine Polytechnic University (external link, opens in new window) )

MASc students:
Niki Abbasi (Senior Scientist @ Merck (external link, opens in new window) )
Farbod Ahmadzadeh (Mechanical Engineer @ Nucor Corp. (external link, opens in new window) )
Brian Battaglia (Manufacturing Project Manager @ Innovere Medical (external link, opens in new window) )
Stephanie Buryk (Founder & CEO @ Sparked Inc. (external link, opens in new window) )
Katherine Chan (Medical Student @ Western University (external link, opens in new window) )
Steven Jones (Engineer @ Conavi Medical (external link, opens in new window) )
Jennifer Kieda (PhD Student @ University of Toronto (external link, opens in new window) )
Nevetha Yogarajah (Quality Control @ POINT Biopharma (external link, opens in new window) )

Undergraduate students:
Abhinav Ahuja, Arshdeep Bamrah, Jasmin Honegger, Sarah Kenaan, Liam Kerr, Andrew Kuo, Jason Laylo, Jihyung Lee, Moses Odemuyiwa, Dejan Milidragovic, Hala Abou Nahya, Ali Saremi, Stephen Sammut, Lianne So, Risavarshni Thevakumaran, Vivian Truong, Darío Romero Vázquez, Jorvani Cruz Villarreal, and Daniel Wong.

High school students:
Rose Jarjarmi, Adrienne Lee, and Helen Zheng.